The Most Dazzling Girl in Berlin

January 10, 2022
Loss and discovery twine throughout Wilson’s (White Rose) bittersweet historical novel, set in 1932 Berlin. Written in economical free verse, the story is narrated by Hilde, a cued-white Catholic 18-year-old who gains a warm and welcoming found family when she leaves the orphanage where she was raised, snapping up the opportunity to work as a waitress at Café Lila, a nightclub in Schöneberg, the city’s LGBTQ hub. A gifted singer, Hilde dreams of overcoming her stage fright to perform. She also dreams of moving from friendship to romance with lovely, laughing Rosa—a Jewish girl, also cued white, who serves drinks and performs at Café Lila, and has opened her home to Hilde. Meanwhile, Nazi brownshirts appear first as a distant threat and then develop into a frightening, violent force. While Hilde’s predictable internal growth is disarmingly joyous, it’s the era’s politics—and their connection to the present day—that give the Cabaret-tinged story its urgent momentum. Readers eager to learn more about queer life in the Weimar era will find plenty of avenues to explore in the densely packed author’s note. Ages 12–up. Agent: Roseanne Wells, Jennifer De Chiara Literary.

Starred review from March 1, 2022

Gr 9 Up-In this historical novel in verse, 18-year-old Hilde moves out of her Berlin orphanage in 1932 in search of a home to call her own. Struggling to find her footing in the turbulent Weimar Republic, she fortuitously wanders into Caf� Lila, an LGBT-friendly club in the neighborhood of Charlottenburg. Here she finds a new job as well as an accepting adoptive family. Rosa, a waitress and singer who is Jewish, takes Hilde under her wing and provides the shelter and companionship Hilde so desperately needs. Through her work at Caf� Lila, Hilde finds the courage to be herself, a queer woman, both onstage and off. Just as Hilde is finally finding her footing, the political climate in Berlin reaches a tipping point with the fateful election of 1932. Suddenly everything Hilde has come to know and cherish-her home with Rosa, their blossoming love, and Caf� Lila's liberated atmosphere-hangs in the balance. Wilson expertly uses short, poetic chapters to set the tone of the novel. While the prose is minimalist, it shines with evocative descriptions, poignant emotions, and authentic German phrases (clear in context and found in the glossary). Wilson crafts a beautiful coming-of-age story that captures the joy of young independence against a backdrop of fear and foreboding on the precipice of the Third Reich. The story, as well as the author's note and extensive resource list, highlights the positive, liberated experience of queer people in Weimar-era Berlin before its abrupt and devastating end. VERDICT An essential purchase for YA collections; recommend to fans of Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo.-Mary Kamela

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February 15, 2022
Grades 9-12 Hilde, an 18-year-old orphan, is all alone in Berlin. It's 1932, Germany is in chaos, there are no jobs, people are starving, and it seems impossible that Hilde will ever find her lost girlfriend, Gretchen, who left their orphanage to become a movie star. Desperate, Hilde stumbles into the Caf� Lila, a cabaret filled with gay men and women. Hilde is befriended by Rosa, a Jewish waitress-chanteuse, and everything starts falling into place: a job, a place to stay, friends, a burgeoning singing career, even a new romance with Rosa. Hilde feels safe at Caf� Lila, even as Hitler and his brownshirts rise to power. This first-person novel in verse moves along briskly, judiciously weaving in bits of Hilde's past and historical events. Hilde is a relatable, accessible protagonist, and readers will respond to her feelings of being an outsider, celebrate her hard-won successes, and reel from a few gut-punching betrayals. Ultimately hopeful, this is a story of growth and affirmation set in an intriguing time and place.

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Starred review from February 1, 2022
"I shiver. / How much has changed / in a week." And we all shivered with her. Recounting the months before Hitler's rise to power in 1932, Catholic orphan Hilde, an 18-year-old resident of Berlin, documents her life in a series of free-verse poems. Her story begins as she leaves the orphanage and follows her through a brief period of homelessness and unemployment before she finds the Caf� Lila, a queer nightclub that ultimately provides employment, security, and a sense of community previously missing from Hilde's life. It also brings her in contact with gorgeous Rosa, a Jewish performer and waitress with a vivacious attitude who quickly captures Hilde's heart. Astute readers will understand what horrible fates await many of the characters but will be captivated by the events that Hilde observes, many of which still echo today. Book clubs will find a lot to discuss in Hilde's story, and educators won't need to work hard to generate conversations about equality, authoritarianism, and the role of minorities in democracy. The free-form verse is inviting and masterfully captures the mood and times in sparse poetry, making this work equally appealing for pleasure reading. Educators and history buffs will appreciate the thorough and informative backmatter, which includes selected sources in both English and German, a glossary of terms, and an author's note that provides valuable context and recommends more information about the time period. Wunderbar! (Verse historical fiction. 12-adult)

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May 1, 2022
In 1932 Berlin, orphaned eighteen-year-old Hilde is seeking work and a purpose. She finds both (perhaps with implausible ease) at Cafe Lila, a gay nightclub reminiscent of Cabaret's Kit Kat Club. There she is adopted into a family of queer underground entertainers; falls in love with sweet, sultry chanteuse Rosa; and finds her footing as a singer and songwriter. But even as she enjoys her newfound acceptance, Hilde can't escape the political tensions that increasingly intrude on her happiness. As the Nazis gather power, Hilde must decide if she can afford to stay loyal to her beloved Berlin or if it is time for her and Rosa, who is Jewish, to flee. Wilson's (White Rose, rev. 7/19) fluid free-verse novel aptly conveys the liberation and artistry of the time and place (Weimar Republic-era Berlin, in all its gritty, smoky glory), while also making the pages fly. Fans of Lo's Last Night at the Telegraph Club (rev. 3/21) will enjoy this similarly themed work. Back matter includes an author's note, selected sources, and a German glossary. Jennifer Hubert Swan

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2022
In 1932 Berlin, orphaned eighteen-year-old Hilde is seeking work and a purpose. She finds both (perhaps with implausible ease) at Cafe Lila, a gay nightclub reminiscent of Cabaret's Kit Kat Club. There she is adopted into a family of queer underground entertainers; falls in love with sweet, sultry chanteuse Rosa; and finds her footing as a singer and songwriter. But even as she enjoys her newfound acceptance, Hilde can't escape the political tensions that increasingly intrude on her happiness. As the Nazis gather power, Hilde must decide if she can afford to stay loyal to her beloved Berlin or if it is time for her and Rosa, who is Jewish, to flee. Wilson's (White Rose, rev. 7/19) fluid free-verse novel aptly conveys the liberation and artistry of the time and place (Weimar Republic-era Berlin, in all its gritty, smoky glory), while also making the pages fly. Fans of Lo's Last Night at the Telegraph Club (rev. 3/21) will enjoy this similarly themed work. Back matter includes an author's note, selected sources, and a German glossary.

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)