Sektion 20
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Review
`A great thriller with a poignant historical background . . . A terrific book'
--The Bookseller
--The Bookseller
Product Description
Alex lives in East Berlin. The cold war is raging and he and his family are forbidden to leave. But the longer he stays the more danger he is in. Alex is no longer pretending to be a model East German, and the Stasi has noticed. They are watching him. Alex is told that further education will be blocked to him. His summer job is mysteriously cancelled, and friends begin avoiding him. His parents start to realise that leaving the East may be the only option left to them, but getting across the Wall is practically impossible. And even if Alex and his family make it to the other side, will they be able to escape the reach of the Stasi? This is a tense, page-turning thriller that builds towards a terrifying showdown as powerful forces from the East and West converge. One false move will change everything for Alex and his family, for ever.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
They are watching, and waiting, to get you.,
By L. H. Healy "Books are life, beauty and truth." (Cambridgeshire, UK) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE) (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Sektion 20 (Paperback)
This is a wonderful, compelling young adult novel, portraying life in the former East Germany from the point of view of a teenage boy who is beginning to struggle to deal with all the constraints that that society imposed on the cultural and lifestyle choices of its' inhabitants. Alex and his sister Geli live in East Berlin in 1972 and are trying to grow and develop their own interests, his in music and hers in photography, but under the restrictive rules of the socialist realist dictates of the DDR rulers. Their parents Frank and Gretchen have tried to live by the rules and adhere to the desired behaviour, being loyal party members. Alex meets Sophie at school, and together they quietly share their disgruntlement at the freedom of thought and expression denied to them in their country, which those in the West enjoy as of right. The less than entirely loyal behaviour exhibited by Alex attracts the attention of the Stasi, the state security services in East Germany. He learns that he must be on his guard, as anyone, anywhere, at any time, could be watching and listening. As the whole family becomes endangered, a thrilling turn of events changes their lives forever. The novel's title, as explained on the inside cover of the novel, refers to the department within the Stasi that dealt with subversives who indulged in forbidden music, books, television and ideas. There are other stories weaved cleverly within the main one, with Geli worried about the strange changes to her athlete friend Lili's personality and appearance, and the mysterious background of Stasi man Erich Kohl.A superbly written and thoroughly researched story, bringing to life the worries, fears, and desires of the average citizien in the former DDR. The reader is transported into that world, where you cannot trust your dearest friend in case they too have been brought under the control of the Stasi and are required to spy and report on you. Where there is a wall that keeps you in, away from the opportunities and choices in the West, and where to try and leave, to attempt escape, means a treacherous disloyalty to your state which could result in your death. Agonizingly Alex and Sophie watch birds flying overhead, going to places they themselves can never freely visit. The author accurately portrays the different aspects of DDR life which meant that some citizens were happy there, in that certain things were well provided for, all were employed and so on, and makes it clear that it is not a black and white issue in comparing East and West. A brilliant novel set in a fascinating place and time, and I am looking forward to reading more by this author.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gripping Read!,
By
This review is from: Sektion 20 (Paperback)
As I read this superb book I couldn't help wondering how many of today's teenagers would realise that this story is based on fact. Would they know anything about the post war partition of Germany and the brave people who risked their lives to cross the wall and flee from Soviet occupied East Berlin? Then I decided that this story is so well constructed and so intelligently written that they would have all the information they needed, and if they still didn't realise it was based on real situations - it really didn't matter. It's still a thumping good read!In East Berlin in the early 1970s you had to conform. You had to think the right thoughts and the authorities had ways of finding out if you started to think for yourself and they also had ways of making you see that it was far more comfortable to agree with them. If you have ever read George Orwell's 1984 you would spot many similarities. Alex and his sister and his new friend Sophie love Western pop music, Western fashions and would love more personal freedom. This is where their problems begin. Escaping to West Berlin seems like a dream come true, but this escape does not actually bring them the freedom they hoped as the East German authorities are manipulating the family from the other side of the wall. It really is gripping stuff. I loved it!!
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Different to a lot of teen fiction,
By Gareth Wilson - Falcata Times Blog "Falcata T... - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE) (TOP 500 REVIEWER)
This review is from: Sektion 20 (Paperback)
If you love a story with a history and set in a world that's recognisable then this thriller by Paul Dowswell is one that is a must read. It has a decent lead character, solid prose and a situation that whilst unknown by the youths of today, was a very real one back in the 70's which is when this title is set.It's cleverly written, its gripping and with a little knowledge of the history involved (which is carefully applied in places by the author) makes this a caring, harrowing and heart in the mouth book from start to finish. Finally add to the mix sensitive handling of the subject matter by the author alongside great prose, suitable peaks and lulls in pace and overall it is a story that will lead the reader onto more thrillers in the future.
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