Olga

From the author of the international bestseller The Reader , Olga is a sweeping novel by Bernhard Schlink about a woman out of step with her time who witnesses the most turbulent events of the 20th century and, despite living in a world ruled by men, forges her own path.

After the loss of her parents, young Olga is raised by her grandmother in a Prussian village at the turn of the 20th century. Intelligent and precocious, captivating but uncompromising, she struggles against the machismo ingrained in society at the time to find her place in a world ruled by men.

When she falls in love with her neighbor, Herbert, the son of a local aristocrat, Olga's life changes irrevocably. As their love grows, their differing ambitions and realities become clear. But even when tragedy strikes, there is something that makes their love endure.

Unfolding over decades, spanning two world wars, the rise of Nazism in Germany, and the backdrop of several continents, we follow in Olga the life of a passionate, complex, and fascinating woman who faces the pains of love, war, and life without flinching. This magnificent historical novel by Bernhard Schlink is a rich portrait of a singular woman and her world.

"Two world wars and the passage of more than a century do not obscure the story of two lovers who never fully belonged to each other, just as they never fully belonged to the world." — Booklist

“Readers who love in-depth character studies will want this book.” — Publishers Weekly

"One of Bernhard Schlink's secrets is his ability to weave stories from generational rifts that have endured a lifetime. Olga is a prime example of this." — Le Monde

"A brilliantly constructed story of a romance between people from different social classes... Olga's story leads us to a modern appreciation of the Germany of the past." — Mail on Sunday

“A poignant portrait of a woman out of her time.” — The Guardian

"From the author of The Reader comes a brilliant new novel about history and the nature of memory." — Evening Standard (London)