One day you can travel freely across Berlin, the next a barrier has appeared overnight locking residents into their side- the GDR or West Germany. Jutta and her twin Rose are trapped on opposite sides of the wall, suddenly unable to communicate, after Rose is hospitalized the night before the wall appears. This is a story which is based on the experience of real Berliners. The appearance of the wall, the struggle to try and find a way through, the Stasi and the Border Guards. A good story covering a turbulent period of history.

Good premise but just did not deliver for me. Did not enjoy the writing style or relate to the characters. Sorry found it hard to get to the end. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

Karin and Jutta are twins living with their mother and their aunt and uncle in West Germany. Karin collapses one day and is taken to the hospital in East Germany. That night, the wall/barrier is constructed, separating Karin from her family. Karin is not given a pass to go home when she is well, and lives with the doctor and his wife. Jutta and her family are also not given a pass to visit Karin. Then, Jutta finds a way thru the wall.

This was such an interesting premise - twins separated by a hospitalisation for emergency surgery on the night that the Berlin Wall went up.

Loved the short chapters, kept thinking just going to read another one and read the whole book in one setting.

The epilogue was really good as well.

Thoroughly recommend

I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own

Another winner from Mandy Robotham for sure!

The Girl Behind the Wall brings the reader back to Germany, but this time post WW2. Jutta and Karin are twins, living in West Berlin with their family. When the wall goes up overnight, an accident of location leaves Karin trapped in East Berlin with no means of getting back to her family. While Jutta struggles to find a way to reunite with Karin in the West, Karin adapts to the East including finding love. When Jutta finds a breach in the wall, the twins are faced with choices between family and love.

I already have read and loved several of the author's earlier books, so the opportunity to read this one was wonderful. I really enjoyed learning more about the daily life in East and West Berlin, having only been about 12 when the Wall was torn down. The descriptions, especially of Karin's life in the East, really brought the story alive.

For many years, the Berlin Wall separated East and West Berlin, dividing not only the city but in some cases entire families as well. That is exactly the situation in The Girl Behind the Wall by Mandy Robotham. Imagine waking up one morning to find that your twin sister is stuck on the other side of the wall. Using all available resources, they try to reunite but without success for most of the book.

Robotham, well know for her World War II novels, takes on a similar but different topic in this work. The focus is not on which side was right or wrong--although the portrayal of the East German Stasi was chilling, but instead how the wall impacted this particular family. The bonds unique to twins as well as families in general, and the tension between family and love are displayed. Robotham provides background information on how decisions made during World War II impacted the main characters in the Cold War era. Robotham portrays characters in the Communinst East Berlin who are kind, caring and compassionate as well as characters in the West who look out only for themselves and vice versa. While today, the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 seems like it was some time ago and World War II way before then, this story was a great reminder that these events are still recent history and impacted real people.

The Girl Behind the Wall is an excellent look at a part of history that is often over-looked.

I received a complementary copy from NetGalley. I am not required to provide a positive review.

This was a very interesting read and I really appreciated the amount of research the author must have put into the book. I found it quite slow to start and it took me a while to get into but the short chapters made it quick to pick up pace. I found the relationship between the two sisters amazing and loved how connected they were.
I don't tend to read a lot of historical fiction but would definitely recommend this one.

Fate can be cruel. And only history can create stories as brutal and heartbreaking as this one. Twins, Jutta and Karin, had never been separated until suddenly and incomprehensibly they found themselves on opposite sides of the ‘antifascist protection barrier” that had been erected overnight. Robotham cleverly blends her research of the time period of the Berlin Wall with an engaging storyline of love, loss, and resilience.

Just as this time period cultivated strong feeling, emotion is deeply seeped into the fabric of this story. Robotham’s depiction of Jutta and Karin’s situation made me feel the utter helplessness, immense despair, and life altering sadness that they encountered. At each juncture, they faced impossible decisions. Life was complex for the twins and often felt as if it, rather than the wall, was crashing down. Robotham storyline gives us a glimpse into the overnight and long term impact the wall had on families on both sides of the wall.

I lived in Germany for many years, so I am forever drawn back there through literature. While I’ve read many books set throughout the history of Germany, this is the first novel I’ve come across that covers the overnight construction and longevity of the Berlin Wall. The storyline and writing drew me back to the streets of Berlin, Checkpoint Charlie, the afternoons in coffee shops, and walking the portion of the Berlin Wall that still stands.

The story is rich in history, and because of that, it had a very slow start. But once the historic framework is set, the pace of the story gains momentum. Short chapters partnered with changing point of view and the need to know what becomes of the twins makes the rest of the book compelling.

Thank you Mandy Robotham, Avon Books UK, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.

[Thanks NetGalley for providing me the ARC in return for an honest review.]

The wall, and its effect on a family. There are those few places around the world that have seen a homogeneous group of people getting separated by a gash in geography - wall, fence, newly drawn borders etc. Be it the Korean border, the Israel-Palestine border, the now infamous US-Mexico border / wall or even the India-Pakistan border closer home, borders and walls have had the tendency to crop up in a short notice, ending up separating families for a long time, or sometimes eternity.

The Berlin Wall is special in this context, given the intention behind the cropping up of the wall in the 60s as well as the way it was brought down in front of Live Media of the 90s. On the one hand, the fall of the wall was hailed as the promising restoration of democracy, on the other hand there would always be the story of the 'other side' - people who may not necessarily have had a bad life after all.

Personally, I found this book very interesting - as my first book set in the backdrop of Germany / Berlin from the 60s to 90s Era. More importantly, the handling of characters - the inseparable twins getting separated, each trying all possible ways to keep their binding thread strong, at the same time pursuing personal goals and ideals that may come in the way of their binding thread - the entire premise and narration was tight and gripping. I liked the fact that each chapter was small - it helped me move forward quicy with the story, covering a few or many chapters in a day depending on the time available for reading.

There were a few elements that could have been better - some of the characters could have been given more prominence and background - like that of the girs' uncle, who seemed to have a key role in shaping up the girls' lives. On the other hand, the need for an American to swoop down and save the girl, after all the courage she had shown seemed to be a little out of place (personally). Also, some of the sequences involved on either side of the wall seemed too easy to be realistic. I might need a further reading of the wall's history to say this with certainty though.

All of the above points take nothing away from the story, which was paced perfectly, and accelerates quickly towards the end for a feel good finish.

I am very happy to have taken up this book for reading.

The Girl Behind the Wall by Mandy Robotham is post World War II Germany Historical Fiction with romance, thrills and suspense. The Berlin Wall goes up in August of 1961 and Germany is again devastated by the evils of socialism. The Berlin Wall separates twin sisters in East and West Germany. The sisters are trapped and their lives controlled by the GDR in East Germany with one on the East side of the wall and the other on the West side.The Communism of East Germany and the terror of the Stasi rivals the National Socialist Party (Nazi) Gestapo of an earlier Germany. The evil portrayed appears so similar, was the Communist Stasi a continuation of the Socialist Gestapo rebranded?
A well researched book that has great historical value based on the oppression in East Germany exposing the destructive force of socialism in any era.
I have enjoyed all of Ms. Robotham‘s books and especially appreciate the historical details.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book. 5 Stars

Karin and Jutta Voigt are identical twin sisters living in Germany. Karin wanted to go out but her family urged her to stay home because she was not feeling well. Does she listen to her family? Nope. Well she has a gall bladder attack and is taken to a hospital. The problem is, a wall is put up to separate Germany into the East and West. Karin is trapped and Jutta makes it her mission to bring Karin home and finds an access to do so. However, Karin has a new life and may not want to join her sister. Jutta has another big issue on her hands to contend with.

My thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for allowing me to review this excellent book with characters you want to root for. Highly recommend.

Gripping from the start. Two twins separated from each other when the Berlin Wall goes up. Karin who is in hospital at the time finds herself cut off from the rest of her family. Jutta is determined to see her sister, with the intent on getting her to come home, finds a passageway through. Both are always looking over their shoulders trying to keep the identity of the other a secret, anxiously seeing each other when they can. Two parallel lives each with their own story, both able to reunite in 1989 when the wall is taken down. A gem of a story about family, love and friendship. I enjoyed the pace of this book and felt an immediate connection to Karin and Jutta. It’s thought provoking and has made me think about how different lives were on the East compared to the West side of the wall. A definite recommendation for anyone who likes historical fiction.

With thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for an early copy in return for an honest review.

I recently read a children's book called A Night Divided about the night the wall went up and what happened to a family afterwards. It was the first book I read on this time period and instantly wanted more, so I was delighted when I see this book was coming out. It was another fascinating book on this time period and if there are families looking to learn more about this time period I'd recommend The Girl Behind the Wall for the adults and A Night Divided for the kids.

Mandy Robotham did an excellent job researching the book and I thought she did a good job capturing the differences between East and West Berlin during Jutta's trips across the wall. I also appreciated the flash forward to 1989 at the end of the story to get an update on where the characters were then.

This is the second book by this author and I loved it! Such a fast paced read! Historical fiction at its best! Highly highly recommend

I’ve read other books by this author and always found them to be well written and researched novels. “The Girl Behind the Wall” certainly lived up to this expectation and I was gripped from the very first page.
Being a baby boomer and having studied German history as part of my University Degree in the 1980s I was well aware of the origins of the Berlin Wall and the fact that East Berlin was part of a totalitarian regime whereas West Berlin was an enclave in the middle of the Communist East.
What I didn’t really think about was the heartache that it must have caused within families when relatives were trapped on either side. I did not realise how the wall appeared suddenly overnight with no warning and nor was I aware how easy it had been to move between the two zones before it was there. I certainly remember, however, the celebration in 1989 when it came down.
I really enjoyed this human story about twins who were separated by chance when the wall was erected. Jutta’s courage and single mindedness at trying to find her twin and maintain contact was very moving. The use of twins to illustrate the divide and differences between East and West was an excellent plot device although both characters were also very well drawn, believable and appealing to me as a reader of fiction.
I felt that the author had thoroughly researched the subject and described the setting extremely well. I had my heart in my mouth every time Jutta crossed over to find Karin- the feeling of being watched and the danger of the Stasi was only too real.
This was a thoroughly engrossing read which I highly recommend to all lovers of modern historical fiction and it’s definitely a five star read for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.

"The Girl Behind the Wall" by Mandy Robotham
Release Date: 7.6.2021

Summer, 1961. Twin sisters Jutta and Karin reside in Berlin; they never lived apart. Overnight, Karin is trapped under Soviet rule in East Berlin, while Jutta lives on the west side of the wall. This is only due to the location of the hospital Karin is a surgical patient at the time of the construction of the wall!

Jutta finds a way to be reunited with Karin, through a secret way through the wall. They are reunited and begin visiting each other at a coffee shop. Soon, Jutta realizes they are being watched and begs her sister to cross the wall with her, coming home to her family and friends. It is an impossible decision for Karin. She can return home with her sister or stay on the eastern side with Otto, the man she loves.

Wow! Mandy Robotham does it again! Through alternating chapters, readers feel the emotion and anguish each identical twin felt. Short chapters helped this book fly by, even though I did not want it to end. I truly wanted to shake Karin quite a few times, but the power of love supercedes any clear thinking.

Thank you to @netgalley, for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

#netgalley #netgalleyreads #netgalleyreview #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #historicalfiction #readersofinstagram #historicalfiction2021 #2021bookreleases #worldwariifiction

I was excited to read this novel as I’ve never read a book that centered around The Berlin Wall before. While this book offered a lot of historical aspects I was not able to connect with these characters or the storyline. It didn’t seem believable to me and I honestly needed more depth to their stories. I DNF’d this book at 37%. I applaud the author for the amount of research put into this book, I only wish I were able to fall for the storyline more.

Karin and Jutta are twins separated by the building of the Berlin Wall. Karin on the East Germany side after being stuck there following emergency surgery and Jutta on the West Germany side with their family. Jutta does everything she can to get to her sister to no avail...until she discovers an odd hole in the Wall. Over the next few years, there are visits between the sisters and letters to their mother. Over time, their secret is discovered by those wanting Jutta to carry messages through the hole. The sisters are constantly looking over their shoulders in fear of the Stasi, the secret police of West Germany. A young man neither sister knows pops up wherever they are and they wonder if they have been discovered.

While I am usually a fan of World War II historical fiction, I have to say that this was a nice change of pace. I found the story to be well researched and well told. The short chapters made the story easier to read and I was constantly picking it back up because I could breeze through them and still enjoy the story. I will have to go back and read Robotham's other historical fictions as I know I will enjoy them.

WARNING: It's unpopular opinion time again!!

I have a weak spot for 20th century historical fiction and I don't think I've read all that many stories focused on the Berlin Wall and the beginning of the Cold War before. It was one of the reasons I instantly caved when I was invited to read The Girl Behind The Wall. I've had mixed reactions to her books in the past, but I had high hopes for this newest story as it focuses on a topic I'm highly interested in... Sadly, it wasn't ment to be. I'll try to explain below why this story didn't work for me.

First of all I do have to say that I still love the time period and setting of the story. Like I said, most 20th century historical fiction stories tend to be set during WWII, so it's refreshing to have a focus on the Cold War period and the appearance of the Berlin Wall instead. The story was a great for refreshing my memories of this era as dates and events were mentioned, and it gave me flashbacks to my own visit of the many sights relating to the Berlin Wall in the city a couple years ago. It's such a fascinating time in history and I'm still surprised we don't see this setting more often... And especially with its focus on Berlin, its inhabitants and the division between West and East Berlin.

This was sadly just about the only aspect of The Girl Behind The Wall I did enjoy, as the rest of the story fell rather flat for me and I even debated whether to simply DNF it multiple times. I struggled with the writing style and the tone, and the short chapters and constant jumping between the two sisters really got on my nerves. I think that staying with each sister for more than a couple of pages would have benefitted this story greatly, because as it is you hardly get the time to start feeling invested in either POV. The characters themselves felt rather flat and cliche and I was never able to warm up to them. I think part of the reason was also the constant repetition of their situation and surprisingly shallow feelings and thoughts... It felt like the story was simply going in circles at times, repeating what was already said and done before over and over again.

I also struggled considerably with the pace, which was slow and didn't help at all. In fact, I started skimreading quite early on in the story, which is never a good sign to be honest. On top of this, I simply didn't think part of the plot was credible. True, people have moved between East and West during the Cold War, but having Jutta crossing multiple times and nobody noticing her obviously disheveled appearance on either side? I'm sorry, but that just felt too unbelievable for me, and I'm not even talking about Karin's rather comfortable situation being a West Berliner in the East.

All in all, The Girl Behind The Wall definitely failed to hit the mark for me, which is such a shame as I was really looking forward to finally read a book set during Cold War Berlin. I seem to be in the minority though, so who knows, this story might just work better for you.

DNF

Not sure what it was about this book but I struggled to get into it and with a book, if I'm not hooked by the first chapter then I really struggle to carry on with the book.

So many books, so little time.