1914: Young Anton Heideck has arrived in Vienna, eager to make his name as a journalist. While working part-time as a private tutor, he encounters Delphine, a woman who mixes startling candour with deep reserve. Entranced by the light of first love, Anton feels himself blessed. Until his country declares war on hers.

1927: For Lena, life with a drunken mother in a small town has been impoverished and cold. She is convinced she can amount to nothing until a young lawyer, Rudolf Plischke, spirits her away to Vienna. But the capital proves unforgiving. Lena leaves her metropolitan dream behind to take a menial job at the snow-bound sanatorium, the Schloss Seeblick.
1933: Still struggling to come terms with the loss of so many friends on the Eastern Front, Anton, now an established writer, is commissioned by a magazine to visit the mysterious Schloss Seeblick. In this place of healing, on the banks of a silvery lake, where the depths of human suffering and the chances of redemption are explored, two people will see each other as if for the first time.

My Thoughts:

I found this book captivating and engaging. It starts back on 1914 and when a young lad called Anton arrives in Vienna, he is desperate to become a journalist, whilst doing this, part time he is a private tutor and comes across Delphine, he hopelessly falls in love with her but at what cost? when her country goes to war with his what must he do? Then we go to 1927 and through to 1933 where we see Anton again and how his life has been since 1914. It was an interesting read and to learn all about what happened in that era blew me away. I felt for Anton when he was falling in love, but can’t be with Delphine as both their countries were going to war with each other. The ending made me cry it was just beautiful. This is my first book by Sebastian Faulks and it certainly will not be my last.

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

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