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The Glass Room
Shortlisted for the Booker Prize
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Check link for latest rating. ( 12,525 ratings, 1,378 reviews)
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The Glass Room
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See more* Inspired by a real house, an amazing modernist symbol, Simon Mawer has written his best novel yet, a story guaranteed to dazzle and intrigue the reader
* Inspired by a real house, an amazing modernist symbol, Simon Mawer has written his best novel yet, a story guaranteed to dazzle and intrigue the reader
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
Cool. Balanced. Modern. The precisions of science, the wild variance of lust, the catharsis of confession and the fear of failure - these are things that happen in the Glass Room.
High on a Czechoslovak hill, the Landauer House shines as a wonder of steel and glass and onyx, built specially for newlyweds Viktor and Liesel Landauer, a Jew married to a gentile. But the radiant honesty of 1930 that the house, with its unique Glass Room, seems to engender, quickly tarnishes as the storm clouds of WW2 gather, and eventually the family must flee, accompanied by Viktor's lover and her child.
But the house's story is far from over, and as it passes from hand to hand, from Czech to Russian, both the best and the worst of the history of Eastern Europe becomes somehow embodied and perhaps emboldened within the beautiful and austere surfaces and planes so carefully designed, until events become full-circle.
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?
The Glass Room by Simon Mawer has been widely praised for its extraordinary control of themes such as language, desire, and memory, creating a haunting narrative. Critics highlight its poetic success in depicting modernity's ironies and its passionate portrayal of individuals striving for order amidst chaos. The novel is considered profoundly affecting and compelling, being described as both enjoyable and moving by several reviewers.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780349121321
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 22 April 2010
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Abacus
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 28.0mm
Width: 126.0mm
Height: 198.0mm
Weight: 329g
Pages: 416
Collections
About the Author
Simon Mawer was born in 1948 in England, and spent his childhood there, in Cyprus and in Malta. He has lived with his wife in Italy for more than 20 years, and he teaches at the English School in Rome.
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