Jonathan Steinberg

Two little boys, one little toy

Her novel of a lifelong friendship set against the backdrop of the Holocaust is a beautiful, moving work of art

issue 02 July 2016

  • The Gustav Sonata

    Rose Tremain

    Chatto, pp. 256

Rose Tremain sets the true story of Police Captain Paul Grüninger, commander of the Swiss border force in Canton Saint Gallen, at the core of this powerful novel. Grüninger helped hundreds — some sources say thousands — of Austrian Jews fleeing the Nazis in 1938–1939 to enter Switzerland illegally. After a long trial he was dismissed in disgrace, deprived of his pension and forced to pay court fees.

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