And After the Fire
Summary (from the publisher): The New York Times-bestselling author of A Fierce Radiance and City of Light returns with a new powerful and passionate novel—inspired by historical events—about two women, one European and one American, and the mysterious choral masterpiece by Johann Sebastian Bach that changes both their lives.
In the ruins of Germany in 1945, at the end of World War II, American soldier Henry Sachs takes a souvenir, an old music manuscript, from a seemingly deserted mansion and mistakenly kills the girl who tries to stop him.
In America in 2010, Henry’s niece, Susanna Kessler, struggles to rebuild her life after she experiences a devastating act of violence on the streets of New York City. When Henry dies soon after, she uncovers the long-hidden music manuscript. She becomes determined to discover what it is and to return it to its rightful owner, a journey that will challenge her preconceptions about herself and her family’s history—and also offer her an opportunity to finally make peace with the past.
In Berlin, Germany, in 1783, amid the city’s glittering salons where aristocrats and commoners, Christians and Jews, mingle freely despite simmering anti-Semitism, Sara Itzig Levy, a renowned musician, conceals the manuscript of an anti-Jewish cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach, an unsettling gift to her from Bach’s son, her teacher. This work and its disturbing message will haunt Sara and her family for generations to come.
Interweaving the stories of Susanna and Sara, and their families, And After the Fire traverses over two hundred years of history, from the eighteenth century through the Holocaust and into today, seamlessly melding past and present, real and imagined. Lauren Belfer’s deeply researched, evocative, and compelling narrative resonates with emotion and immediacy.
In the ruins of Germany in 1945, at the end of World War II, American soldier Henry Sachs takes a souvenir, an old music manuscript, from a seemingly deserted mansion and mistakenly kills the girl who tries to stop him.
In America in 2010, Henry’s niece, Susanna Kessler, struggles to rebuild her life after she experiences a devastating act of violence on the streets of New York City. When Henry dies soon after, she uncovers the long-hidden music manuscript. She becomes determined to discover what it is and to return it to its rightful owner, a journey that will challenge her preconceptions about herself and her family’s history—and also offer her an opportunity to finally make peace with the past.
In Berlin, Germany, in 1783, amid the city’s glittering salons where aristocrats and commoners, Christians and Jews, mingle freely despite simmering anti-Semitism, Sara Itzig Levy, a renowned musician, conceals the manuscript of an anti-Jewish cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach, an unsettling gift to her from Bach’s son, her teacher. This work and its disturbing message will haunt Sara and her family for generations to come.
Interweaving the stories of Susanna and Sara, and their families, And After the Fire traverses over two hundred years of history, from the eighteenth century through the Holocaust and into today, seamlessly melding past and present, real and imagined. Lauren Belfer’s deeply researched, evocative, and compelling narrative resonates with emotion and immediacy.
Review: I received an uncorrected proof copy of this novel from HarperCollins.
This novel spans several centuries and moves from 1776 to 1945 to 2010 and unites several individuals who are all connected by a long-hidden manuscript by J.S. Bach. In 1783 in Berlin, Germany, Sara Itzig Levy, is given the manuscript as a wedding gift by her music teacher, who happens to be Bach's son. Sara is shocked by the anti-Jewish rhetoric in the manuscript and conceals the manuscript until her death when she passes it on to a family member. The manuscript was hidden until 1945, when Henry Sachs takes it from a seemingly deserted mansion. And in 2010, Susanna Kessler, struggling to recover from a devastating attack on the streets of New York City, inherits the manuscript from her great-uncle Henry. With the help of two professors, Susanna struggles to determine what to do with both the manuscript and how to move forward with her life.
A dominant theme throughout every time period of the book is the anti-Jewish sentiment, as well as the tension between Lutheran and Jewish faith. In the late 1700s, Sara, although from a prominent Jewish family, faces aggressive anti-Semitic behavior. Indeed, her music teacher who greatly adores her, believes fully that she will go to hell for her Jewish faith. In 2010, Susanna is shocked to learn the cantata she now possesses contains "a stark and murderous contempt for Jews" (82).
This religious tension is amplified by Dan and Susanna both questioning their faith and beliefs in the wake of their individual tragedies. Dan's always strong Lutheran faith has been rocked by personal loss and Susanna finds herself questioning all of her beliefs in the wake of her attack and the subsequent breakdown of her marriage.
The author did an excellent job of weaving together the altering chapters that are set in very different time periods. I loved both Sara and Susanna's stories and the way they are subtly but undeniably linked by their Jewish heritage and the secret cantata. I also loved the author's choice of profession for Susanna, who works for a large philanthropic foundation. The descriptions of her reviewing grant reports and visiting award recipients rang true for me and was also a refreshing and realistic profession for 2010 rather than the many cliché professions the author could have chosen.
I did take issue with the building tension surrounding the Professor Fournier character who is made out to be manipulative and plotting to steal the limelight from Dan and Scott, the two professors Susanna has entrusted the knowledge of the cantata with. Although he is built up as the villain, in the end Susanna works with him to execute her plan for the manuscript. This build up of tension seemed pointless as it didn't go anywhere and made me question while Susanna would trust him in the end. Similarly, the novel builds tension between Dan and Scott, who both seem interested in Susanna. In the end, this tension is not fully explored and is left open ended.
The budding relationship between Susanna and Dan is also left very open ended in the conclusion of this novel. Although the geographical distance as well as their differing religious backgrounds did present obstacles, given the tension between the Jewish and Lutheran faiths, I wanted to see the pair work it out. This happy conclusion would have provided some resolution of the hate and violence between the two religions that pervaded their history and colored this book. However, one happy outcome is for the manuscript, which at last finds a public and permanent home.
Stars: 3.5
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