The Scrapbook

A Novel

By: Heather Clark

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell, Daniel Henning, Philippe Klaus, Mark Sanderlin

From the award-winning author of Red Comet: The Short Life and Blazing Art of Sylvia Plath, a stunning debut novel: the story of an intense first love haunted by history and family memory, inspired by the startling WWII scrapbook of Clark’s own grandfather, hidden in an attic until after his death

“An elegant, unsettling novel about the burden of history and the illusions of love.” —Sana Krasikov, author of The Patriots

The traumas of the past and the aftershocks of fascism echo and reverberate through the present in this story of a lifechanging seduction.

Harvard, 1996. Anna is about to graduate when she falls hard for Christoph, a visiting German student. Captivated by his beauty and intelligence, she follows him to Germany, where charming squares and grand facades belie the nation’s recent history and the war’s destruction. Christoph condemns his country’s actions but remains cryptic about the part his own grandfather played. Anna, meanwhile, cannot forget the photos taken by her American GI grandfather at the end of the war, preserved in a scrapbook only she has seen.

As Anna travels back and forth to Germany to deepen her relationship with the elusive Christoph, her perspective is powerfully interrupted by chapters that follow both of their grandfathers during the war. One witnesses the plight of Holocaust victims in the days after liberation and helps capture Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest, while the other fights for Nazi Germany. Their fragmented stories haunt Anna and her lover two generations later—and may still tear them apart.

Not a “World War Two novel” in the traditional sense, The Scrapbook delivers a consuming tale of first love, laced with a backstory of dark family legacies and historical conscience.


* This audiobook edition includes a downloadable PDF containing a map illustrating THE FIGHTING RECORD OF THE BLACKHAWKS IN WORLD WAR II, from the book.

What Remains

My dad was a WW2 vet so I'm always looking for good stories that have ties to that era. Inspired by her grandfather's scrapbook, the author wove dual stories -- decades apart -- about the impact of WW2 on different generations. Well written, the book was nicely paced and held my interest. Some won't like the ending but I thought it was perfect.

Superficial

While the book hints at deeper themes related to the Holocaust, the connection between that historical tragedy and the central couple remained unclear and underdeveloped. Much of the narrative felt like a travelogue through Germany, with scenic descriptions that often took precedence over the emotional core of the story. The romantic relationship was unconvincing, further weakened by a main character who came across as exceedingly childlike, with the emotional maturity of a 12-year-old. Despite these shortcomings, the narration was excellent and brought the story to life. Ultimately, it captivated me enough to listen through to the end.