The storyline has an emotional pull through the principal characters: Jutta and her twin sister Karin; they struggle through adversity, joy, individual and emotive experiences, all prominent in pathos, rich in literary language, beautiful descriptive techniques, which help visualise settings, thus promoting mood. Mandy Robotham has successfully depicted each characters’ personal tragedy and, the living tragedy in East Berlin, factual and fictional techniques abound. A superb read with an abundance beautiful writing and lots of cliff- hangers before turning the page.

Set in Berlin in the 1960s, this well-written and compelling novel is about twin sisters separated by the Berlin Wall.
Historical Fiction fans will enjoy this look at both East and West Berlin in the 60s.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley. My review is voluntary.

Having twins who rarely spend time apart, this book tugged at my heartstrings. I cannot imagine the two of them being separated such as Jutta and Karin were when the Berlin wall was constructed. To pull at the heartstrings even further, Karin must choose between love and her sister.

The writing is beautiful in this novel. Mandy Robotham does a wonderful job bringing to life the real dilemmas faced by those in Berlin during this time. I recommend this book for anyone who is a fan of historical fiction.

After a quick review, I believe our library visitors are likely to be moved by the story. Historical fiction is hard to do well, and there isn't as much out there surrounding the Berlin Wall. Thank you for the ARC!

DNF at 30%

I hate giving up on ARCs but I am struggling. Every time I try to read, I fall asleep, and I can't connect to the characters. The narrative seems separate from their struggles and isn't immersive enough, making the entire premise feel flimsy.

I enjoyed this book, it just wasn’t a massive page turner for me and took longer than expected to get through which is why I gave it 3 stars. I also didn’t connect massively with any of the characters which meant the elements of risk and danger didn’t have the intended heart racing suspense effect on me.

In the book we follow twin sisters Jutta and Karin as the overnight erecting of the Berlin Wall not only divides a city but also thousands of lives. I enjoyed learning about this period of modern history, how the wall went up over night, the contrast between East & West and whilst this is a work of fiction I’m sure there are many many stories of lives completely turned upside down with no warning!

I could definitely see this book working well as a TV series, it was written in such a way that I could picture the characters and buildings easily and the different parts of the book would work well as episodes.

Another great story from Mandy. What happens when twin sisters are kept apart by the building of the Berlin Wall? One of them find a way through it! But it is not as simple as picking one side of the wall when your heart is also divided. Well told, you get the tension as soon as the wall is crossed, the relief on the west side, but then other people become involved. Totally engrossing from start to end

I cannot fault Mandy Robotham when it comes to her ability to write historical fiction that completely reels me in everytime. The Girl Behind the Wall lives up to her very high standards of fact and fiction coming together to let us see the human aspect behind these events from the past.

Twins Jutta and Karin do everything together but when Karin ends up in hospital in East Germany when the German is erected, they are suddenly torn apart with no hope of reuniting. Jutta tries her hardest to get her sister away from the strict Eastern regime and cannot believe her luck when she finally makes it through the wall. But will reuniting be as easy as she imagined?

When reading this latest offering I felt that I could feel Jutta's pain especially when the long awaited reuniting does exactly go to plan. At times my heart was in my throat as the confines of Eastern German restrictions came down heavy on some of the characters.

I'm used to many of these books being based around WW2 and at first I wasn't sure I'd be as invested in the story but I found myself completely drawn in. I would completely recommend. Roll on the next one!

Another great bestselling ww2 fiction. When Berlin wall goes up, Karin is on the wrong side of the city. Overnight her life changes and she is trapped under Soviet rule and is separated from her twin sister. Two sisters torn apart leading separate but parallel lives for years cut off by the wall. You will want to continue to read to find out how the story unfolds. Does Karin go to find her sister or sacrifice all?

This is a emotional, emotive & gripping story. Based on true events, it’s got a hauntingly realistic edge to it & a tear inducing ending.
Really enjoyable.

Thank you Net Galley, Mandy Robotham, and Avon Publishing for allowing me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book for my honest review.

One of my favorite genres is historical fiction set during the 20th century, especially events around or during the time of All in all, The Girl Behind The Wall definitely failed to hit the mark for me, which is such a shame as I was really looking forward to finally read a book set during Cold War Berlin. I seem to be in the minority though, so who knows, this story might just work better for you.WWII. I was instantly drawn to this book because I've read the author before, and because I have never read a historical fiction with the setting during the Cold War and the rise of the Berlin Wall. Because of my excitement over being allowed the privilege to read this book, I was sadly disappointed when I didn't finish it due to the lack of storytelling. The story was very slow, it wasn't keeping my attention, and it bounced between the two sisters way too often for me to be truly invested in what was going on in each other's life. I think that staying with each sister for more than a couple of pages would have benefited this story greatly, because as it is you hardly get the time to start feeling invested in either point of view. The characters themselves felt rather flat and cliche and I was never able to warm up to them. I think part of the reason was also the constant repetition of their situation and surprisingly shallow feelings and thoughts. It felt as though the story was simply going in circles at times, repeating what was already said and done before over and over again.

I also struggled considerably with the pace, which was slow and didn't help at all.

All in all, The Girl Behind The Wall definitely failed to hit the mark for me, which is such a shame as I was really looking forward to finally read a book set during Cold War Berlin. I seem to be in the minority though, so who knows, this story might just work better for you.

I have to say that the premise of The Girl Behind The Wall caught my attention immediately, ie, twin sisters separated (by fluke) by the Wall which went up in a day, and on that day, one sister is recovering from an emergency appendectomy on the East side. However, the idea that the sister on the West side found a hidden hole in the Wall, which allowed her to slip through, that idea did not sit comfortably in my mind (NOT REALISTIC), Other then that tiny blip, the book was interesting. I think of all Mandy Robatham's books, The German Midwife was my favourite.

This is my first book by author Mandy Robotham and it was definitely intriguing. Karin and Jutta are twin sisters. They never dreamed they would be separated, but a medical emergency forces Karin to go to a hospital in East Germany. Overnight a wall goes up and no one is permitted to cross. Jutta is desperate to find a way to bring her sister home and Karin wants to get home to the West, but there are many obstacles including some unexpected life altering ones. Jutta can only watch in horror in West Berlin as she sees the irrevocable proof of being separated from Karin who has been trapped in East Berlin. The storytelling is taut and suspenseful. We are kept on tenterhooks throughout the book. However, the author doesn't sacrifice character development in lieu of storytelling. All her characters are well-etched and rounded, They are easily relatable. I do wish there was further development of the supporting characters to add to the story. I loved the characters in the story. I liked the character of Jutta and the characters of Walter and Otto. The nosy neighbor of Karin's was comical. The story is very well written and a refreshing change from the WWII books in that it is focusing on the Cold War. The book is enjoyable and it provides a reflection of the Cold War, when one war finish but another war started. I find it intriguing because growing up did not hear much about it but yet when the wall came down I remember it clearly. Definitely would recommend this book.

Thanks to Mandy Robotham, Avon Books U.K. And NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy for a review.

Having read novels by Mandy Robotham before I eagerly requested her latest book, The Girl Behind the Wall, via NetGalley and I wasn’t disappointed. Whilst I cannot comment on the historical accuracy (due to a lack of knowledge myself!), it always appears that Mandy has done extensive research before writing her fiction.
The Girl Behind the Wall is the story of twin sisters Jutta and Karin who become separated by the sudden presence of the Berlin Wall overnight after Karin becomes stuck in East Berlin after unfortunately being taken ill. Prior to this we learn of the close knit family environment and life they shared with the girls lives entwined with an invisible thread, as descriptively mentioned numerous times throughout our timeline. Understandably Jutta is distraught at the separation with her sister and I found her desperation to gain contact and ultimately bring Karin back to West Berlin, emotive and raw. My heart ached with the knowledge that so many Berlin families would have suffered similar circumstances and such pain.
The story follows Karin and Jutta in parallel allowing the reader to experience the anguish that each twin endures on each side of the wall. Despite Karin being physically stuck on the west side and experiencing the oppression of the Soviet Rule, I actually felt it was Jutta who was impacted the most. Whilst Karin seemingly adapted and made the very best of a terrible situation by making a new life for herself with Otto and her friendship with Walter, I felt Jutta’s life became dictated in a revolve of ‘wall ghosting’ in attempts to find and make contact with her sister. It was clear from the beginning that at some point a difficult and heart wrenching choice must be made however an ultimatum for Jutta was unexpected.
I can readily admit that my knowledge of the Berlin Wall and the Stasi Soviet rule of East Berlin is scarce however I thoroughly enjoyed the powerful and emotive story of Karin and Jutta. The Girl behind the Wall is a must-read for fans of historical fiction and other books by Mandy Robotham.

A tale of a divided city and a divided family torn apart by the over night erection of the Berlin Wall. Twins Jutta and Karin are separated by the sudden divide, as Karin happens to be in East Berlin and falls sick and becomes trapped in the wrong world.
I love historical fiction, especially connected to German history and the level of research it to the book combined with the fantastic characters making this a wonderful read. An excellent depiction of the lengths and risks you will go to for your family & the disruption of history.

On 13 August 196, in the middle of the night, nearly 60 years ago Operation Rose got underway. At the end of the day people were divided; literally. Families were split apart and another very dark time started for the Germans people.

This is the story of Jutta and her twin sister Karen. Twin sisters that are suddenly divided by a wall. Jutta in West Berlin and Karen in a hospital in East Berlin after an emergency appendix operation and fighting an infection.
Jutta's only goal is to get Karen out and when she finally finds a way into East Berlin after 2 years, she is relieved that she would succeed but will she? Because life happened for Karen. Life and love.

What a fascinating read! Very well researched and written. I felt the anxiety the characters experienced and felt quite emotional at times. What a horrible thing to experience. I cannot imagine what I would have done under such circumstances

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

A really moving story about twin sisters torn apart when the Berlin wall goes up trapping one on the East side while the rest of her family is in the West. Karin and Jutta are close but when Karin gets stuck alone in Soviet controlled Berlin she finds love and comfort with Otto. Devastated that her sister is trapped in the East, Jutta risks everything to sneak under the wall through a hidden passage. Though she tries to get her sister to come back with her Karin is forced to chose between the man she loves and the family she's always known. Told from both sister's perspectives, I really enjoyed how well the author showed what life was like on each side of the wall and that not everyone wanted to escape. A great historical fiction book about a period I didn't know a lot about. Highly recommended and great on audio with a different narrator for each sister's first person perspective and a bonus author's note and interview included at the end.

Once again Mandy Robtham has written a beautiful, haunting novel that is emotive, evocative and immediately captures your attention.

Putting strong heroines at the heart of her books once again, Mandy has time and time again proved herself to be a fantastic historical fiction author. I highly recommend her work, especially for anyone who loves Gill Paul, Lucinda Riley or Dinah Jefferies. Mandy is an author to add to your must-read list.

Five stars!

I enjoyed this ebook, particularly its plot which is based around the historical past events during that led to the divid within a country by its leaders. The story is told from the perspective of the people who loved during this time and their experiences to waking up one morning to find a wall dividing their city. In the case of the main characters, it involves two sisters who become split apart due to one of them receiving hospital treatment in one area and the other being home in the opposite area.

I think the author has done a fab job with their research for this story as I found I was able to really get a feel for the characters and it was almost like I was able to picture myself as though I was there, feeling their emotions, torment and confusion, this new obstacle in their lives has created during such an awful time.

This is definitely a read for those who enjoy historical fiction. I don’t usually go for historical fiction myself but I do have a interest in world war 2 and events surrounding it, so in this case, I couldn’t resist and I wasn’t disappointed!

I received an advanced copy of this ebook to read and review. Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for allowing me this opportunity

This is the first book I've read by Mandy Robotham and I know it will not be the last. The Girl Behind the wall is such a page turner and pulled me into the story from the first couple of pages. The storyline is one that I like. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who want to read a book in the WWII time period and a page turner.

I received this complimentary copy from the publisher and author for a honest review. All thoughts and opinions are mine and mine alone.