review
Ruge’s assured debut novel covers four generations of an East German family and centres around the ninetieth birthday party of a life-long Party hardliner and functionary – on 1 October 1989. Everyone knows what is going on, but no one is allowed to mention ‘certain events’.
The twists and turns of the plot are skilfully interwoven, the dialogue crisp, and the constant switching between generations and characters is handled with a sure touch. The Fading Light is a moving family saga with deft touches of humour, of special interest for its panorama of East German life and ideas through the late twentieth century.
All recommendations from Autumn 2011