Bob Moyer says this accomplished new novel by Bernhard Schlink tells us a lot about modern-day Germany and the new-Nazi movement.

Reviewed by Robert P. Moyer

THE GRANDDAUGHTER. By Bernhard Schlink. HarperVia. 336 pages. $28.99

Bernhard Schlink gave us one of the most accomplished novels of the 20th century, capturing the zeitgeist of post-war Germany. The trauma of what one generation visited upon the next generation was portrayed in the relationship between the tram conductor and The Reader. The many equations of responsibility and survival, personal commitment and social mores play out in the narrative, one that blends the concrete individual dilemma with the larger implications.

In his latest novel, he brings the same ability to capture a sweeping ontological landscape with an intricate pattern of relationships. He has taken on the most recent earthquake in German history: reunification.

When Kaspar Wettner’s wife dies, he discovers her diary, in which she records the birth of a child before they were married. She left the child on a doorstep in East Berlin; finding her will be difficult, but he is compelled. When he does find her, she is living in a neo-Nazi enclave, and has a child, The Granddaughter of his wife. At first, the girl’s father will not let him have access to her, but with the promise of an inheritance, he allows the girl to visit.

During those visits, they explore the Berlin arts scene, and Kaspar tries to sway her away from her neo-Nazi beliefs by plying her with books and articles. Although he doesn’t succeed, the two develop a touching relationship that accepts those differences, thus keeping them at the forefront of the narrative. The drama is heightened by the prospect that the girl’s father may deny access at any time. The compromises entailed in the maintenance of their relationship highlights their love, as well as the entrenchment of the neo-Nazi movement. Once again, Schlink offers an unflinching look at modern-day Germany, and those who live there.