New Glory

The first work by East German writer De Bruyn translated into English, this subtle moral fable follows the rebellious stand of a privileged young man, the son of a government “big shot.” Viktor Kösling, unlike his famous father J.K., is not ambitious or commanding, and has been sent for the winter to a country retreat to finish his dissertation. Once there, Viktor's assiduous study plans dissolve under the spell of the house's orbiting personalities: closet drinker Olga and her shady partner, Max, who run the place; the lonely, romantic widow, Frau Erika, who sends Viktor love letters addressed to “Prince Hamlet”; the hirsute, jealous gardener, Sebastian; and elderly Tita, a dotty woman constantly causing trouble for her harried granddaughter Thilde, the house chambermaid. Smitten with Thilde's endearing imperfections, Viktor is unsure over his taboo love and finds further trouble when his parents catch wind of it. Set in 1984, on the eve of East Germany's cataclysmic political implosion, de Bruyn's novel cleverly explores a proud but decrepit society secretly desperate for change. (Nov.)