Stones from the River

I very much enjoyed Stones from the river. At first I wasn't sure I'd read it or not. I had a hard time enjoying the first 50 pages or so, then the story picked up and became an interesting read. I was glad I continued reading.

Written in 1994, and set in the small (fictional) German town of Burgdorf from 1915 - 1951, this compassionate novel centers on Trudi Montag, a bright, observant, and articulate young woman who is also a zwerg, a dwarf. Born to a mentally ill mother who dies when Trudi is three, Trudi is at first bewildered by her small size, hanging from doorframes to "stretch" her arms and legs, praying that she will become more like other children, and believing that if she is truly good, God will help her. Though a circus dwarf once comforts her by describing a fantasyland filled with gold and jewels, where everyone is a zwerg, Trudi finds that real life is not so magical. She is physically and emotionally assaulted, and, as a teenager, watches in horror as the Nazis come to power and assault and later "deport" her Jewish friends, who are now considered "different." Trudi's experience of her own "otherness" makes her a sympathetic friend and active supporter of the local Jews, and Hegi evokes great power by connecting the overwhelming Nazi horrors with the life of one small person in one small community. Through Trudi, Burgdorf's citizens come alive--those who befriend her and those who reject her, those who support her efforts to help the Jews and those who don't, and those who pity her and those who are inspired by her. Throughout the novel, Hegi shows the power of storytelling to influence lives. Trudi works in her father's pay-library, and she is the community's best known storyteller, creating entertaining and lively stories that teach lessons, especially during the war years. But Trudi is no Pollyanna--she also uses her storytelling as a weapon against those who offend her, wreaking her own brand of personal vengeance. As the novel evolves, her childhood companions come and go. Some remain stalwart friends, and some change with the times. She matures emotionally, falls in love, and becomes part of the community's rebuilding after the war. Hegi, who lived in Germany until she was eighteen, includes the small details of German life that bring the community and Trudi to life. Her depiction of war-time horrors is honest, and the stories of Trudi's Jewish friends are heart-breaking in their realism. Despite the sadness inherent in the times, however, Hegi is often lyrical in her celebrations of happiness, and Trudi's stories are often enchanting. Incorporating universal themes of love and hatred, life and death, strength and weakness, and acceptance and rejection, Hegi creates a novel that is as powerful on its second reading as it is on its first. n Mary Whipple

A friend insisted I buy this book, telling me what a masterpiece it was. I was at first sceptical, and I must confess it did not grab me within the first few chapters as I had hoped that it would. The main character is a dwarf, the child of a mentally ill mother and a father disabled in World War 1, and whereas her life looked as if it would be interesting, if filled with angst, I was confident that this itself would not hold my attention for the whole of the book.How wrong I was, becuase it is not Trudi's life that grabs you, it is the world she is living in - the horror of Germany between the wars. It is difficult to find words to describe how that world changes, with the rise of Adolf Hitler, and the slow and deliberate persecution of the Jews, and the terror of ordinary citizens who barely dared to question what was hapening to their lives. The story becomes shocking, unimaginable and utterly compelling. I also think that it is something that everyone should read, and I like my friend, will recommend it to everyone.It is not an easy story to read, and Trudi, the main character is spiky and independent - not always easy to identify with. But is an important book because it also chronicles the life of everyday Germans who were caught up in unspeakable times, and it is with these characters that our sympathies lie.I am pleased that I took my friend's recommendation. Again, not an easy read, but a picture of history that cannot be ignored. It is a truly compelling and magnificent novel.

Through the past several years, I have been able to read a great deal of important Holocaust literature. While some other stories have greater historical or literary significance, this book stands apart for me. It is the first book that has truly forced me to question what I would do in this situation.The protaganist of the book is Trudi Montag. Trudi is born a Zwerge - a dwarf - between the two World Wars. Her difference sets her apart from the other villagers, and while they feel sorry for her, it also gives her a certain power over them as she is able to learn their secrets. The girl comes of age just as Hitler's pronouncements begin to threaten the Jewish residents of her town, and of all of Germany. Trudi has difficult ethical choices to make, and these decisions shape her for the rest of her life.While the war years are the most significant part of the book, Trudi is also followed in the post-war years. She begins to see how guilt and confusion begin to engage the members of her community in an elaborate denial of the tragedies of the war years.The book is beautifully written, and is sure to be a book you will treasure.

This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. The story is woven into a rich and vibrant fabric. There are those who would criticize it as an apology for German attrocities and compare that time in history to our VietNam war. Not the same. VietNam was brought to us in living color every night on every TV in every home. Telecommunication in Europe in the '40s was a lot slower and during that time in Germany news was sifted, sanitized and doled out in small portions via press and radio. Never mind that. Other critics complain that 3 year old Trudi could never have been so "knowing". Ha. This is ... hello ... FICTION! That notwithstanding this is a wonderful book. I thought Trudi was a brilliant character, full of pathos and humor, and very, very human. It is not perfect literature. It's not an accurate historical account of pre- and post-war Germany. It is a very readable, thought-provoking book; an interpretation of history by a gifted writer. I particularly enjoyed the metaphor of the "stones" and the river: ever changing, always the same. Doesn't make sense? Oh well, that's life. I would wholeheartedly recommed this book to anyone who appreciates a good story.

I read Stones from the River almost a year ago, and it is still resonating with me. After reading other reviews, most of which I agree with wholeheartedly, I felt compelled to voice my opinion, and response. Those few people who did not enjoy this book clearly did not understand the statement Ms. Hegi was making. Comments about self-pity and lack of compassion for a dwarf are offensive; the book beautifully chronicles the human condition in wartime Germany. I hope for those of you who "didn't care" about Trudi Montag that you never find yourself faced with persecution; Trudi Montag wasn't just short, nor was it just about Germany in the 30's and 40's. Ms. Hegi is speaking about greater themes that affect the entire human race; Trudi is judged BECAUSE she was born with physical deformity, and because she was born into Nazi Germany--this book could have spoken about someone in Africa, born blind. It is a universal message, highlighted by the atrocities of war. Comments calling the book "retarded" have obviously come from someone who has missed the beauty and depth of this piece, and doesn't grasp the insight behind this examination of the human spirit.