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And After the Fire
And After the Fire | Lauren Belfer
18 posts | 11 read | 25 to read
The New York Times-bestselling author of A Fierce Radiance and City of Light returns with a new powerful and passionate novel inspired by historical events about two women, one European and one American, and the mysterious choral masterpiece by Johann Sebastian Bach that changes both their lives.In the ruins of Germany in 1945, at the end of World War II, American soldier Henry Sachs takes a souvenir, an old music manuscript, from a seemingly deserted mansion and mistakenly kills the girl who tries to stop him.In America in 2010, Henry s niece, Susanna Kessler, struggles to rebuild her life after she experiences a devastating act of violence on the streets of New York City. When Henry dies soon after, she uncovers the long-hidden music manuscript. She becomes determined to discover what it is and to return it to its rightful owner, a journey that will challenge her preconceptions about herself and her family s history and also offer her an opportunity to finally make peace with the past.In Berlin, Germany, in 1783, amid the city s glittering salons where aristocrats and commoners, Christians and Jews, mingle freely despite simmering anti-Semitism, Sara Itzig Levy, a renowned musician, conceals the manuscript of an anti-Jewish cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach, an unsettling gift to her from Bach s son, her teacher. This work and its disturbing message will haunt Sara and her family for generations to come.Interweaving the stories of Susanna and Sara, and their families, And After the Fire traverses over two hundred years of history, from the eighteenth century through the Holocaust and into today, seamlessly melding past and present, real and imagined. Lauren Belfer s deeply researched, evocative, and compelling narrative resonates with emotion and immediacy."
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review
canbku
And After the Fire | Lauren Belfer
Mehso-so

This was just ok considering how much I wanted it to be more. I loved the historical fiction and bit of mystery - seeing major classical music figures come to life was so cool.i could have done with a lot more of that and a lot less of love interests. I didn't really connect with the main character, but she was interesting and it made sense how she was confused about how she felt and through it.

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canbku
And After the Fire | Lauren Belfer
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I hope I made the right choice. Huge stack of TBR and this one floated to the top.

LitStephanie Your kitty looks so soft! 2y
61 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Julie548
And After the Fire | Lauren Belfer
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These are my three options and I can‘t decide! Thoughts??

WriterAtHeart "The Air Between Us" really caught my eye. 5y
Melismatic All three sound great to me!! 5y
19 likes1 stack add2 comments
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heatherkaz
And After the Fire | Lauren Belfer
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Pickpick

This was an eye-opening historical fiction. At the risk of sounding naive, it was absolutely heart breaking to learn of the strong anti-semitic undercurrent in early 19th century society.
Nonetheless, the story was a beautiful merger of multiple lives along two time lines. If you love historical fiction, anything to do with WWII, music, then you may enjoy this.

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actualdisneyprincess
And After the Fire | Lauren Belfer
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Pickpick

This was beautiful. At times, as mentioned, beyond difficult, and incredibly thought-provoking. The past and present seamlessly intertwine, and in a rare display, both are thoroughly engaging, and meaningful. It‘s the kind of book that just has to be read; words won‘t do it justice. #andafterthefire #laurenbelfer

Cinfhen Great review, I‘ve been begging my bookclub to read this one!!! 6y
actualdisneyprincess @Cinfhen it got some really harsh reviews on Goodreads, but I found it to be amazing! 6y
Cinfhen I‘ll try again at our next suggestion meeting 🙏🏻 6y
14 likes1 stack add3 comments
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actualdisneyprincess
And After the Fire | Lauren Belfer
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What words are there to say? #andafterthefire #laurenbelfer

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actualdisneyprincess
And After the Fire | Lauren Belfer
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There have been so many moments in this book that have been difficult to read, and I‘m glad for it; I hope it never becomes easy to read any accounts of the Holocaust, or the years that preceded it. I can also only pray that one day, the heart of the world will heal, and society will focus on caring for each other instead of attacking each other over our perceived differences. #andafterthefire #laurenbelfer

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actualdisneyprincess
And After the Fire | Lauren Belfer
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A few extra hours for my timesheet this week! Hoping to finish this by the time I leave today; it‘s shaping up to be a nice, quiet, and quick day here! (Knock on wood.) #andafterthefire #laurenbelfer

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actualdisneyprincess
And After the Fire | Lauren Belfer
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It‘s always fun to find notes people took, or other random little glimpses into the lives of the folks who have borrowed a book before you — as long as they‘re on post-its, and not on the pages themselves! #andafterthefire #laurenbelfer

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actualdisneyprincess
And After the Fire | Lauren Belfer
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I spent a TON of time yesterday reorganizing my closet, then doing laundry, followed by some holiday visiting, so I didn‘t get to read nearly as much as I wanted to. It‘s pretty quiet today at work, though - knock on wood - so I‘m hoping to get at least five more chapters read in the next four hours. #andafterthefire #laurenbelfer

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actualdisneyprincess
And After the Fire | Lauren Belfer
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I missed you guys yesterday during The Outage! I really should have gotten more reading done in that time, but...I binge-watched the second half of the second season of “NCIS” (again) instead. Back to reading today, though! Goal: finish two books. #andafterthefire #laurenbelfer

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actualdisneyprincess
And After the Fire | Lauren Belfer
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I know I had three other books on my TBR for the day, but this one has been waiting f o r e v e r, and so I feel guilty about making it wait any longer! #andafterthefire #laurenbelfer

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MrBook
And After the Fire | Lauren Belfer
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#TBRtemptation post 6! This award-winning book begins in 1945 Germany, where American soldier Henry Sachs takes an old music manuscript from a mansion & kills the girl trying to stop him. In 2010 NYC, his niece, Susanna, comes upon it after a devastatingly violent act. She's determined to figure out what it is & how to return it. In 1783 Berlin, renowned musician! Sara Levy, conceals Bach's manuscript. Sounds amazing! #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎

Reecaspieces Love love love this time period! (edited) 7y
64 likes8 stack adds1 comment
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AnnaDesourdy
And After the Fire | Lauren Belfer
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Help. These three are up next. What should I start with?!

DebinHawaii The only one I've read is Perfect Little World. I enjoyed it and would say if you are in the mood for something fairly light, it's a good pick. 📚👍 7y
BestOfFates I really enjoyed Into the Woods but it's a bit of a downer, so only if you're feeling up for that! 7y
38 likes2 comments
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Read66
And After the Fire | Lauren Belfer
Pickpick

First book of 2017 done.
Lots of big ideas in this historical mystery - along with a glimpse into a world I knew nothing about - musicologists. Loved the back and forth between 18th and 19th century Europe and the present day investigations into a piece of musical history.

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Georgia_Hunter
And After the Fire | Lauren Belfer
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Had the chance to sit down with the incredibly talented, best-selling author Lauren Belfer yesterday in NYC. What a treat it was to talk shop with such an amazing woman. 100 pages into her latest novel And After the Fire and loving it!
...
#laurenbelfer #andafterthefire #harperbooks #historicalfiction #whatimreading

30 likes3 stack adds
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Librarylady
And After the Fire | Lauren Belfer
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And After The Fire by Lauren Belfer is keeping me company while I'm at swimming lessons with my girls. I love Belfer's books.

5 likes1 stack add
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Jansuda
And After the Fire | Lauren Belfer
Pickpick

Must read for Buffalonians.

1 like1 stack add