Book Review: ‘The Berlin Apartment: A Novel’ By Bryn Turnbull

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The book is in stores on Tuesday, August 27th from MIRA. Click on the link to buy a copy. https://amzn.to/3Maaev9

The year is 1961, and Berlin is known as West Berlin and East Berlin, and people are able to go back and forth easily. Uni Neumann, is a student studying to be a civil engineer, and he lives in West Berlin, right near the border. He’s in love with Lise Bauer, who is going to school in West Berlin to be a doctor, but lives in East Berlin, right over the border. They can see each other’s apartments from where they live. On this night he proposes to her, she says yes, they make love, and plans on telling her family in two days, at the family dinner. They never get the chance, as the border is shut down, and a wall goes up. Both are heartbroken, and Lise soon discovers she is pregnant. Uni and his friends plan on making a tunnel to get Lise, and other family members out, and get the tunnel out, but Lise does not show up at the planned time, she’s been betrayed by someone close to her. With nothing else they can do, they move on with their lives, until years later, when restrictions are loosen somewhat, and a daring plan is made to bring Lise, and her son to West Berlin, freedom and to reunite the two. This is one of the best love stories, historical novels and overall story-telling books this year. Author Bryn Turnbull has written three great previous novels, and this one continues her streak. Beware you may need a few tissues handy, just don’t miss reading this one.