This Terrible Beauty: A Novel
Set on the East German island of Rügen, due north of Berlin by 180 miles, is a story of love and betrayal, courage and cowardice. In the aftermath of WWII, when Russia invaded the island and established total control, the narrator of the events is Bettina Heilstrom, a young German woman who has married out of loneliness rather than love.
Life on the island is repressive, and when Bettina’s husband, Werner, is tapped to become an official within the political hierarchy, Bettina hopes her life might change. She is bored, still lonely, and unfulfilled, and her only solace is her old camera, which she lugs everywhere. It is the nuances of the landscape that captivate her. One day while photographing on the beach, she meets Peter Brenner, a writer living a solitary existence with his father in a nearby village.
Even though she is aware of the danger, the two continue to meet and fall in love. When Bettina finds herself pregnant, she vows to break off the relationship, but she can’t. Peter is the pure love of her life. After her daughter is born, Werner, with all his political connections, finds out about the illicit affair and goes into a rage wondering if the baby is his.
It’s almost too easy to predict that Werner exacts his revenge, and Bettina faces the ultimatum of going to prison or leaving Germany. Either way, she must forfeit her love and her child. The decision is heart-wrenching. The novel is well-paced with a strong plot, but what stands out is the ending. Highly recommended.
