In 'And After the Fire', Lauren Belfer intricately weaves a tale of art, history, and dark family secrets. Set against the backdrop of a mysterious manuscript and an unsolved murder, the protagonist is thrust into a world where the past collides with the present. As she delves deeper, she uncovers shocking revelations that challenge her understanding of truth and betrayal. This gripping narrative explores the power of art to heal and the scars that linger long after the flames have faded. Will she emerge unscathed, or will the shadows of her family's legacy consume her?
By Lauren Belfer
Published: 2017
""In the silence that follows the flames, we find echoes of our past and whispers of our future.""
National Jewish Book Award Winner! 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.
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“"In the silence that follows the flames, we find echoes of our past and whispers of our future."”
And After the Fire
By Lauren Belfer
Discover a world of knowledge through our extensive collection of book summaries.
Lauren Belfer is an acclaimed American author known for her richly woven narratives that often explore themes of history, identity, and the impact of the past on the present. Her notable works include the bestselling novels 'City of Light', which delves into the moral complexities surrounding the development of energy in early 20th century Buffalo, and 'A Fierce Radiance', a historical novel that examines the role of women during World War II and the race for penicillin. Belfer's writing style is characterized by meticulous research, vivid characterizations, and an engaging prose that brings historical events to life. She is also a recipient of several prestigious awards and has been praised for her ability to connect deeply with her readers through her compelling storytelling.
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