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Hinterland

Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Set in 1944, Hinterland follows Veit Kolbe, a young German soldier wounded on the Eastern Front, as he recuperates in a quiet Austrian village beneath the Drachenwand mountain. There, Veit encounters Margot and Margarete, two women who share a yearning for life to resume amid the ruins of war. The story explores Veit's haunting nightmares, the villagers' peculiar normality, and a bittersweet love that remains unreciprocated. As the war’s end seems distant and Veit’s call-up orders return, the novel delves into the grim realities facing Germany and Austria.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This evocative novel will appeal to readers interested in historical fiction, anti-war narratives, and deep explorations of love and human resilience during turbulent times.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

A poignant, heartbreaking story depicting the quiet heroism of ordinary people in the face of suffering, and the struggle to live a normal life as the world falls apart around them.

A poignant, heartbreaking story depicting the quiet heroism of ordinary people in the face of suffering, and the struggle to live a normal life as the world falls apart around them.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The year is 1944 and Veit Kolbe, a young German soldier, injured fighting in Russia, is recovering in a small village below Drachenwand mountain in Austria. Here he meets Margot and Margarete, two young women who share his hope that sometime, sooner or later, life will begin again.

The war is lost but how long will it take before it finally comes to its end? Arno Geiger's Hinterland, translated from the German by Jamie Bulloch, tells of Veit's nightmares and the strangely normal life of the village, of the Brazilian who dreams of returning to Rio de Janeiro, of the landlady and her rallying calls, of Margarete the teacher with whom Veit falls in love, but who doesn't return his affection.

But when Veit's wounds are healed his next call-up orders arrive. The military outlook for Germany and Austria looks increasingly grim and Veit's luck has run out . . .

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Der Spiegel lauds the novel as a "great anti-war" tale interwoven with a tender love story amid destruction. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung praises it as a profound meditation on aging, illness, home, and familyβ€”qualities that render life meaningful despite adversity. Die Welt describes it as a powerful and touching narrative about searching for lost worlds and rediscovered connections.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781529003192

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 24 August 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Picador

Contributors:

  • Translated by Jamie Bulloch
  • Translated by Jamie Bulloch

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 24.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 236g

Pages: 336

About the Author

Arno Geiger grew up in the Austrian Alps, in a village overlooking Lake Constance. His grandparents were farmers, his father was the local government clerk and his mother a primary school teacher. He studied German and comparative literature at university and his debut novel appeared in 1997. In 2005, he was awarded the inaugural German Book Prize, and his writing has won numerous other prizes. His autobiographical novel The Old King in His Exile was translated into twenty-eight languages and won several literary prizes. He is married and lives in Vienna.

Also by Arno Geiger

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  • Hinterland
    The year is 1944 and Veit Kolbe, a young German soldier, injured fighting in Russia, is recovering at Mondsee, a village and a lake below Drachenwand mountain, close to Salzburg in Austria. Here he meets Margot and Margarete, two young women who share his hope that sometime, sooner or later, life will begin again. The war is lost but how...
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