The Other Me by Saskia Sarginson Shame over Suspected Nazi Father and Family Skeletons

An emotionally charged novel, we learn of Klaudia’s shame over her German father, Otto, causes her to shirk from him as a child and to change her identity as an adult. This because she suspects he had committed atrocities during the Holocaust.

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And so the story is told from three (or rather two) viewpoints: Klaudia, her new identity, Eliza and Otto’s brother, Ernst.

Shame over Nazi Heritage

Klaudia is brought up in 80’s Wales in a small community where news travels fast and secrets are hard to keep. The result? Bullying at school, involving the Third Reich. This sets the catalyst for Klaudia’s new identity in the form of Eliza later in life. But her decision has consequences when she falls for Cosmo, who she hides the truth from. Poor Cosmo has the patience of a saint with Klaudia, who gives him confused messages, which gets a little irritating after a while. Her shame is tinged with self-centredness.

We also live through the eyes of Ernst, Otto’s brother during 1930s Germany. He is the more humane of the two brothers, yet it is he who ends up killing to survive. Ottos’ fate is not what one might expect.

Novel of Family Secrets

There are some frustrating moments in the novel when things are about to happen but tiresome obstructions get in the way. For instance, when Klaudia is about to learn the truth about her mother’s death, and when Cosmo is about to learn the truth about Klaudia’s true identity.

The ending was overlong, with undue solemnity. I found myself skimming paragraphs in the final chapters. Despite family members sharing years under the same roof, no one asks crucial questions. OK, so fear is an obstacle, but the result doesn’t make joyful reading. I just wished someone would break the spell and move things along.

This is a novel with sensitive portrayal of the protagonists and some good twists, but at times, the story was simply too drawn out and I got irritated with Klaudia. Well written, though and above par.

Only Ever Yours by Louise O’Neill: Nightmare School for Bitching and Dysmorphia

The story is set in a horrific girl’s finishing school, where protagonist, freida is born to be brainwashed into being the ‘perfect’ eve. In other words, to be as close to a showroom dummy as possible: impassive, slim and obedient. Not even their names deserve to be capitalized.

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Novel about and Anorexia and Dysmorphia

This novel is making an important point about society’s pressures on women to be perfect in looks and behaviour. And so we are showered with descriptions of what the eves are wearing, their bitching and competitiveness as they dine at the low-carb table. At times, these descriptions repeat somewhat and I found myself gleaning, getting the point.

But soon, the eves are to graduate via a ‘ceremony’ where ‘inheritants’, (young boys) will pick the best of the eves to become their companions. The leftovers will be scrapped to become concubines or chastities or worse, cast to the Underground.

Freida is not too bright, allowing herself to become a victim of the system and making dumb choices throughout the novel. Her nasty guardian, chastity-ruth constantly makes freida’s life a misery. The only eve to act against the grain, is freida’s best friend, isobel. She puts on weight and rebels against the system. But there is more to isobel than meets the eye, which is revealed at the end.

Society’s Pressures on Women

Echoing of 1984 and the Stepford Wives, this is a chilling account of mass brainwashing where covert bullying is rife between the eves. Nasty megan is textbook, as well as her henchgirls, the robotic twins who are as nasty as they come.

Freida has her chance in Darwin, an inheritant who appears to want to choose her as his companion. But dumb freida does it again, when she betrays Darwin to megan who is as treacherous as a bag of snakes. Why? The mind boggles!

This novel makes an important point for every teenage girl who feels worthless, but freida’s wantonly victim behaviour is frustrating to live through, and the ending left me feeling bereft. There was no hope on the horizon or of change. Only total despair. Even 1984 had more hope to offer.

I couldn’t feel sorry for freida, because I prefer to live a story through the eyes of someone with a little more clout or intelligence, or something to yield the smallest surprise.

A novel with something to say but hardly uplifting.