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Two Brothers
Two Brothers is a heartrending story of two boys growing up under the darkening shadow of the Nazis. Born in Berlin in 1920 and raised by the same parents, one boy is Jewish, his adopted brother is Aryan. At first, their origins are irrelevant. But as the political landscape changes they are forced to make decisions with horrifying consequences.
424 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
1,013 people are currently reading
9,411 people want to read
About the author
Ben Elton
64books1,397followersBen Elton was born on 3 May 1959, in Catford, South London. The youngest of four, he went to Godalming Grammar school, joined amateur dramatic societies and wrote his first play at 15. He wanted to be a stagehand at the local theatre, but instead did A-Level Theatre Studies and studied drama at Manchester University in 1977.
His career as both performer and writer encompasses some of the most memorable and incisive comedy of the past twenty years. His ground breaking work as a TV stand-up comedian set the (high) standard of what was to follow. He has received accolades for his hit TV sit-coms, The Young Ones, Blackadder and The Thin Blue Line.
More recently he has had successes with three hit West End musicals, including the global phenomenon We Will Rock You. He has written three plays for the London stage, including the multi-award-winning Popcorn. Ben's international bestselling novels include Stark, Inconceivable, Dead Famous and High Society. He won the Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger Award for the novel Popcorn.
Elton lives in Perth with his Aussie wife Sophie and three children.
His career as both performer and writer encompasses some of the most memorable and incisive comedy of the past twenty years. His ground breaking work as a TV stand-up comedian set the (high) standard of what was to follow. He has received accolades for his hit TV sit-coms, The Young Ones, Blackadder and The Thin Blue Line.
More recently he has had successes with three hit West End musicals, including the global phenomenon We Will Rock You. He has written three plays for the London stage, including the multi-award-winning Popcorn. Ben's international bestselling novels include Stark, Inconceivable, Dead Famous and High Society. He won the Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger Award for the novel Popcorn.
Elton lives in Perth with his Aussie wife Sophie and three children.
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March 29, 2013At 2:00 today I was on page 102 & at 8:10pm I have finished it, could not stop reading it. I implore you to read this book, the story will tug at your heart strings & even bring you to tears.
This could be my favourite book I have read all year
This could be my favourite book I have read all year
February 4, 2013
This book should be added to the school curriculum. It's amazing - a totally human story of how normal life is changed by evil. It's different to other accounts of being Jewish in the Third Reich but I can't quite put my finger on why... I think it's the way they author writes (I'm a fan of Ben Elton's anyway but this is the first 'serious' book I've read by him). I think it's so readable because nothing is overplayed; not the tragedy, not the emotion, not the lunacy and not the 'normality'. And Elton doesn't insult your intelligence by belaboring a point, either.
There were parts where I almost cheered and one of the main character's deaths (towards the end of the book, you'll probably know which when you get to it) had me in floods of tears. And whereas Elton shows how the unique situation post-WWI Germany was in allowed Hitler and his ilk to 'take' the minds and hearts of the populace he also shows how easily it could happen in any country you care to name, which is a very sobering lesson.
Just all in all an amazing book.
There were parts where I almost cheered and one of the main character's deaths (towards the end of the book, you'll probably know which when you get to it) had me in floods of tears. And whereas Elton shows how the unique situation post-WWI Germany was in allowed Hitler and his ilk to 'take' the minds and hearts of the populace he also shows how easily it could happen in any country you care to name, which is a very sobering lesson.
Just all in all an amazing book.
December 28, 2012
Utterly gripping from the start, this story of two boys born on the same day in pre war Berlin, is a tour de force.
The boys, destined to become twins via a secret adoption of one of the boys at birth, grow from children to adult soldiers, born to Wolfgang, a musician in the heady Berlin nightclub scene, and Freida , a doctor - a Jewish family living a simple life.
Until Hitler came to power. Slowly , the author builds the feelings of abject terror and menace that the Jews endured on a daily basis - day by day another vestige of humanity is stripped from them , but surely, things cannot get worse than this?
Spanning decades starting in the 1920s, the brothers , with their comrades and sweethearts Dagmar and Silke ( love the name Silke ) form a gang , The Saturday Club , and its the promise made in this club that forms the structure to the book.
Captivating, unputdownable, devastating and yet amusing at times, Ben Elton accurately tells a fictional story of Otto and Paulus Stengel, amidst the true, mind altering horror that was Nazi Germany.
I was sad to finish this book, as I felt a part of it, felt like I was in their gang with them, in Nazi Germany with them, crying with them - a masterpeice.
The boys, destined to become twins via a secret adoption of one of the boys at birth, grow from children to adult soldiers, born to Wolfgang, a musician in the heady Berlin nightclub scene, and Freida , a doctor - a Jewish family living a simple life.
Until Hitler came to power. Slowly , the author builds the feelings of abject terror and menace that the Jews endured on a daily basis - day by day another vestige of humanity is stripped from them , but surely, things cannot get worse than this?
Spanning decades starting in the 1920s, the brothers , with their comrades and sweethearts Dagmar and Silke ( love the name Silke ) form a gang , The Saturday Club , and its the promise made in this club that forms the structure to the book.
Captivating, unputdownable, devastating and yet amusing at times, Ben Elton accurately tells a fictional story of Otto and Paulus Stengel, amidst the true, mind altering horror that was Nazi Germany.
I was sad to finish this book, as I felt a part of it, felt like I was in their gang with them, in Nazi Germany with them, crying with them - a masterpeice.
September 1, 2022
I'm really not sure what I think about this book so I'm going bang splat in the middle with 3 stars.
To start I'm a huge fan of Ben Elton, I adore a lot of his books.
I enjoyed this book as it focuses a lot on the time period leading up to WW2 which I found super interesting, the Olympics, the inflation. And the years following the war were also explored. At over 500 pages I really did get into this meaty book.
However, I didn't feel the language used represented the time period but I'm not sure if Elton did this deliberately as he does tend to not follow the rules generally. I also felt it was a bit of a fluffy war read, if you want to read about WW2 without actually getting your hands dirty or your heart broken this is the book for you.
3 stars, I think.
To start I'm a huge fan of Ben Elton, I adore a lot of his books.
I enjoyed this book as it focuses a lot on the time period leading up to WW2 which I found super interesting, the Olympics, the inflation. And the years following the war were also explored. At over 500 pages I really did get into this meaty book.
However, I didn't feel the language used represented the time period but I'm not sure if Elton did this deliberately as he does tend to not follow the rules generally. I also felt it was a bit of a fluffy war read, if you want to read about WW2 without actually getting your hands dirty or your heart broken this is the book for you.
3 stars, I think.
June 5, 2016
I'd give this book 10 stars if I could! What an amazing, amazing story. And the tension! I spent half the book wondering who Stone was (Otto or Paulus) and when I finally found out I spent the other half of the book wondering what had happened to the other! My heart bled for Frieda, so courageous and kind, and even more so for Wolfgang, ironically, because the more pitiful he became the more I remembered how he lived before - so carefree and full of life.
There is nothing I can say about Dagmar that hasn't been said already.
Two Brothers is tragic and eye-opening, for a fictional story spanning almost 80 years. While the dialogue is a bit modern for the era, it did make it easier to read.
Ben Elton is an insanely talented writer. My hair stood on end when I read the following paragraph:
Two sons, two brothers, equally wanted, equally loved. Equal in every way.
Just the same.
Except not quite the same.
There was one difference between the two boys. A difference that went almost without comment at the time. A difference that was entirely irrelevant to Frieda and Wolfgang. But a difference that would in the fullness of time become a matter of life and death. One child was Jewish, the other was not.
There is nothing I can say about Dagmar that hasn't been said already.
Two Brothers is tragic and eye-opening, for a fictional story spanning almost 80 years. While the dialogue is a bit modern for the era, it did make it easier to read.
Ben Elton is an insanely talented writer. My hair stood on end when I read the following paragraph:
Two sons, two brothers, equally wanted, equally loved. Equal in every way.
Just the same.
Except not quite the same.
There was one difference between the two boys. A difference that went almost without comment at the time. A difference that was entirely irrelevant to Frieda and Wolfgang. But a difference that would in the fullness of time become a matter of life and death. One child was Jewish, the other was not.
July 29, 2014
I feel like this book was a huge disappointment on the whole. I had had it on my shelf for over a year — as ironic as it may sound, I bought it while on vacation in Munich —and the thing is, I've been dying to read it for months. I saw it as a really promising book — but it just turned out as a disappointment in the end.
Don't get me wrong, I tried quite hard to enjoy this book. I really did. It looked quite nice at first, with the Stengel parents' backstory and all — I really liked both Frieda and Wolfgang, and the story was quite OK over the first 200 pages or so. I enjoyed the twins' parents' relationship, and the boys' friendship with Dagmar and Silke, though slightly clichéed, was nice at first. The language sounded a bit funny — there waslots of Australian and British slang thrown into the story, sounding quite odd in a 1930s Germany scenario —but I did enjoy it nevertheless.
It is ironic how the story plays with the idea that the Nazi Party grew up pretty much at the same time than Otto and Paulus. I can certainly see where the decay of this story truly began —when both the Nazi Party and the twins turned thirteen and the Nazi regime was officially installed. The boys' infatuation with Dagmar became tedious, annoying even, while more interesting plots and potential ideas were left behind. I never really liked Dagmar for a start —but shortly after the twins struck teenagehood she turned out as one of the most insufferable character I've found within the pages of a book. Otto sounded bland and weakly constructed, as did most of the characters in the story altogether. Wolfgang lost his essence — I was deeply annoyed by the whole Katharine sub-plot, which I found completely ridiculous — and Silke, who was perhaps the most interesting character in the novel, was almost completely ignored as the plot marched on. The ending had an oh-so-surprising plot twist, but it just didn't feel clever enough. Not after the first five-hundred pages.
All in all, I feel like this book could have been extremely better if the author hadn't fallen into such bland clichés and had actually bothered to offer a more extended viewpoint on the time the novel is set in. Nazi Germany is such a fascinating period —I myself love historical fiction set in both pre-WWII Germany and wartime Europe more than anything else — but he just didn't do it right. The dialogues were unbelievable and the slang and idioms used most of the time were downright ridiculous. The character development for basically everyone in the story was appalling —and please don't get me started about the ridiculous love triangle and how utterly unbelievable was the twins' silly infatuation with Dagmar, who was by far the least likeable character I found in this story.
So yes, I tried to like this story. It is probably the first WWII novel I have come to truly dislike, as there's always something in all of them that makes me feel a little empathy towards the characters or the situation itself. But then again, one can always be proven wrong.
Don't get me wrong, I tried quite hard to enjoy this book. I really did. It looked quite nice at first, with the Stengel parents' backstory and all — I really liked both Frieda and Wolfgang, and the story was quite OK over the first 200 pages or so. I enjoyed the twins' parents' relationship, and the boys' friendship with Dagmar and Silke, though slightly clichéed, was nice at first. The language sounded a bit funny — there waslots of Australian and British slang thrown into the story, sounding quite odd in a 1930s Germany scenario —but I did enjoy it nevertheless.
It is ironic how the story plays with the idea that the Nazi Party grew up pretty much at the same time than Otto and Paulus. I can certainly see where the decay of this story truly began —when both the Nazi Party and the twins turned thirteen and the Nazi regime was officially installed. The boys' infatuation with Dagmar became tedious, annoying even, while more interesting plots and potential ideas were left behind. I never really liked Dagmar for a start —but shortly after the twins struck teenagehood she turned out as one of the most insufferable character I've found within the pages of a book. Otto sounded bland and weakly constructed, as did most of the characters in the story altogether. Wolfgang lost his essence — I was deeply annoyed by the whole Katharine sub-plot, which I found completely ridiculous — and Silke, who was perhaps the most interesting character in the novel, was almost completely ignored as the plot marched on. The ending had an oh-so-surprising plot twist, but it just didn't feel clever enough. Not after the first five-hundred pages.
All in all, I feel like this book could have been extremely better if the author hadn't fallen into such bland clichés and had actually bothered to offer a more extended viewpoint on the time the novel is set in. Nazi Germany is such a fascinating period —I myself love historical fiction set in both pre-WWII Germany and wartime Europe more than anything else — but he just didn't do it right. The dialogues were unbelievable and the slang and idioms used most of the time were downright ridiculous. The character development for basically everyone in the story was appalling —and please don't get me started about the ridiculous love triangle and how utterly unbelievable was the twins' silly infatuation with Dagmar, who was by far the least likeable character I found in this story.
So yes, I tried to like this story. It is probably the first WWII novel I have come to truly dislike, as there's always something in all of them that makes me feel a little empathy towards the characters or the situation itself. But then again, one can always be proven wrong.
November 21, 2024
Kiek daug kūrinių esu perskaičiusi apie Holokaustą ir galvojau, kad šis niekuo nesiskirs, niekuo nenustebins, bet kaip klydau. Autorius šiek tiek rėmėsi savo šeimos istorija. Pradžia nebuvo tokia įdomi, bet po truputį kūrinys įsibėgėjo ir įgavo pagreitį. Ne tik neįprasti ir nešabloniški veikėjai, bet autorius taip puikiai atkūrė tarpukario ir II Pasaulinio karo atmosferą. Skaitant tai širdis apmirdavo, tai išplėsdavau akis, o kai kada paimdavo liūdesys, kiek tais laikais buvo neteisybės. Šis kūrinys išliks namuose, o kai paaugs dukrytės ir jei mėgs skaityti, rekomenduosiu perskaityti joms❤️
November 18, 2021
Изключително увлекателна история, която ми беше трудно да оставя. Щастлива съм, че посегнах към книгата, която обичайно бих пропуснала, заради темата ВСВ, с която се спекулира в литературата и генерално за мен е изтъркана плоча.
Тази книга смятам за различна, защото центърът не е войната, не са лагерите а любовта, приятелството, семейството.
Основната сюжетна линия се върти в годините 1920-1940 година, в които псоследяваме живота на едно младо еврейско семейство, което трябва да се сдобие с близнаци, но едното бебче умира при раждането и семейството осиновява германче. Идеята много ми хареса и автора я развива разкошно.
Изключиелно силна връзка между двамата братя, която дори липсата на реална кръвна такава не може да разруши. Страшно ми хареса стилът на Бен Елтън и начина, по който представя зараждането на нацизма и всички последици за евреите.
Много увлекателно е обрисуван и културния живот в Берлин през 20-те години на миналия век.
Слава Богу няма лагери, а дълбоки човеши отношения на фона на брутални исторически събития.
Определено една от топ книгите за 2021!
Тази книга смятам за различна, защото центърът не е войната, не са лагерите а любовта, приятелството, семейството.
Основната сюжетна линия се върти в годините 1920-1940 година, в които псоследяваме живота на едно младо еврейско семейство, което трябва да се сдобие с близнаци, но едното бебче умира при раждането и семейството осиновява германче. Идеята много ми хареса и автора я развива разкошно.
Изключиелно силна връзка между двамата братя, която дори липсата на реална кръвна такава не може да разруши. Страшно ми хареса стилът на Бен Елтън и начина, по който представя зараждането на нацизма и всички последици за евреите.
Много увлекателно е обрисуван и културния живот в Берлин през 20-те години на миналия век.
Слава Богу няма лагери, а дълбоки човеши отношения на фона на брутални исторически събития.
Определено една от топ книгите за 2021!
September 29, 2014
Ive been reading WWII fiction for as long as I can remember, so we can say that my standards are fairly high - I'm not an specialist or whatever, but after a while you need to feel the history flooding through the book, otherwise it won't wotk out. However, it took me a couple of hours to write this review (and do it properly!), I've also read other reviews on GR just to have a better feeling, but I just can't...
It was a great story and background (pre-WWII Berlin is a hell of a background!) but I just couldn't connect with it - I mean, the characters in this book say things like 'bloody hell', 'mate' in a 1930's Berlin! Don't ask me if it was the author's intention or a simple writing misunderstood, but the only thing that usually brought me back to the idea of a book set in Berlin were the name of the streets, apart from it I was always in UK, US and everything in between. Another matter - which was well pointed out by some reviewers over GD - is about the boys infatuation with Dagmar: pointless. Of course the dynamic wouldn't be the same without it, but it was just so fruitless and ridiculously predictable that I could feel the anger boiling in my veins since Dagmar's first appearance. And if there's something I really liked in this novel were the twists, even thou in some moments I felt like I was trapped in a Mexican Soap Opera, they were well done. The best (and most remarkable) character in it was Wolfgang - he was the only one who could really stand out of that amount of soulless characters. His witty humor was one of a kind. Too bad he wasn't the main focus of the book - that would be better. Maybe him and the guys from City of Thieves by David Bennioff would be the best trio ever!
It was a great story and background (pre-WWII Berlin is a hell of a background!) but I just couldn't connect with it - I mean, the characters in this book say things like 'bloody hell', 'mate' in a 1930's Berlin! Don't ask me if it was the author's intention or a simple writing misunderstood, but the only thing that usually brought me back to the idea of a book set in Berlin were the name of the streets, apart from it I was always in UK, US and everything in between. Another matter - which was well pointed out by some reviewers over GD - is about the boys infatuation with Dagmar: pointless. Of course the dynamic wouldn't be the same without it, but it was just so fruitless and ridiculously predictable that I could feel the anger boiling in my veins since Dagmar's first appearance. And if there's something I really liked in this novel were the twists, even thou in some moments I felt like I was trapped in a Mexican Soap Opera, they were well done. The best (and most remarkable) character in it was Wolfgang - he was the only one who could really stand out of that amount of soulless characters. His witty humor was one of a kind. Too bad he wasn't the main focus of the book - that would be better. Maybe him and the guys from City of Thieves by David Bennioff would be the best trio ever!
August 4, 2024
Bet kokio gerumo knyga! Nesitikėjau, kad bus taip gerai!
Kas sužavėjo? Pirmiausia, labai tikslus 1920-1945 m. Vokietijos istorinis kontekstas. Ir įvykiai, ir jų chronologinis išdėstymas - be priekaištų. Jie taip gerai parinkti, taip puikiai įterpti į kuriamą pasakojimą, kad apie kokį nors nuobodumą net nėra kalbos. Antra, susidarė toks įspūdis, jog aprašytas holokaustas tik tarp kitko, jis buvo reikalingas tik kaip fonas veikėjų paveikslams sukurti. Ir tie veikėjų paveikslai autoriui pavyko tikrai puikiai: ir pagrindiniai, ir antraeiliai ir net statistai. Trečia, subtili ironija kalbant apie holokaustą, kažkas, bent jau man, naujo. Jos nedaug, ji gerai užmaskuota po juoku pro ašaras, bet suteikė pasakojimui neįtikėtino įtaigumo.
Ketvirta, nėra laimingos pabaigos, tik sunkiai suvokiami žmogaus pasirinkimai bei veiksmai, siekiant žūtbūtinio tikslo - išgyventi.
Ir dar sunkiau buvo tų veiksmų nesmerkti, net jei nesigavo jų nei suprasti, nei pateisinti.
Labai, labai patiko.
Kas sužavėjo? Pirmiausia, labai tikslus 1920-1945 m. Vokietijos istorinis kontekstas. Ir įvykiai, ir jų chronologinis išdėstymas - be priekaištų. Jie taip gerai parinkti, taip puikiai įterpti į kuriamą pasakojimą, kad apie kokį nors nuobodumą net nėra kalbos. Antra, susidarė toks įspūdis, jog aprašytas holokaustas tik tarp kitko, jis buvo reikalingas tik kaip fonas veikėjų paveikslams sukurti. Ir tie veikėjų paveikslai autoriui pavyko tikrai puikiai: ir pagrindiniai, ir antraeiliai ir net statistai. Trečia, subtili ironija kalbant apie holokaustą, kažkas, bent jau man, naujo. Jos nedaug, ji gerai užmaskuota po juoku pro ašaras, bet suteikė pasakojimui neįtikėtino įtaigumo.
Ketvirta, nėra laimingos pabaigos, tik sunkiai suvokiami žmogaus pasirinkimai bei veiksmai, siekiant žūtbūtinio tikslo - išgyventi.
Ir dar sunkiau buvo tų veiksmų nesmerkti, net jei nesigavo jų nei suprasti, nei pateisinti.
Labai, labai patiko.
March 3, 2014
I am disappointed with Two Brothers. The premise of the story sounded really interesting from an historical point of view, and the characters seemed to have so much potential. But the reality was just plain awkward.
None of the characters stood out from one another, they actually became difficult to differentiate between. The language seemed forced, over-the-top and Americanized a lot of the time, not at all what you might expect from Germany in the 1920's through 1950's. I also didn't get the boys fascination with Dagma. I felt the first half moved unnecessarily slowly; they could have just skipped 200 pages and I probably wouldn't have noticed.
I hadn't heard good things about Ben Elton's books before reading this, and after reading this, I'm unlikely to pick up another of his books again.
None of the characters stood out from one another, they actually became difficult to differentiate between. The language seemed forced, over-the-top and Americanized a lot of the time, not at all what you might expect from Germany in the 1920's through 1950's. I also didn't get the boys fascination with Dagma. I felt the first half moved unnecessarily slowly; they could have just skipped 200 pages and I probably wouldn't have noticed.
I hadn't heard good things about Ben Elton's books before reading this, and after reading this, I'm unlikely to pick up another of his books again.
March 3, 2014
I really, really wanted to like this book. But unfortunately I just found it to be a bit of a mess all round, and I can't bring myself to give it more than around 2.5 stars.
Longer review to come -- I just didn't want to ruin it for my book club people by pointing out all its faults.
***
Okay so the lecture I'm watching online is boring me, hence I decided to finish my review. Unfortunately, I had quite a few problems with Two Brothers. Firstly, the first half of the book moved extremely slowly. And not only did it move slowly, but most of the story during the first 200-300 pages was extremely pointless! When a book is called 'Two Brothers', I don't think we need that much information on their parents.
The other aspect of the book which made it so unpleasant for me was the enormous focus on Dagmar and the boys' senseless obsession with her. Now I have no problem with having characters in books that are not meant to be likeable, but when a book spends over 500 pages worshipping said character, that doesn't appeal to me at all.
Another thing that bothered me was the language. Yes, okay, I get that Ben Elton has a German background, grew up in England and now lives in Australia -- but that is no excuse for mixing and matching languages like he did in this book. There was some German, with a whole heap of British and Australian slang thrown in. Given that Two Brothers is meant to be loosely based on some of Elton's own family history, I would have thought he would want to create a very authentic German-sounding novel. Apparently not.
I feel bad giving this novel such a bad rating, especially since there are so many rave reviews on here. But I've read a few Ben Elton books in the past and he definitely does black comedy a lot better than serious novels like this. Sorry!
Longer review to come -- I just didn't want to ruin it for my book club people by pointing out all its faults.
***
Okay so the lecture I'm watching online is boring me, hence I decided to finish my review. Unfortunately, I had quite a few problems with Two Brothers. Firstly, the first half of the book moved extremely slowly. And not only did it move slowly, but most of the story during the first 200-300 pages was extremely pointless! When a book is called 'Two Brothers', I don't think we need that much information on their parents.
The other aspect of the book which made it so unpleasant for me was the enormous focus on Dagmar and the boys' senseless obsession with her. Now I have no problem with having characters in books that are not meant to be likeable, but when a book spends over 500 pages worshipping said character, that doesn't appeal to me at all.
Another thing that bothered me was the language. Yes, okay, I get that Ben Elton has a German background, grew up in England and now lives in Australia -- but that is no excuse for mixing and matching languages like he did in this book. There was some German, with a whole heap of British and Australian slang thrown in. Given that Two Brothers is meant to be loosely based on some of Elton's own family history, I would have thought he would want to create a very authentic German-sounding novel. Apparently not.
I feel bad giving this novel such a bad rating, especially since there are so many rave reviews on here. But I've read a few Ben Elton books in the past and he definitely does black comedy a lot better than serious novels like this. Sorry!
January 25, 2013
Just finished Ben Elton, Two Brothers. I should say first that I have enjoyed all Ben Elton's writing but I would observe I hope objecively that the quality of his writing has improved over the years, this book is possibly his best yet.
Weaving biographical and historical detail into a story focused around the personal lives of those in Germany growing up through the rise of Hitler and Nazi Germany, it made me realise how little I knew of the internal aspects of Nazi Germany. I would have considered myself fairly well versed in the external factors and the historical context, but beyond asking the obvious question of how could a nation have done what Germany did, I knew little hard fact and did little to acquire it.
The small detail of this book, evidently researched and fact based, has spurred me on to read and investigate. I think now I begin to understand the situation a lot better, for example I had never seriously considered the impact and meaning of Socialist in the National Socialist, I didn't even realise that word Nazi was derived from the German for National. The spectre of people comparing everything extreme to the Nazis has obfuscated the facts and stands in the way not only of our understanding but also of our ability to resist the forces that would make that darkness happen again.
Surprisingly for Ben Elton, this book has a complete absence of polemic, but then the historical facts and the fictional people's real emotions speak loud enough for themselves. The story is a good one: two brothers brought up from birth in 1920 as twins by a jewish family, one an adopted non-jew, grow up through the rise of Hitler, living and loving as normal people an in extraordinary situation. Doing what must be done to survive, observing those who do not. The background mystery that unravels through the book provides a subtext that draws the story to the modern day. However incredible it may seem at times, each step is credible and - as the biographical note at the end confirms - much has been extracted from Ben Elton's own life (his father was called Ehrenberg, originally).
I would thoroughly recommend this book to all.
Weaving biographical and historical detail into a story focused around the personal lives of those in Germany growing up through the rise of Hitler and Nazi Germany, it made me realise how little I knew of the internal aspects of Nazi Germany. I would have considered myself fairly well versed in the external factors and the historical context, but beyond asking the obvious question of how could a nation have done what Germany did, I knew little hard fact and did little to acquire it.
The small detail of this book, evidently researched and fact based, has spurred me on to read and investigate. I think now I begin to understand the situation a lot better, for example I had never seriously considered the impact and meaning of Socialist in the National Socialist, I didn't even realise that word Nazi was derived from the German for National. The spectre of people comparing everything extreme to the Nazis has obfuscated the facts and stands in the way not only of our understanding but also of our ability to resist the forces that would make that darkness happen again.
Surprisingly for Ben Elton, this book has a complete absence of polemic, but then the historical facts and the fictional people's real emotions speak loud enough for themselves. The story is a good one: two brothers brought up from birth in 1920 as twins by a jewish family, one an adopted non-jew, grow up through the rise of Hitler, living and loving as normal people an in extraordinary situation. Doing what must be done to survive, observing those who do not. The background mystery that unravels through the book provides a subtext that draws the story to the modern day. However incredible it may seem at times, each step is credible and - as the biographical note at the end confirms - much has been extracted from Ben Elton's own life (his father was called Ehrenberg, originally).
I would thoroughly recommend this book to all.
January 20, 2013
This is an astonishingly good book: wonderfully written, craftily crafted and beautifully brutal. Firstly, that whole interwar period of the 1920's and 30's (especially in Germany) has always been a bit of a black hole for me, as history lessons in school were dominated by the World Wars, but here Ben Elton brings the Weimar Republic to life, with its extremes of poverty, decadence, violence and jazz. Secondly, it's also always been incomprehensible to me how the German public allowed the 'Final Solution' to actually happen, but as Ben Elton beautifully lays out here, it was a long, gradual, poisoning process that the nascent Nazi party put at the heart of its insane manifesto, and they took their time: small, ‘reasonable’ steps - all for the good of the nation - to bring it to its horrific conclusion. So the historical setting of the story had me from the very start, and so did the characters.
The family at the centre of the novel are wonderfully real (and having the twins being born on the same day as the Nazi party was officially formed was a genius touch). The cast of characters in the book range across the spectrum of classes in society yet everyone is drawn naturally and believably; they’re mostly people just caught up in the gale of the world, getting by as best as they can - none more so than the 4 children whose story we follow most closely. And the city too is used to reflect the changes each new era brings about: it brightens and comes to life in the boom years, then ages and darkens as Hitler’s spells wear off.
The plot is perfectly structured; it gives hints of things to come, while at the same time teasing you with false trails and dead-ends. There’s nothing superfluous however, and this was that rare book that made me literally laugh out loud and cry in public (especially embarrassing as I’m a postie, and was listening to this on audiobook …).
So, overall, an incredible book - and beautifully narrated too - that’s going to stay with me for many years to come - thoroughly recommended!
The family at the centre of the novel are wonderfully real (and having the twins being born on the same day as the Nazi party was officially formed was a genius touch). The cast of characters in the book range across the spectrum of classes in society yet everyone is drawn naturally and believably; they’re mostly people just caught up in the gale of the world, getting by as best as they can - none more so than the 4 children whose story we follow most closely. And the city too is used to reflect the changes each new era brings about: it brightens and comes to life in the boom years, then ages and darkens as Hitler’s spells wear off.
The plot is perfectly structured; it gives hints of things to come, while at the same time teasing you with false trails and dead-ends. There’s nothing superfluous however, and this was that rare book that made me literally laugh out loud and cry in public (especially embarrassing as I’m a postie, and was listening to this on audiobook …).
So, overall, an incredible book - and beautifully narrated too - that’s going to stay with me for many years to come - thoroughly recommended!
August 25, 2019
Published in 2012, Two Brothers is Ben Elton’s most personal novel to date and for reason’s unknown it’s taken me seven years to read it. Which, in my opinion, is 7 years too long and I really should have read this book sooner.
Two Brothers is based around a Jewish family living in Berlin. Freida and Wolfgang Stengel are a young couple looking forward to the imminent birth of their twin boys who are born on the same day as the birth of Hitler’s Nazi party but when one of the twins is stillborn they are asked to secretly adopt a non-Jewish baby whose mother died in childbirth.
The story is told through alternating chapters from Berlin in the early 1920’s to London in 1956 and the reader is taken back through history to the beginning of Hitler’s power. Reading the slow and inhuman the Jews were targeted left me feeling horrified and disgusted throughout the book. The research and in-depth knowledge Ben Elton brings to Two Brothers enabled me as a reader (and a Jew) to see/feel/hear Freida, Wolf, Otto and Paulus’ story and bring them to life in my imagination.
A very uncomfortable and emotional story based around the atrocities of the Nazi party and whilst the book is a work of fiction, Two Brothers is a powerful lesson in History and one that I sincerely hope is never repeated.
Two Brothers is based around a Jewish family living in Berlin. Freida and Wolfgang Stengel are a young couple looking forward to the imminent birth of their twin boys who are born on the same day as the birth of Hitler’s Nazi party but when one of the twins is stillborn they are asked to secretly adopt a non-Jewish baby whose mother died in childbirth.
The story is told through alternating chapters from Berlin in the early 1920’s to London in 1956 and the reader is taken back through history to the beginning of Hitler’s power. Reading the slow and inhuman the Jews were targeted left me feeling horrified and disgusted throughout the book. The research and in-depth knowledge Ben Elton brings to Two Brothers enabled me as a reader (and a Jew) to see/feel/hear Freida, Wolf, Otto and Paulus’ story and bring them to life in my imagination.
A very uncomfortable and emotional story based around the atrocities of the Nazi party and whilst the book is a work of fiction, Two Brothers is a powerful lesson in History and one that I sincerely hope is never repeated.
August 14, 2024
Nepamirštama istorija
December 10, 2012
There are many novels set in pre-war Berlin but none quite so effective as Ben Elton's Two Brothers. As the title suggests, the author uses the childhood and adolescent lives of two Jewish brothers to tell the story of happiness followed by despair and finally tragedy. The brothers themselves form a Saturday club with the daughter of a wealthy Jewish department store owner and the daughter of the brothers' family cleaner.
The early years are happy and often funny but as each member of the club enters their fourteenth year, the shadow of Hitler casts a dense cloud over their lives. Each deals with their changing circumstances in their own way. The narrative jumps from London in 1956 to Berlin before, and during, the war and the time shift helps to tell the tale very effectively. The characters are beautifully drawn and this adds added poignancy to the tale.
The brothers are born on the same day as the German Socialist Workers' Party. Do they last longer than the Nazis. You'll have to read this wonderfully moving novel to find out.
David Lowther - author of The Blue Pencil ()
The early years are happy and often funny but as each member of the club enters their fourteenth year, the shadow of Hitler casts a dense cloud over their lives. Each deals with their changing circumstances in their own way. The narrative jumps from London in 1956 to Berlin before, and during, the war and the time shift helps to tell the tale very effectively. The characters are beautifully drawn and this adds added poignancy to the tale.
The brothers are born on the same day as the German Socialist Workers' Party. Do they last longer than the Nazis. You'll have to read this wonderfully moving novel to find out.
David Lowther - author of The Blue Pencil ()
March 17, 2015
I can see that this book has had lots of positive reviews, and I know that Ben Elton has plenty of fans, so I appreciate that I am in the minority with a one-star review. I will try and explain my reasons for my rating.
On the positive side, the idea behind the story is a good one. We often hear of twins separated at birth, but what about twins united at birth? Especially if these twins are born on the same day as the Nazi party got its name. The idea immediately raises intriguing questions of nature or nurture, some of which are explored in the story.
Unfortunately for me, there were serious flaws in the way the story was written. Other reviewers have pointed out the modern (London) dialogue which doesn't just grate and annoy, but destroys any feeling of authenticity and put me off most of the characters rather than feeling for them. I'm talking about dialogue such as "Blimey, Otts, mate..." or "Ottster told him to fuck off" - all the "babes" and "guys" and f- and c-words. The dialogue is a symptom of a general problem. Although Ben Elton has researched his facts (well, most of them) , he does not seem to have steeped himself in the culture of that time and place, so that I got the feeling I was reading about 21st century London teenagers transplanted into 1930s Berlin.
As far as the facts go, the author takes the historical framework then hangs his characters' lives onto it, rather than starting with the characters and seeing how their lives are influenced by the historical events. I suppose it is one way of writing a historical novel, but it often feels forced. One example is Wolfgang's visit to Munich to see the exhibition of "degenerate Art". Without giving too much away, I very much doubt that a man in Wolfgang's physical, mental and financial state at that point would have done that.
This history itself is described in a simplistic, black and white, way. I thought maybe it would be a good book for children or young teens, but the swearing counts that out. The overall effect is like having a foul-mouthed history teacher shout at you.
I found the writing clumsy and overly melodramatic in places. The reader is told this or that again and again - the brothers liked punching each other. Paulus was the planner. Otto was the fighter. Dagmar was amazingly beautiful. The Nazis were brutal. And Ben Elton loves his repetition. Repetition that repeats itself. Repetition that's repetitive.
Having said all that, I did read the book to the end. I don't think Ben Elton is a great - or even a good - writer of serious novels on the basis of this book, but he can tell a story. I found the postscript about the author's relatives most interesting and almost wished that he (or a ghost writer) had written their true story instead of "Two Brothers."
On the positive side, the idea behind the story is a good one. We often hear of twins separated at birth, but what about twins united at birth? Especially if these twins are born on the same day as the Nazi party got its name. The idea immediately raises intriguing questions of nature or nurture, some of which are explored in the story.
Unfortunately for me, there were serious flaws in the way the story was written. Other reviewers have pointed out the modern (London) dialogue which doesn't just grate and annoy, but destroys any feeling of authenticity and put me off most of the characters rather than feeling for them. I'm talking about dialogue such as "Blimey, Otts, mate..." or "Ottster told him to fuck off" - all the "babes" and "guys" and f- and c-words. The dialogue is a symptom of a general problem. Although Ben Elton has researched his facts (well, most of them) , he does not seem to have steeped himself in the culture of that time and place, so that I got the feeling I was reading about 21st century London teenagers transplanted into 1930s Berlin.
As far as the facts go, the author takes the historical framework then hangs his characters' lives onto it, rather than starting with the characters and seeing how their lives are influenced by the historical events. I suppose it is one way of writing a historical novel, but it often feels forced. One example is Wolfgang's visit to Munich to see the exhibition of "degenerate Art". Without giving too much away, I very much doubt that a man in Wolfgang's physical, mental and financial state at that point would have done that.
This history itself is described in a simplistic, black and white, way. I thought maybe it would be a good book for children or young teens, but the swearing counts that out. The overall effect is like having a foul-mouthed history teacher shout at you.
I found the writing clumsy and overly melodramatic in places. The reader is told this or that again and again - the brothers liked punching each other. Paulus was the planner. Otto was the fighter. Dagmar was amazingly beautiful. The Nazis were brutal. And Ben Elton loves his repetition. Repetition that repeats itself. Repetition that's repetitive.
Having said all that, I did read the book to the end. I don't think Ben Elton is a great - or even a good - writer of serious novels on the basis of this book, but he can tell a story. I found the postscript about the author's relatives most interesting and almost wished that he (or a ghost writer) had written their true story instead of "Two Brothers."
July 4, 2021
I have not read a Ben Elton book in a long time. I must say that I did enjoy the ones I read way back when. Stark, Gridlock, This Other Eden and Popcorn back in the early 1990s. Two Brothers was published in 2012 and looked to be a lot different from those ones.
24-Feb-1920 and two boys are born in Berlin. On this same day the ‘DAP changed its name to the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei ("National Socialist German Workers' Party", or Nazi Party)’. The Stengel’s are Jewish. Tough times are ahead methinks. What I will not do is to go into any details as it could spoil the twists that arise and there are a few of those.
The book flips between the brothers growing up in the aftermath of Germany’s defeat in World War I where people’s savings become worthless and many were in the depths of despair to the mid-1950s in London and the divided city of Berlin.
The book is fiction, but Elton not only draws on actual events like ‘Kristallnacht’ and other real events like the Nuremburg Laws, but he has a very personal background in this with his parents and grandparents which he goes into after the book.
What of the novel? Well, I was quite engrossed but it just did not hit the mark for me. The book really does show quite how ridiculous the rationale behind the Nazi ideology was. That was the stand-out. The other part that I found fascinating is what people, in the case Jewish Berliners, would do or had to do just to survive. It was just that I did not find the characters particularly likeable, apart from the mother, and the plot was a little slow and cumbersome.
I am glad I read it as I still learnt a lot but overall but overall I was just a little disappointed.
24-Feb-1920 and two boys are born in Berlin. On this same day the ‘DAP changed its name to the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei ("National Socialist German Workers' Party", or Nazi Party)’. The Stengel’s are Jewish. Tough times are ahead methinks. What I will not do is to go into any details as it could spoil the twists that arise and there are a few of those.
The book flips between the brothers growing up in the aftermath of Germany’s defeat in World War I where people’s savings become worthless and many were in the depths of despair to the mid-1950s in London and the divided city of Berlin.
The book is fiction, but Elton not only draws on actual events like ‘Kristallnacht’ and other real events like the Nuremburg Laws, but he has a very personal background in this with his parents and grandparents which he goes into after the book.
What of the novel? Well, I was quite engrossed but it just did not hit the mark for me. The book really does show quite how ridiculous the rationale behind the Nazi ideology was. That was the stand-out. The other part that I found fascinating is what people, in the case Jewish Berliners, would do or had to do just to survive. It was just that I did not find the characters particularly likeable, apart from the mother, and the plot was a little slow and cumbersome.
I am glad I read it as I still learnt a lot but overall but overall I was just a little disappointed.
December 2, 2022
Įdomi, greitai susiskaitė. Patiko, kad apėmė platesnį laikotarpį,negu dauguma knygų tokia tema, veiksmas prasideda 1920m.
Istorija intriguojanti, dviejų brolių, augusių vienoje šeimoje likimai, daug išmonės ir painiavos, bandant išgyventi, dokumentų klastojimas, tapatybių keitimas.. kai skaičiau, net atrodė, kad per daug netikroviški kai kurie dalykai, jau negi taip tikrai galėtų būti... o gale buvo autoriaus žodis, kur jis pamini faktų iš knygos, kurie buvo tikri, įvykę jo paties giminėms, nes pats autorius yra žydų kilmės, taigi tenka patikėti.
Gerai praleistas laikas, tačiau nėra iš geriausių knygų apie holokaustą.
Istorija intriguojanti, dviejų brolių, augusių vienoje šeimoje likimai, daug išmonės ir painiavos, bandant išgyventi, dokumentų klastojimas, tapatybių keitimas.. kai skaičiau, net atrodė, kad per daug netikroviški kai kurie dalykai, jau negi taip tikrai galėtų būti... o gale buvo autoriaus žodis, kur jis pamini faktų iš knygos, kurie buvo tikri, įvykę jo paties giminėms, nes pats autorius yra žydų kilmės, taigi tenka patikėti.
Gerai praleistas laikas, tačiau nėra iš geriausių knygų apie holokaustą.
November 30, 2021
Сърцето може да разруши всички стени, които разумът изгражда. Сърцето създава по- силни връзки и от кръвните.
" Двама братя" носи в себе си много емоциионални, съкрушителни моменти. Това не е книга за Войната. Всъщност в тази история, войната е фон, върху който се градят дълбоки и сърдечни взаимоотношения.
Забележителен роман!
" Двама братя" носи в себе си много емоциионални, съкрушителни моменти. Това не е книга за Войната. Всъщност в тази история, войната е фон, върху който се градят дълбоки и сърдечни взаимоотношения.
Забележителен роман!
June 9, 2022
Labai vidutiniška knyga, istorija gal ir įdomi, bet literatūrinė raiška primityvi...
Man labai apmaudu, kad goodreads reitingais remtis nebepavyksta, nes priviso leidyklų atstovų ir "geriausios" knygos dabar toli gražu ne gilūs, intelektualūs kūriniai, bet labiausiai išreklamuoti :(
Man labai apmaudu, kad goodreads reitingais remtis nebepavyksta, nes priviso leidyklų atstovų ir "geriausios" knygos dabar toli gražu ne gilūs, intelektualūs kūriniai, bet labiausiai išreklamuoti :(
December 27, 2024
Įdomus istorinis romanas su daugybe tikslių istorinių faktų. Labai patiko, kad pateiktas ilgesnis istorinis laikotarpis - nuo pat 1920-ųjų, kuomet užgimė Vokietijos nacionalsocialistų partija. Ir kiek daug atsitiktinumų nulėmė, kad ji įsitvirtino ir virto baisiomis pasėkmėmis.
• Štai kodėl suprantu tuos vokiečius, kurie sako nieko nežinoję. Jeigu net patys žydai netikėjo tuo, kas vyksta, kodėl turėjo tikėti žmonės, einantys pro šalį su savo rūpesčiais? •
• Štai kodėl suprantu tuos vokiečius, kurie sako nieko nežinoję. Jeigu net patys žydai netikėjo tuo, kas vyksta, kodėl turėjo tikėti žmonės, einantys pro šalį su savo rūpesčiais? •
December 3, 2020
Двама братя водят лична борба с нацистите:
В центъра на романа е еврейското семейство на Фрида и Волфганг. Скоро след края на Първата световна война те не просто трябва да се справят с трудния живот в победена Германия, но и да станат родители. В една студена зимна утрин се раждат техните деца – само дето не споделят обща кръв, едното дете е чуждо, но бива приласкано от майката, която тъкмо е загубила единия от близнаците си. Едно еврейче и дете с “чиста” арийска кръв са свързани навеки – но скоро между тях ще застане сила, родена в същия този ден: нацистката партия. Фрида е свободен дух, която дори позира за пари на сладострастен художник – националист, който не подозира, че неговата муза носи кръв, която той презира, а по-късно става отдадена лекарка. Волфганг пък е музикант, който през 20-те години е на точното място – Берлин се е превърнал в средоточие на творци, на желаещи удоволствия хедонисти, център на лудешки нощен живот. Но това не продължава дълго – на хоризонта е нова огромна криза, а след нея на власт идва Хитлер, който ще започне промени, които ще преобърнат живота на младото семейство и всичките им близки.
CIELA Books
В центъра на романа е еврейското семейство на Фрида и Волфганг. Скоро след края на Първата световна война те не просто трябва да се справят с трудния живот в победена Германия, но и да станат родители. В една студена зимна утрин се раждат техните деца – само дето не споделят обща кръв, едното дете е чуждо, но бива приласкано от майката, която тъкмо е загубила единия от близнаците си. Едно еврейче и дете с “чиста” арийска кръв са свързани навеки – но скоро между тях ще застане сила, родена в същия този ден: нацистката партия. Фрида е свободен дух, която дори позира за пари на сладострастен художник – националист, който не подозира, че неговата муза носи кръв, която той презира, а по-късно става отдадена лекарка. Волфганг пък е музикант, който през 20-те години е на точното място – Берлин се е превърнал в средоточие на творци, на желаещи удоволствия хедонисти, център на лудешки нощен живот. Но това не продължава дълго – на хоризонта е нова огромна криза, а след нея на власт идва Хитлер, който ще започне промени, които ще преобърнат живота на младото семейство и всичките им близки.
CIELA Books
December 17, 2021
Два пъти я започвам и се отказвам. В началото успя да събуди интереса ми, но по средата вече историята вървеше толкова тромаво и мелодораматично, че... ми дойде в повече.
April 7, 2021
Jau daug knygų įveikta žydų tema, bet ši kitokia. Iš dalies paremta tikra autoriaus istorija, bet atsiduodanti džiazu, neišsemiamais meilės klodais. Paremta drąsa, įžūlumu ir atsidavimu pašaukimui ir žmogiškumui. Persmelkta vienatvės, baimės ir paniekos vokiečiamas, sugriovusiems jaunų žydų gyvenimus
Žodžiu visko daug ir viskas painu, bet likimo siūlai atsipina ir visi gauna pagal nuopelnus
Įtraukė. Patiko
Žodžiu visko daug ir viskas painu, bet likimo siūlai atsipina ir visi gauna pagal nuopelnus
Įtraukė. Patiko
March 23, 2024
Always love a WW2 fiction retelling. Based on true events, timeline is accurate but the story of the 2 Brothers is fiction. Would absolutely recommend this book to anyone. Really pulled on the heart strings 💔 couldn't put it down! A heavy read but definitely worth it.
Thanks Mum for the recommendation 🥰
Thanks Mum for the recommendation 🥰
March 10, 2015
To be honest I was thoroughly disappointed with this novel after hearing so many positive reviews for it. Characters, themes of the book, and the plot itself were really quite a big let down.
I'll explain and breakdown my main issues with this book below(Spoiler Warning)
1.) Obsession with attractiveness and Dagmar: Easily my biggest issue with this novel is it's constant repetitiveness, Elton obviously holds attractiveness in high regard because I read about it in every other chapter. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against characters being attractive, but every (and I'm not over-exaggerating on this one) main character is described as being attractive and their looks are brought into pretty much every aspect of who they are as a person. Wolfgang, Frieda, Dagmar, Otto, Paulus, Silke, Bille are all seemingly highly attractive people and it's mentioned when ever Elton wants to mention their characterisation. Of course appearance is apart of who a person is but I'd wish he'd spend more time describing personality traits rather than equating a characters worth based off of their looks, for a holocaust novel I found this constant mention of appearance rather...shallow. Surely at a time like that, where innocent people were being slaughtered on the streets, the appearance of characters wouldn't need be mentioned in every chapter.
This also annoyed me about Dagmar, almost every time her character was mentioned her looks were written alongside it, I get it Elton, she's "beautiful/stunning/gorgeous" and every other adjective under the sun but I don't need to read that every time her character is mentioned (and again I'm honestly not over-exaggerating). Not only this but that's all there really is to her character, never is anything other than her looks mentioned in relation to her so the boys devotion to her just comes across as empty and again...shallow. I understand a bunch of teenage boys only caring about looks but I'd of thought when they grew up and saw the horrors surrounding them they'd place different things in higher priority because besides her looks the book nor the boys give any real indication of what Dagmar has to offer as a person which makes their repetitive paragraphs declaring their love and admiration for her (which occurred every to every other chapter throughout the novel) extremely boring. I didn't root for love to triumph because I didn't see anything there besides lust/shallowness, and seeing as the novel completely focuses on this love triangle it just made it almost painful for me to read some chapters. It also made Otto's love for her, spanning over 17 years, rather ridiculous. He doesn't give a reason for why he loves her (besides her appearance) can you really tell me that you can love a person for 17 years with no other reason rather than just because they're beautiful? The characters in this novel need to sort their priorities out big time.
2.)Characters: Not only was one of the main and most often mentioned characters, Dagmar, extremely dislike-able from the get go (self-ish/self-absorbed/manipulative/vain/mean-spirited) but the others characters complete, constant, and utter adoration for her would grate on my nerves even if she was likable to begin with.
The brothers themselves were fairly well written but again their CONSTANT obsession with Dagmar made them rather dull, instead of them being shaped by growing up and being passionately moved by the tragic events around them every second thought and every action they commit revolves around this single girl which really made them quite boring. When you know every other paragraph or sentence within the novel will contain her name it just takes any interest out of their characterisation.
3.) Plot: The plot had its ups and downs, I will admit there are some chapters I did genuinely enjoy but the biggest plot twist at the end of the novel (MAJOR spoilers) was not a surprise to me. Almost from the start of the novel I found Dagmar to be self-ish/self-absorbed/manipulative/vain/mean-spirited, so the massive plot twist that she was in fact all of those things was pretty lack-luster to me. So the ending really fizzled out.
I read this book because I thought it'd be a tragic story about two brothers love and struggle for one another but really it could have just been called Dagmar, because the brothers both disregard each other, their morals, and family for her. If I was reading a romance novel then I really couldn't complain but I personally was hoping for a novel that looked at the bigger picture.
I'll explain and breakdown my main issues with this book below(Spoiler Warning)
1.) Obsession with attractiveness and Dagmar: Easily my biggest issue with this novel is it's constant repetitiveness, Elton obviously holds attractiveness in high regard because I read about it in every other chapter. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against characters being attractive, but every (and I'm not over-exaggerating on this one) main character is described as being attractive and their looks are brought into pretty much every aspect of who they are as a person. Wolfgang, Frieda, Dagmar, Otto, Paulus, Silke, Bille are all seemingly highly attractive people and it's mentioned when ever Elton wants to mention their characterisation. Of course appearance is apart of who a person is but I'd wish he'd spend more time describing personality traits rather than equating a characters worth based off of their looks, for a holocaust novel I found this constant mention of appearance rather...shallow. Surely at a time like that, where innocent people were being slaughtered on the streets, the appearance of characters wouldn't need be mentioned in every chapter.
This also annoyed me about Dagmar, almost every time her character was mentioned her looks were written alongside it, I get it Elton, she's "beautiful/stunning/gorgeous" and every other adjective under the sun but I don't need to read that every time her character is mentioned (and again I'm honestly not over-exaggerating). Not only this but that's all there really is to her character, never is anything other than her looks mentioned in relation to her so the boys devotion to her just comes across as empty and again...shallow. I understand a bunch of teenage boys only caring about looks but I'd of thought when they grew up and saw the horrors surrounding them they'd place different things in higher priority because besides her looks the book nor the boys give any real indication of what Dagmar has to offer as a person which makes their repetitive paragraphs declaring their love and admiration for her (which occurred every to every other chapter throughout the novel) extremely boring. I didn't root for love to triumph because I didn't see anything there besides lust/shallowness, and seeing as the novel completely focuses on this love triangle it just made it almost painful for me to read some chapters. It also made Otto's love for her, spanning over 17 years, rather ridiculous. He doesn't give a reason for why he loves her (besides her appearance) can you really tell me that you can love a person for 17 years with no other reason rather than just because they're beautiful? The characters in this novel need to sort their priorities out big time.
2.)Characters: Not only was one of the main and most often mentioned characters, Dagmar, extremely dislike-able from the get go (self-ish/self-absorbed/manipulative/vain/mean-spirited) but the others characters complete, constant, and utter adoration for her would grate on my nerves even if she was likable to begin with.
The brothers themselves were fairly well written but again their CONSTANT obsession with Dagmar made them rather dull, instead of them being shaped by growing up and being passionately moved by the tragic events around them every second thought and every action they commit revolves around this single girl which really made them quite boring. When you know every other paragraph or sentence within the novel will contain her name it just takes any interest out of their characterisation.
3.) Plot: The plot had its ups and downs, I will admit there are some chapters I did genuinely enjoy but the biggest plot twist at the end of the novel (MAJOR spoilers) was not a surprise to me. Almost from the start of the novel I found Dagmar to be self-ish/self-absorbed/manipulative/vain/mean-spirited, so the massive plot twist that she was in fact all of those things was pretty lack-luster to me. So the ending really fizzled out.
I read this book because I thought it'd be a tragic story about two brothers love and struggle for one another but really it could have just been called Dagmar, because the brothers both disregard each other, their morals, and family for her. If I was reading a romance novel then I really couldn't complain but I personally was hoping for a novel that looked at the bigger picture.
January 12, 2013
I always look forward to a new Ben Elton novel. Often, the premise is stretched, the characters less than believable, and the writing slightly too in-your-face, but they're always, in the end, an enjoyable read, especially when the author wanders into the realms of speculative fiction. However, when it comes to the historical novel (going by this and 2005's excellent 'The First Casualty', and perhaps even 'Blackadder Goes Forth') Elton transcends his other work.
This novel evokes twenties and thirties Berlin with ease and panache, with characters who feel so much more real than many of Elton's previous creations. By turns heartbreaking, endearing and hilarious, I found myself wanting to know more of these characters and their lives once the novel was finished. From the stoic and heroic lady doctor, to the mystery of the brothers' identities, there is much to love about Two Brothers, and it's worth a read just for the history refresher alone - you may wish to have Wikipedia on standby to read about some of the notable events alluded to throughout the book.
Perhaps the reason that this book feels so much more real than many of Elton's works is that in a sense, it is. Loosely based on members of his own family, there is real investment from the author here, which comes across on every page.
This novel evokes twenties and thirties Berlin with ease and panache, with characters who feel so much more real than many of Elton's previous creations. By turns heartbreaking, endearing and hilarious, I found myself wanting to know more of these characters and their lives once the novel was finished. From the stoic and heroic lady doctor, to the mystery of the brothers' identities, there is much to love about Two Brothers, and it's worth a read just for the history refresher alone - you may wish to have Wikipedia on standby to read about some of the notable events alluded to throughout the book.
Perhaps the reason that this book feels so much more real than many of Elton's works is that in a sense, it is. Loosely based on members of his own family, there is real investment from the author here, which comes across on every page.
September 16, 2013
Having never read anything by Ben Elton before I was drawn to this book by the subject. Two brothers born in 1920 to Jewish parents in Berlin, also the birth of Hitlers party.
It was an incredibly well written book, Elton had obviously done thorough research. the characters where very believable. One of the descriptions was of the Olympic games in Berlin, 1936. Elton described the event so well that you could feel the thunder of Heil Hitler as Hitler took his place in the stand. From this I did some research into those particular games wanting to see photos and more facts about it.
I found the story quite harrowing and half way through really felt I couldn't read anymore as it was so disturbing but curiosity got the better of me and I finished it. There were parts were I just cried. I have read a lot around this subject but i felt this more deeply as it was about a particular family (fictitious) which I got to know, rather than just what happened to the Jewish people as a whole. The language is Ben Eltons style but dont let that put you off a fantastic read.
It was an incredibly well written book, Elton had obviously done thorough research. the characters where very believable. One of the descriptions was of the Olympic games in Berlin, 1936. Elton described the event so well that you could feel the thunder of Heil Hitler as Hitler took his place in the stand. From this I did some research into those particular games wanting to see photos and more facts about it.
I found the story quite harrowing and half way through really felt I couldn't read anymore as it was so disturbing but curiosity got the better of me and I finished it. There were parts were I just cried. I have read a lot around this subject but i felt this more deeply as it was about a particular family (fictitious) which I got to know, rather than just what happened to the Jewish people as a whole. The language is Ben Eltons style but dont let that put you off a fantastic read.
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