I initially chose this book because Künstler is my ancestral name. Our Künstlers came from Germany to the US in the 1850’s. Anyway, this was a slow moving, hard-to-get-into novel. I put it down several times, read something else, then picked it up again. Once I committed and continued to read, I enjoyed the endearing grandmother/grandson relationship and their growth throughout the years. I’m so glad I didn’t give up on this book. Thank you #Netgalley for the ARC!

“Künstlers in Paradise” by Cathleen Schine is a tender intergenerational novel that bridges the past and the present. Set in Los Angeles, it follows Julian Künstler, a young man navigating life during the pandemic, and his 93-year-old grandmother, Mamie Künstler. Mamie, an Austrian Jewish émigrée, shares stories of her youth, revealing a world inhabited by luminaries like Arnold Schoenberg and Greta Garbo. As Julian grapples with lockdown, he discovers that history shapes our identities and that stories endure across generations.

“Künstlers in Paradise” blends nostalgia, humor, and hidden histories. Schine’s writing captures the magic of family bonds and the resilience of memory.

While stories about the Holocaust and Jewish trauma are often hard to read, they're hard to read for a reason. If you know me at all, you know I can only do one WWII book a year. The genre is pervasive, and not in my favorite area of historical fiction. And while I wouldn't call this book quite that, as it's mostly a contemporary novel about a family that emigrated, fleeing the war, the touches of sadness are obviously still there.

Mamie is the matriarch of the Künstler family, having fled Austria in 1939 to settle in Los Angeles. I very much enjoyed the stories she told her grandchildren. Even more so, the descriptions of a Los Angeles set in the past. This is definitely more of a family story than one of war. As always with a story told in two time periods, I enjoyed Mamie's more than Julian's.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I first began reading Künstlers in Paradise, but I love books with themes of family and a coming-of-age story. It was a slow burn historical fiction that is full of family drama and set during the Pandemic. I listened to the audiobook format and enjoyed the narration.

*many thanks tHolt and Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy

Cathleen Schine’s "Künstlers in Paradise" is a novel about the power of stories and how we tell them. It also delves into the COVID pandemic and the subsequent lockdown.

Julian, a twenty-four-year-old hipster living in Brooklyn, aims to find work in Hollywood and plans to stay with his grandmother, Mamie, in Los Angeles for a short time. As the lockdown is initiated, neither Julian nor Mamie knows how long they will be cohabitants.

Mamie begins sharing stories of her early years in LA with Julian. At the age of eleven, Mamie and her family escaped Vienna in 1939. They found themselves in sunny and surreal Los Angeles, overwhelmed by their journey. Mamie captivates Julian with tales involving notable émigrés like Arnold Schoenberg, Christopher Isherwood, Thomas Mann, and Greta Garbo. These stories have a profound effect on both Mamie and Julian.

Mamie Künstler, now a clever and glamorous ninety-three-year-old woman, resides in a bungalow in Venice, California, with her inscrutable housekeeper and her gigantic St. Bernard. The rapidly spreading pandemic brings her back to LA and reunites her with her nephew, Julian.

Cathleen Schine began writing "Künstlers in Paradise" before the pandemic, driven by her keen interest in the émigré community that settled in Los Angeles.

During World War II, Los Angeles became home to a community of intellectuals, composers, musicians, and writers. Hollywood played a part in attracting them with the prospect of employment. Many actors and directors from Eastern Europe, Germany, and Austria had already established themselves in LA. The Hollywood community also raised funds and supported Jewish individuals fleeing Europe.

Despite their immense gratitude for finding refuge on the West Coast, the émigrés of the 1930s and 1940s experienced overwhelming guilt. The process of resettlement magnified the horrors of life in war-torn Europe and the devastation that engulfed their entire world.

These two distinct periods create a bridge between them. While the COVID pandemic cannot be compared to the Holocaust, an emotional connection arises, as individuals residing in safer areas of the United States are haunted by the plight of their loved ones and friends trapped in the pandemic epicenter, New York.

Julian is portrayed as a feckless and hapless young man. Despite his lack of direction, readers may still develop sympathy and affection for him. He is an autodidact who moves from one passion to another, though none prove particularly useful. He arrives in Los Angeles as a dyed-in-the-wool New Yorker, but his perception of the place begins to shift as he undergoes personal changes.

As the pandemic unfolds, Julian experiences guilt over his own safety and gradually comprehends the sense of guilt felt by Mamie's generation during World War II. This realization propels his personal growth, enabling him to break free from apathy and helplessness.

In "Künstlers in Paradise," Mamie's character is inspired by a woman named Salka Viertel. Viertel, a European émigré who resided in Pacific Palisades, arrived from Vienna and became a prominent figure of the period. She hosted a salon where people gathered every Sunday, engaging in German conversations and spirited debates. The salon served as a networking and support hub, offering gossip, delectable chocolate cake, and strong coffee. Viertel later penned a remarkable memoir titled "The Kindness of Strangers."

While various characters in the novel embody the humor and life perspectives of Schine's mother and grandmother, Mamie remains a distinct and authentic character in her own right, growing into her own unique persona.

The Künstlers learned a valuable lesson: sometimes, in order to embark on something new, one must be willing to let go of the past—an important insight for everyone, although not an easy feat.

"Künstlers in Paradise" delves into various themes, including identity, family dynamics, memory, the significance of storytelling, immigration, and the early days of Hollywood. With its dual timeline and historical backdrop during World War II, this novel presents an engaging choice for readers seeking to immerse themselves in WWII historical fiction.

Sound quality

Macmillan Audio excels in sound production, demonstrating unparalleled clarity and professionalism that sets it apart for enthusiasts of audiobooks. With their meticulous attention to detail and unwavering dedication to delivering an exceptional listening experience, Macmillan Audio consistently creates audiobooks of remarkable quality. As a devoted fan and avid listener of their audiobooks, I am always astounded by the pristine sound and seamless narration. The production values consistently soar, ensuring that each word is articulated with utmost precision, resulting in an immersive and pleasurable audio journey. Macmillan Audio has undeniably earned its well-deserved reputation as a frontrunner in the audiobook industry, and it remains my ultimate choice for captivating and masterfully-produced audiobooks.

About the Narrator

Jesse Vilinsky is an accomplished audiobook narrator. With her vocal talents and remarkable versatility, she brings a wide range of characters and stories to life. Her clear and expressive delivery draws listeners into the narrative, creating an engaging experience. Vilinsky's ability to seamlessly transition between different voices, accents, and emotions adds depth and authenticity to the audiobooks she narrates. Her timing and nuanced interpretation ensure every word is conveyed with precision and impact.

About the Author

Cathleen Schine is the author of "The Grammarians," "The Three Weissmanns of Westport," and "The Love Letter," among other novels. She has contributed to The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, The New York Times Magazine, and The New York Times Book Review. She resides in Los Angeles.

I really struggled with this book. The concept sounded very interesting, but the execution left a lot to be desired. The history Mamie shares of fleeing Austria to come to the United States was interesting, but it was such a miniscule part of the story. Most of the page time was spent with Mamie name dropping celebrities, alluding to a secret relationship with Greta Garbo, and arguing with her roommate/caregiver Agatha. The rest of the page time was dedicated to Julian, her grandson, who was honestly an incredibly frustrating character (and not in an endearing way). The level of privilege and entitlement that he has makes him incredibly hard to relate to in any way. He whines endlessly about being trapped in Los Angeles during the pandemic, which like the pandemic sucked, but I don't think it sucked more in Los Angeles than it did anywhere else.

And Agatha...She is a supporting character. Sort of a friend and caregiver to Mamie. While I at times enjoyed their relationship, I also disliked parts of how Agatha was written. This could partially be due to the person narrating the audiobook, but she felt like she had no real identity. We don't know where she's from. She speaks with a vague accent. She uses snippets from various languages. It felt a bit stereotype-y and uncomfortable.

Enjoyed this very much. I loved the narrative voice and the slices of Hollywood "back in the day." Entertaining and engaging historical fiction. I'd love to see it on film!

The story in this book was fascinating. Having to escape Vienna from the onslaught of the Nazis was depicted so well. The beautiful relationship that developed between a grandson and grandmother was so sensitively portrayed and relatable.
Yet, the narrator just didn't work for me. The plot was so captivating. Perhaps reading the book in print would have been a better alternative.

Julian heads west to L.A. in search of a job, but mostly in search of himself. While there, the world stops spinning and he gets “stuck” due to the pandemic. He winds up truly getting to know his grandmother through all of the stories she shares with him. All of her life experiences that have made her into wonderful, interesting, somewhat eccentric, glamorous woman she is today. Love, loss, what it means to be displaced because of who you are, trying to create a new life, music and the arts and their impact on the her and the world and so much more. A wonderfully crafted story of historical fiction that I am so glad I listened to.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the early listen. Enjoyed reading about all the characters. Narrator did a great job telling the story and giving each character their own voice. Will recommend.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started listening to Künstlers in Paradise by Cathleen Schine. For one, it hasn’t received a lot of buzz here on bookstagram. And two, it’s my first read from the author. Also, the synopsis is extremely long, so I quickly skimmed over it. I pretty much went in blind. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by this historical fiction/family drama/coming-of-age mash-up with its multiple layers, and utilization of the Covid-19 pandemic as a backdrop. Julian Künstler thought he was going to visit his grandmother, Mamie and help her out temporarily. Little did he know, a global pandemic was about to put a kink in his plans, and turn his visit into an extended stay. During the lockdown, Julian and Mamie use the time to really get to know each other. Mamie has a lot of stories to tell, and Julian is all ears. She has a very colorful, yet distressing past. Most of Mamie’s stories were quite fascinating, but some bored me to tears. The pace of this novel is extremely slow, even though Mamie’s life was extremely eventful. Overall, Künstlers in Paradise is a memorable story about a grandmother, her grandson, their family history, and the precious time they shared together.

READ THIS BOOK IF YOU ENJOY:

- Dual timelines
- Historical fiction
- A story within a story
- Witty banter
- Family drama
- Novels set during a pandemic
- Hilarious grandmas
- Immigration stories
- Coming-of-age stories
- Slow-burning novels

This book has its highs and lows. At times, I was totally enthralled with Mamie’s recollection of the past. On occasion, I wanted to hit the fast-forward button, and hurry towards the present timeline. My attention definitely swayed. For that reason alone, I had to knock down my rating. This book most certainly won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but it will definitely appeal to a lot of readers. It gets 3.5/5 stars from me!

How beautiful this sweeping epic of a story is. Thoroughly touching from moment one, exploring the trials of the pandemic and its reminiscence of the past experiences throughout the Kunstler generations. A true gem!

In the mood for a quiet character driven story ? For a 93yo grandmother reflecting on arriving in California after fleeing Vienna before WWII but after life there became impossible for Jews with a practical mother and a father suffering from intense survivor’s guilt and a grandfather stuck in the ways the world had been. This grandmother, Mamie, is a fantastic storyteller giving her grandson Julian bits and pieces, snippets of history, family history and historical contest, while slowly but surely propping this myopic grandson, a 23yo would be writer who feels wronged by the world - parents who have threatened to cut him off, an ex girlfriend who has deemed him too passive, a roommate who is moving on and has come to stay with his grandmother only to be „wronged by the world“ yet again through Covid restrictions that extend his West Coast stay to quite a bit more than he initially had planned for but this extended stay gives him a chance at discovering more about his family, the extraordinary life his grandmother has lived and himself and with that quite possibly a way out of the „man-baby“ stage that he finds himself in.
Mamie has truly led an extraordinary life within the exiled artists colony of Pacific Palisades and Santa Monica of the 40s and 50s and the book is worth the read just for the deep dive into all the names dropped casually as party attendees, beach goers and tennis instructors - it was a large colony of distinguished European émigrés and the Künstler family finds itself observing from the margins. There are writers Thomas Mann, Franz Werfel and his wife Alma Mahler-Werfel and Lion Feuchtwanger, actress Greta Garbo, screenwriter Salka Viertel, composer Arnold Schönberg and many more- with some of the names dropped I went on google deep dives with others I was so glad to see them mentioned - Lion Feuchtwanger is one of my very favorite authors and his work covers a whole shelf in my living room.

I keep seeing reviews criticizing this books Covid timeline but I actually appreciated that part of the story. It made sense that that was when the grandmother and grandson would finally have time to pass down stories together. I loved Mamie and Agatha. I found Julian to be an entitled brat. The book was a little slow but I think that was intentional given the subject matter, world events, and the elderly storyteller.

Above all else the relationship between Julian and Mamie was so lovely to watch grow. His enthusiasm for her life seemed to liven up her own memories and her past drew me in immediately. I wanted to sit with Mamie and Agatha and hear it all over tea.

The Künstlers left Vienna in 1939 and made their way to Los Angeles. Mamie was eleven years old when she left everything she knew to begin a new life away from the Nazis. She has lived quietly in California and she is now ninety-three years old. She has taken a fall and hurt her wrist. Her grandson, Julian, has arrived to help her through her recovery. But then Covid hits and he is trapped with her through the lock-down. So, she begins to tell her wonderful story about her life.

Now…this book started out slow. I despised Julian almost from the get go. He did sort of redeem himself but he is the reason I almost abandoned this book. And boy…what a mistake that would have been, BECAUSE…then I would have missed Mamie and her stories, smart mouth and Julian getting his comeuppance!

Mamie has lived an amazing life and she slowly dribbles out her tale full of famous people and family secrets. And she takes no sass and no mistakes.

Mamie is one of my favorite characters ever! I could just picture her slamming that cane on the floor and yelling “Julian!” The narrator, Jesse Vilinsky nailed her! She was Mamie through and through! I cannot express this enough. Y’all need to listen to this because she truly brought Mamie to life for me.

Need a story which will make you laugh and cry all in the same sentence…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of the audio version of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My Interest

I admit it–the cover grabbed my attention! Of course the story grabbed me, too. Escaping Nazi Vienna to Venice, California and do ordinary jobs in places like Hollywood? Why not? And, having recently read Maame, why not read a story of a “Mamie”?
The Story

“One’s trauma becomes banal when trotted out too many times.”

The Künstlers family were helped by a committee of Hollywood moguls and employees to escape Vienna. Mamie, the daughter, was a child and so did not always notice the threats to their safety. Julian, her grandson, was a “failure to launch”–an upper-middle class young man with an education and parents with a secure life near the park in NYC who can’t seem to motivate himself to get a real, adult life with a job. Just before COVID hits, Julian is sent by the family to check on his grandmother out in California. Covid hits and Julian is stuck with his Grandmother, Mamie, her platonic companion Agatha, and an aging Saint Bernard. During their isolation, Mamie tells Julian a lot of stories about her childhood and family. Julian, a wanna be writer, takes notes and shares the stories with a young woman, Sophie, whom he meets out walking the St. Bernard .They walk their dogs “together” masked and on opposite sides of the street, talking all the time. As Mamie enlightens Julian, she not only fills gaps in his formal education, but also in his knowledge of his family and of the society they have inhabited. Julian finds confidence and begins to act more like an adult.
My Thoughts

Marked as “Humorous Literary Fiction” by Amazon, I imagine the review saying “nearly hurt myself laughing” was a plant from a friend or the publisher. There is humor in here–mostly provided by Agatha. (In the audio, Agatha was voiced like the announcer in the old Wendy’s “Where’s the beef” commercial with the Soviet woman modeling “fashions”). This is a novel in which politics belongs, but even then it got old–and I’m a liberal. I also thought Mamie got boring in certain points of the story–like filling a space with reading the encyclopedia. A little more pruning would have helped. Overall, I enjoyed this book. I got tired of the audio book narrator who tried too hard to make the children’s voices precious. I hate precious.

I thought of Julian Fellowes saying he didn’t want Downton Abbey being one of those shows where ‘oh, look! here comes Lloyd George.’ For that is what kept happening. Instead of politicians, it was a famous actress, various writers, composers and musicians. Was it believable–YES! That was the community that sponsored the family. But, one scene, with the “Great One” made me roll my eyes and debate dnf-ing the book. It was a dilemma for me–knowing it was believable but still finding parts of it to be tedious. A little can go a long way. A lot can steamroller a story and the “Great One” did that for me. I didn’t find it all poignant.

I did LOVE, love, love the “jingling tray!” That was what Mamie and Agatha had to look forward to each day–the cocktail hour–“HOURS”as Julian was corrected to say Adult Mamie, Julian, and Agatha were real to me. I loved Julian’s romance, too.

As I said, politics belonged in this book. I am not a Trump fan at all, but even I get sick of it. No matter, the author did come up with one image that made me stop and think. I’m sharing this knowing some reading this will be angry–outraged even. Remember, it is just one person’s opinion in one novel that you do not have to read, ok? It is not my opinion–merely a thought from a book that intrigued me. Do not flame me.

“Trump is more like Stalin or perhaps Mao…the affect is like Hitler, …effect is quite different…..Genocide by virus…”

I took this quote down quickly on the side of the road so the punctuation may be off. I had to turn off the book and think about it. I have studied every major modern dictator before 1984 in extreme detail, yet, like most, I ignore Mao too often. Pol Pot–yes, Mao? Was he too big? It was such a fascinating idea that I toyed with it through my errands. This quote will stay with me as Trump continues to evade the legal consequences of his actions. I will think of this now when he is mentioned.

That quote and more are why I’m positive this will be one of NPR’s books of 2023. For me, it was a decent read. Great? No. Terrible? Of course not. A perfectly fine book.
My Verdict
3.0

Künstlers in Paradise by Cathleen Schine

I listened to the audio version

Künstlers in Paradise by Cathleen Schine
Narrator, Jesse Vilinsky
I loved this audiobook so much that I’m sad it’s over. It's a bit odd since this story is partly about Covid and partly about Hitler’s takeover in Germany and those who escaped and those who didn’t but it’s actually very funny. I laughed out loud many times. I teared up a few times too but it was hopeful and even though the characters sometimes drove each other crazy, they were a loving family. I envy anyone who has the opportunity to read or listen to it for the first time.
I was not familiar about this narrator but she was excellent with both male and female voices and a wide range of ages.
I may be gushing but I can’t help it.
Thanks to NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy of this title. Kunstlers in Paradise begins with the Jewish Kunstler family fleeing Austria at the beginning of the second World War. They land in Hollywood, where they assimilate into the community of the movie industry. Most of the story is told in flashback by the main character to her grandson who is visiting her when COVID hits, and his two-week stay turns into many months. This is a solid generational tale without sensationalistic Holocaust prose, and the characters are shown with flaws. A solid story.

Twenty-something Julian Kunstler — somewhat ineffective in his attempt at adulting — is sent to care for his ninety-something grandmother Mamie and her elderly dogsbody of unknown origin, Agatha, during Covid. Venice, California is a lovely place to wait out a pandemic — almost too lovely as Julian feels guilt at his own safety while others dwell in fear and panic. They pass the time with Mamie’s stories — of her own times of isolation, fear, and survivor guilt as an 11-year old Jewish emigre from Vienna who lucked into safety through the intense efforts of Hollywood’s artistic community to extract as many Jews as possible from Germany in 1939.
This was truly a wonderful book — full of stories suffused with reality and a painstakingly reconstructed sense of time and place. We hear the stories as well as the inner thoughts / reactions of both of them, giving an evolving insight into two distinct characters with wildly different contexts taking in the same information. Spectacularly presented.
With these stories, Schine manages to evoke not just the physical space of Venice Beach / Hollywood in the 40s, but the mental and cultural space as well. Music, language, philosophy, meaning, existence, and the nature of memory pervade conversations and thoughts. Music in particular suffused everything — Mamie came from the most cultured of Viennese Jews, her father a composer and mother a writer. She supported herself as a violinist, and I loved the way she took up violin as a youngster because she found the piano an oppressive instrument — as it missed all the notes in between while the violin could get them all. Many Hollywood stars of that era (mostly emigres like Mamie) feature in the stories: Greta Garbo, Arnold Schoenberg, Thomas Mann, and others. Her discussions with Schoenberg are priceless — they discuss the “emancipation of the dissonance.” (I can’t stand dissonance in my music but I sure enjoyed reading about the Schoenberg’s thoughts on the subject!). There are parallels between Mamie and Julian — the guilt of being safe while their friends and family are decidedly not, the isolation, the feeling that the world they know is collapsing — and Mamie wants to help Julian make spiritual and ethical progress in his life. To understand the need for joy and to be able to live fully.
Listening to the audio book while walking I had to stop every five minutes to write something down — I was so afraid of losing it (unfortunately, I have a crap memory). I felt like every page had a life lesson available to anyone who wanted to catch it. I would have had a lot of quotes, but could not capture them in time with the audio format. I did manage to remember one: “ Ones trauma becomes banal when it is trotted out too many times.”
Hard to believe I hadn’t heard of Catherine Schine before this. I read so much that I am literally shocked to find such an excellent writer with plenty of previous work that I don’t know. I listened to this on audio and loved it. The reader did an excellent job of portraying the voices — I sometimes found the “elderly” voice she used for Mamie to be a bit difficult to hear but I adapted.