Book Review: ‘This Terrible Beauty’ By Katrin Schumann

One woman named Bettina Heilstrom tells the story of her youth and time in East Germany and the effects of WWII on her country and on her personal life flashing between her time in East Germany in her home country and ten years later in Chicago.

WWII has just ended and Bettina’s life is in taters. Her father has died and she lives alone with very little money on a small island off of East Germany and just trying to survive. Her country is not what it use to be. She meets a man named Werner who likes her back and they end up getting married. She’s not in love with him but he treats her nice and she figures she needs to do this. He becomes part of the secret police and takes on dangerous missions.

She soon meets the son of a preacher and begins a torrid affair with him. She becomes pregnant and ends the affair. But she can’t stay away and Werner is aware of this and takes action to punish Bettina. After the has the baby he gives her a choice. Leave forever, cuts ties with the child or end up in jail. Bettian leaves and ends up in America with her sister and makes a life for herself. But she has never forgotten about her baby and hopes to one day return to East Germany and see her.

She makes a daring move and it’s one that could cost her. Can she return to her former country without getting into trouble and reunite with her daughter?

A strong story about what life in East Germany was like and affects of the war on a young woman. Readers are drawn into the story of Bettina and how she copes with what has happened and how she succeeded when other might have failed. The story leads the reader on an emotional journey right up to the interesting ending.

You can pick up This Terrible Beauty in stores on Tuesday, March 3rd.