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The Silence In Between

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The Silence In Between

By: Josie Ferguson
Narrated by: Rosina Aichner, Josie Ferguson
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE WATERSTONES DEBUT FICTION PRIZE 2024

The Silence in Between is a historical novel based in Berlin in 1961 and during the Second World War. Lisette lives in East Berlin but brings her new-born baby to a hospital in West Berlin. Under doctor's orders, she goes home to rest, leaving the baby in the care of the hospital. But overnight the border between East and West closes, slicing the city - and the world - in two. With a city in chaos and armed guards ordered to shoot anyone who tries to cross, her situation is desperate. Lisette's teenage daughter, Elly, has always struggled to understand the distance between herself and her mother. Both live for music but while Elly hears notes surrounding every person she meets, for her mother - once a talented pianist - the world has gone silent. Perhaps Elly can do something to bridge the gap between them. What begins as the flicker of an idea turns into a daring plan to escape East Berlin, find her baby brother, and bring him home....

Featuring music composed by Carl-Michael Bonde.

©2024 Josie Ferguson (P)2024 Penguin Audio

 20th Century Family Life Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Heartfelt Inspiring Tear-jerking Thought-Provoking

Critic reviews

A compelling debut . . . The Silence in Between is a haunting and compassionate account of war’s legacy, the atrocities inflicted on ordinary German women and their extraordinary resilience
A thoughtful and moving debut ... Rooted in real stories, The Silence in Between is a reminder of how seismic political events shape ordinary lives
A strong, emotionally resonant debut full of music and menace
A hauntingly beautiful exploration of love, family and societal unrest all set against the backdrop of the Berlin Wall . . . a poignant and heartfelt story that eloquently captures the resilience of the human spirit
A confident debut with an original premise
A captivating, tense portrayal of desperation, fortitude and courage
A tautly plotted, deeply involving novel that packs a real emotional punch … I can't recommend this novel highly enough
A quietly powerful novel about lives altered by a seismic historical moment
A gut-wrenching but beautiful novel about love, family, resilience and music
A powerful story of family, hope and generational narratives, beautifully told
All stars
Most relevant
Probably the most beautiful book I’ve read this year! I will think about it for a long time.

Absolutely beautiful!

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Story told so beautifully and with such detail and description all linked to the music that the main characters hear. This book relives a different aspect to what others endured during and after the war and the impact and devastation that it left which isn’t always written about.

Beautifully written

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I don’t often leave reviews but this was a fantastic read that I couldn’t wait to pick back up

Wonderful read

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A wonderful story, engaging characters, a heartbreaking journey through WWII Berlin… how women suffer at the hands of men and their stupid need to dominate others.
Loved the authentic narration with a German accent.

Wonderful story, perfect narration

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Stunning emotive story with a duel time I loved it couldn’t stop listening. Likeable characters that took you back to 1945 and 1961. Throughly recommended.

An excellent listen

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