A thought-provoking, bittersweet novel about family secrets, the title Restitution refers to reclaiming property in East Germany. The story is mainly set in the 1990s but also covers the decades from the 50s, until contemporary times. Narrated by Kate, who lives in the US and is proud of her German roots, the story tells of her conflict with her brother Martin. After a series of bereavements, they revisit their grandparents’ old house in East Germany and while Kate feels uneasy about disturbing the people who live there, Martin wants to pursue a claim. The story explores how and why their grandparents left, and the impact on her mother.

The simple yet elegant writing style really drew me into the book. The words have been chosen with care, but they feel natural. Although the content was sad and sometimes dark, there was catharsis. I felt that the narrative was too close to a history lecture at times, but at least it was informative and I learned more about East German politics. Multiple voices or flashbacks would have improved the reading experience for me, instead of everything being told to Kate.

I’d recommend this book. It’s not my usual kind of read but I particularly liked the writing style and would read more from this author.

Thank you to the publisher Regal House for the advance copy via NetGalley. The publication date is 30th September.