- ASIN: B0B79YY48X
- Publisher: Koehler Books; 1st edition (September 27, 2022)
- Publication date: September 27, 2022
- Language: English
- Print length: 253 pages
- Genre: World War II Historical Fiction
The BookViral Review:
In a powerful and haunting historical novel that straddles past and present, Witt leads his readers on an unforgettable journey into the heart of darkness.
A gratifyingly evocative page-turner with real-world resonance Witt does an uncommonly good job of holding our interest whilst exploring more of the nuts and bolts of the Holocaust than we usually get from similarly themed reads.
Casting a robust, uninterrupted spell over its readers I Am Germany takes us on a harrowing journey into the dark corners of the last century with Witt’s characters so well imagined that his narrative simply takes over and puts you beside them.
With an impeccable eye for detail, Witt is scrupulous about historical records whilst his plot is taut, compelling and superbly executed with a genuine sense of authenticity. In the main, this comes from Witt’s astute rendering of Anna who has a well-worn familiarity yet nimbly avoids the trite tropes typically associated with Holocaust survivor stories.
With I Am Germany revolving around long central flashbacks we follow Anna’s journey back into the painful memories of her past. A past which has seen so much hate, death, and dishonour that the only way she has coped with her memories is by simply going through the motions of life and not sharing her story with anyone until Heinrich knocks on her door.
With Anna caught in the waking nightmare of one of history’s ugliest times, confronting the horrors of first Hartheim Castle, then Dachau, and dealing with them as best she can, Witt handles a difficult topic with great sensitivity. But I am Germany is much more than Anna’s story with Witt reminding us that whenever loyalty to an ideal becomes more important than simple morality then evil thrives like a virus.
A commanding and affecting read with an undeniable emotional impact I Am Germany proves a powerful debut for Witt and is unreservedly recommended.