Dancing at the End of the World
Berlin, Germany, 1933. With a family legacy tied to German royalty, young Klara von Arnsberg wants nothing more than to emulate her aristocratic father, a formidable and influential Berlin industrialist. From her early childhood during the Weimar Republic, she is taught that life is a game, and throughout her life, Klara will do whatever is necessary to win. While in her teens, as Nazism spreads, she meets Max, a Jewish boy who befriends her. When an unexpected, heartbreaking incident occurs, the course of their relationship changes forever. From Hitler’s rise to the fast-paced, entrepreneurial age of technology, their lives are, individually and collectively, intrinsically tied to Berlin’s ongoing dramatic transformation.
Michelle Sacks masterfully weaves eleven gripping short stories into a haunting, thought-provoking tapestry of evocative prose. Spanning a century of historic events, protagonist Klara von Arnsberg’s life parallels the tumultuous changes in Berlin. In each tale, the fascinating cast of diverse characters and distinct lifestyles is vividly portrayed through nuanced plot and dialogue, and all are linked in some mysterious way to Klara.
Through the clever construction of these unique stories, the reader gains rare insight into the incredible political, social, cultural, geographical, and ideological dimensions of both Klara’s and Berlin’s 20th- and 21st-century evolution. A beautiful and tragic novel that explores the dark and light sides of human nature and the lengths people will go to survive. An immersive, passionate book not to be missed.
