The Fire

How can two lovers find a way back to each other, when the pain of the past stands between them?

With plans adrift after a fire burns down their rented holiday cabin, Rahel and Peter find themselves unexpectedly on an isolated farm where Rahel spent many a happy childhood summer. Suddenly, after years of navigating careers, demanding children and the monotony of the daily routine, they find themselves unable to escape each other's company. With three weeks stretching ahead, they must come to an understanding on whether they have a future together.

What happens when love grows older and passion has faded? When what divides us is greater than what brought us together? And how easy is it to ask the fundamental questions about our relationships?

About the Author

Daniela Krien was born in 1975 in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, then in the G.D.R. Her first novel, Someday We'll Tell Each Other Everything, was published in English in 2013 (MacLehose Press) and in 14 other languages. For a subsequent volume of short stories, Muldental, she was awarded the Nicolaus Born Prize. Love in Five Acts has been sold for translation into 20 languages. She lives in Leipzig with her two daughters.

Reviews

"A quietly devastating portrayal of a marriage... Krien beautifully conveys Rahel's sense of impotent frustration, familial tensions and the thwarted desires of middle age" —Hannah Beckerman, Observer

"[A] slim yet powerful novel about families and relationships... subtle and psychologically astute... acutely observed" —P.D. Smith, Times Literary Supplement

"With her trademark hypnotic prose, Krien looks at the nuances of a relationship with honesty and clarity. A stylish, subtle read that digs deeps into the human psyche." —Zoe West, Woman & Home "Book of the Month"

"The intersecting of a troubled past, uneasy present and increasingly uncertain future makes for a quiet, reflective read" —Catherine Taylor, Irish Times

"Deeply engaging... Beautifully written, subtle and shines a light on the feelings and desires of middle-aged women" —Prudence Wade, Independent

Dimensions: 14.2 x 2.2 x 22 cm