When my Auntie recommended ‘Two Brothers’ to me, I was shocked. I found the concept that Ben Elton, comedic writer of classic shows such as Blackadder, had written a book on the Holocaust quite surprising. However I was hooked from the prologue. The story focuses on the Stengel family (Freida, Wolfgang and their twin boys Paulus and Otto), changing between an account of their lives as the Nazis rise to power in Germany, and the post-war reflections of one of the twins, now going by the name Stone. The fact that you don’t know which twin this is just adds to the thrill and addiction of the book.
Without giving too much away, one of the main reasons I found this book to be such a good read was the style of Elton’s writing. Although it’s a story focusing on one of the most horrifying time periods in recent history, the depiction of the characters is real, relatable and modern. In covering an array of common life issues from love triangles and adultery to teenage rebellion and the rapid shift from childhood to adulthood, Elton succeeds in creating a very strong link between the reader and his characters which has a significant impact. Any read on the Holocaust is emotionally tough, but when you’re looking at it through the eyes of people facing the same life challenges you have, it really brings it home and the reality of what happened sinks in.
I found myself particularly attached to the characters of Freida and Silke, a friend of the boy’s since childhood. Despite the rapid changes in society happening alongside significant issues in their personal lives (again, I want to give as little away as possible), these characters remain strong and supportive even if those around them don’t appreciate it, which adds to the overall tragedy of the story. The issues they face throughout the book don’t always correlate with the historical events of the time, and this vastly increases the personal feel that runs throughout the book.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone. Elton has succeeded in making an addictive and personal read out of a very difficult topic, and amazingly manages to create a relatable fictional storyline without reducing the awareness that the setting is real, and that this is tragic event that happened to people not so different to the rest of us.