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A review by scribepub
Elly by Maike Wetzel
Elly is a book about the dark side of longing.
Hubert Spiegel, speech at the Robert Gernhardt Prize
In few yet incredibly precise words, Maike Wetzel creates an oppressive tension around a family falling apart. A book that will not let you go.
Brigitte Woman
Reminiscent of Ian McEwan’s A Child in Time, Elly will have wide appeal ... Maike Wetzel’s fresh, original take on the popular literary theme of missing children is delivered in her clear, understated prose with its unflinching eye for detail.
New Books in German
Wetzel tells the story of the loss of a child as a family drama from various perspectives, in permanent present tense.
Christoph Schröder, Süddeutsche Zeitung
An elaborate mosaic about the unrelenting belief in a happy ending.
Brigitte
A highly focused and accurate novel about that which is not supposed to happen.
Judith Von Sternburg, Frankfurter Rundschau Online
Breathtaking. An intense, abysmal study of the trauma of abandonment and uncertainty.
Hansruedi Kugler, Luzerner Zeitung
Wetzel’s powerful narrative style reminds of Judith Hermann, who does not waste a word, but uses unusual imagery to create atmospheres that express the unconscious, the inexpressible, the outrageous.
Volksdorfer Zeitung
Maike Wetzel mercilessly writes about overwhelming pain and its destructive power.
Hans Von Trotha, Deutschlandfunk Kultur
Psychologically refined, linguistically brilliant.
Sylvia Schwab, Hessischer Rundfunk
Wetzel’s literature gets right to the core of human existence ... How she conveys primal fears and their consequences is captivating and unsettling. Her laconic, unruffled style is in contrast to the inner life of her protagonists ... This book fits only too well in a time when assumed certainties and principles are shattered.
Michael AU, Südwestrundfunk
The perfect book for those moments when you forget the world around you.
Lydia Herms, Deutschlandfunk Nova
So haunting and touching, so captivating and intense that you cannot resist it.
Andrea Heussinger, Norddeutscher Rundfunk
An enigmatic study, a polyphonic monologue.
Cornelia Zetsche, Bayerischer Rundfunk
A fascinating narrative revolving around the question whose story is being told — and to whom stories actually belong.
Bettina Hesse
Revolving around the disappearance of an 11-year-old girl, this slender German novel builds into a brutal, uncomfortable story, told from the alternating perspectives of family members.
Marta Bausells, The Guardian, ‘Ten of the best new books in translation’
At just 150 pages long, Elly shares the best qualities of Maike’s short stories – a rumbling sense of unease or menace, an unemotional focus on emotionally-charged family dynamics, and above all Maike’s careful, pared-down prose style … Elly will leave you breathless.
Lyn Marven, translator
This short, haunting novel that can be read in one sitting is a devastating study of grief and loss.
Daily Mail
A breathless yet mournful rollout of the tides of grief and loss.
Andrea Thompson, Aust Crime Fiction
A gripping read that ends on a thought-provoking and unsettling note … Recommended reading and an ideal one for book clubs.
Theresa Smith Writes
It kept me reading, the back and forth of the narratives coupled with the lyrical penmanship was quite breath-taking … Elly is a compelling literary thriller that’s snappy and dynamic, which is fantastically translated and absolutely recommended for readers who enjoyed Lullaby, The Lovely Bones and The Girl in the Red Coat.
The Reading Closet
This poignant tale has the gripping pace of a thriller … This is a rare and evocative study of heartbreak and grief in myriad forms, and Wetzel’s skill as a short-story writer is clearly evident in this brief, taut, honed and urgent novel. A haunting and unforgettable read.
Paul Burke, European Literature Network
This is a very impressive novel, subtly layering great depth of feeling and meaning in very few words and those simply presented … [H]aunting and evocative, leaving the brain mulling over thoughts and questions even when the book is back on the shelf. It should be brilliant for book clubs that explore people, families and emotions.
Hilary White, NB
[Maike Wetzel] is a very cinematic writer.
Kate Evans, ABC Radio National The Bookshelf
Short and sharp.
Pile by the Bed
Hubert Spiegel, speech at the Robert Gernhardt Prize
In few yet incredibly precise words, Maike Wetzel creates an oppressive tension around a family falling apart. A book that will not let you go.
Brigitte Woman
Reminiscent of Ian McEwan’s A Child in Time, Elly will have wide appeal ... Maike Wetzel’s fresh, original take on the popular literary theme of missing children is delivered in her clear, understated prose with its unflinching eye for detail.
New Books in German
Wetzel tells the story of the loss of a child as a family drama from various perspectives, in permanent present tense.
Christoph Schröder, Süddeutsche Zeitung
An elaborate mosaic about the unrelenting belief in a happy ending.
Brigitte
A highly focused and accurate novel about that which is not supposed to happen.
Judith Von Sternburg, Frankfurter Rundschau Online
Breathtaking. An intense, abysmal study of the trauma of abandonment and uncertainty.
Hansruedi Kugler, Luzerner Zeitung
Wetzel’s powerful narrative style reminds of Judith Hermann, who does not waste a word, but uses unusual imagery to create atmospheres that express the unconscious, the inexpressible, the outrageous.
Volksdorfer Zeitung
Maike Wetzel mercilessly writes about overwhelming pain and its destructive power.
Hans Von Trotha, Deutschlandfunk Kultur
Psychologically refined, linguistically brilliant.
Sylvia Schwab, Hessischer Rundfunk
Wetzel’s literature gets right to the core of human existence ... How she conveys primal fears and their consequences is captivating and unsettling. Her laconic, unruffled style is in contrast to the inner life of her protagonists ... This book fits only too well in a time when assumed certainties and principles are shattered.
Michael AU, Südwestrundfunk
The perfect book for those moments when you forget the world around you.
Lydia Herms, Deutschlandfunk Nova
So haunting and touching, so captivating and intense that you cannot resist it.
Andrea Heussinger, Norddeutscher Rundfunk
An enigmatic study, a polyphonic monologue.
Cornelia Zetsche, Bayerischer Rundfunk
A fascinating narrative revolving around the question whose story is being told — and to whom stories actually belong.
Bettina Hesse
Revolving around the disappearance of an 11-year-old girl, this slender German novel builds into a brutal, uncomfortable story, told from the alternating perspectives of family members.
Marta Bausells, The Guardian, ‘Ten of the best new books in translation’
At just 150 pages long, Elly shares the best qualities of Maike’s short stories – a rumbling sense of unease or menace, an unemotional focus on emotionally-charged family dynamics, and above all Maike’s careful, pared-down prose style … Elly will leave you breathless.
Lyn Marven, translator
This short, haunting novel that can be read in one sitting is a devastating study of grief and loss.
Daily Mail
A breathless yet mournful rollout of the tides of grief and loss.
Andrea Thompson, Aust Crime Fiction
A gripping read that ends on a thought-provoking and unsettling note … Recommended reading and an ideal one for book clubs.
Theresa Smith Writes
It kept me reading, the back and forth of the narratives coupled with the lyrical penmanship was quite breath-taking … Elly is a compelling literary thriller that’s snappy and dynamic, which is fantastically translated and absolutely recommended for readers who enjoyed Lullaby, The Lovely Bones and The Girl in the Red Coat.
The Reading Closet
This poignant tale has the gripping pace of a thriller … This is a rare and evocative study of heartbreak and grief in myriad forms, and Wetzel’s skill as a short-story writer is clearly evident in this brief, taut, honed and urgent novel. A haunting and unforgettable read.
Paul Burke, European Literature Network
This is a very impressive novel, subtly layering great depth of feeling and meaning in very few words and those simply presented … [H]aunting and evocative, leaving the brain mulling over thoughts and questions even when the book is back on the shelf. It should be brilliant for book clubs that explore people, families and emotions.
Hilary White, NB
[Maike Wetzel] is a very cinematic writer.
Kate Evans, ABC Radio National The Bookshelf
Short and sharp.
Pile by the Bed