The Empire of the Senses
The years leading up to World War II provide the setting for this powerful, engrossing debut novel exploring themes of duty and love, identity and authenticity, honor and shame and the secrets we keep, as it portrays a Jewish-Christian family in Berlin struggling to come to terms with the increasing racial tensions gripping their country.
When World War I begins, Jewish businessman Lev Pearlmutter is one of the first to volunteer, hoping to prove his German allegiance to his Christian wife, Josephine, and her aristocratic family. Stationed in Russia, he falls in love with a Jewish peasant, Leah. Their union cannot withstand the war, however, and Lev is forced to return home to his loveless marriage. Back in Berlin, he finds that his son, Franz, has developed a zeal for all things military, which he finds disturbing but which delights Josephine, whose disappointment in her husband—not even wounded!—is evident. As the children grow up, Franz develops an attraction to a dangerous young man who lures him into the Nazi “Brown Shirt” movement—but he’s not the only one in the family with secrets. Even Lev’s daughter, Vicki, with whom he enjoys a genuine connection, grows distant as she enters a clandestine relationship that will take her away to Palestine, but also revives Lev’s hopes of reunion with his beloved Leah.
It’s a wonderfully complex plot, and Landau’s stellar storytelling skills make The Empire of the Senses a joy to read. The author has developed each of her characters so richly and deeply that they seem to spring to life, and I couldn’t wait to visit them again. Riveting and flawlessly written, this book is now one of my favorites. Highly recommended.
