Petra Durst-Benning

Das Buch erzählt die Wandlung von einem verwöhnten Mädchen zu einer geschaftstüchtigen Frau. Leider, leider ist das verwöhnte Mädchen als Protagonistin so anstrengend, dass ich während der ersten Hälfte des Buches mehrmals fast aufgegeben habe und allerhöchstens zwei Sterne verteilt hätte. Nach der Hälfte allerdings ließ sich das Buch dann ganz wunderbar lesen, deshalb drei Sterne.

The Glassblower - Petra Durst-Benning
3 stars

One review that I read for this book called it a ‘costumbrista’. I’d never heard that term, so I looked it up. The literary costumbrismo is a composition that portrays the popular customs of a country or a region. In this case, the region is a German town called Lauscha in the late 19th century. The popular custom, as well as the town’s sole industry is, as the title says, glassblowing. This is the first book of a family saga about the show more Steinmann sisters who must find a way to support themselves after their father dies.
They deal with the customary gender discrimination of their time. This includes not only being underpaid and overworked in the few occupations allowed to them, but also domestic violence and workplace rape.

The book supplies many details about the business of glassblowing. I did actually find that interesting. Unfortunately, I never felt myself engaged in the personal lives of this family. It’s possible that the story suffered in translation, but there was too much methodical ‘telling’ and not enough emotional ‘showing’. When one of these sisters made a self destructive decision, I could see the consequences so far in advance that it was tedious to continue reading. The fortuitous spurts of good luck and success were also predictable. I won’t be reading the other books in this series. show less

While the World is Still Asleep by Petra Durst-Benning is the first book in The Century Trilogy. Josephine “Jo” is telling her story. We start out with her in an accident and in trouble with the law (I know. It makes no sense.) Jo ends up in prison for 3 and a half years. Jo then goes back to tell us about the death of her brother, Freddie?? He was twelve years old and fascinated with fire. One Sunday Jo was ordered to watch him while her parents went off for the day to visit relatives. show more Jo watched him for a while and then went to visit friends. Freddie found the key to the barn where their father had his smithy. Freddie was told he was not allowed in the there. He went in and found matches. As you can imagine he started setting fire to paper. Sparks from the burning paper flew into the hay and soon the whole barn is one fire. Jo tried to rescue him, but Freddie had locked the doors. Jo was unable to break the doors down. She was found unconscious in front of the barn. Freddie died in the fire. Her parents blame her for the boy’s death and treat her like a pariah. Jo developed a horrible cough from the smoke inhalation that would not go away. A neighbor, ?? convinces Jo’s parents to send her to a sanatorium in the Black Forest (the neighbor had to pay for it). Jo found a friend named Lilo (also a relative of neighbors). She introduced Jo to the velocipede (pedal bicycle). Jo loved it and her cough went away (the writer makes it out to be psychosomatic—in her head). Jo becomes obsessed with riding bicycles. Women were not supposed to be on bicycles. They were deemed too much for the “weaker sex” (it is also considered indecent and illegal). Jo returns home to her hateful parents who insist she work from dawn to way past dusk in the smithy for no pay. Jo discovers that Isabelle’s (a girl from school) father has a bicycle. This becomes Jo’s obsession. Jo wants to ride and this leads to her biggest mistake. It is unfortunate for Jo that cycling is a men’s sport and bicycles are extremely expensive (all made by hand in Germany). Come see what Jo does While the World is Still Asleep!

While the World is Still Asleep is one slow paced novel that is way, way too long. It contains good writing, but (I’m sorry) it’s boring (alright just plain dull). Basically, you get to see what Jo goes through to enjoy cycling (some of the information was interesting). It was interesting to find out that cycles were handmade in Germany while the United States automated the process. And, of course, it was a male dominated sport at the time. This is just the first book in the series. This story could have easily been finished in one novel. I give While the World is Still Asleep 3 out of 5 stars. The book just needed something to liven it up and keep the readers interest. It is way too long for it to be unfinished (can you imagine two more books on this subject).

I received a complimentary copy of While the World is Still Asleep from NetGalley in exchange for an honest evaluation of the novel. show less

The Paradise of Glass by Petra Durst-Benning is the third (and final) book in the Glassblower Trilogy. Wanda has returned to Lauscha from Italy with little Sylvie (her Aunt Marie’s daughter). Wanda is looking forward to being home and preparing for her marriage to Richard Stamme. Richard, though, is preoccupied with a showing he will be having in the fall. It has taken his total attention (he ignores Wanda). The rest of the town is upset of the sale of the Grundler Foundry. It is being show more sold to an outsider and it has all the glassblowers and workers in an uproar. Wanda finally asks why they don’t buy the foundry themselves.

After some thinking, some of the men decide it is a good idea. They put Wanda in charge of the finances (much to Richard’s dismay). They come up with 11,000 marks towards the purchase of the foundry. The owner gives them time to come up with the money to purchase it. If the glassblowers can raise the money in time, the owner will sell the foundry to them. They try Grosse and Sons to get a loan for the remainder of the funds they need. David Wagner is the loan officer at the bank. He knows that the loan will not get approved since the bank handles the finances of the person wishing to person the foundry. Wanda convinces the group to raise the money via the stock market. With the right stocks, they can might be able to raise the money in time. Unfortunately, things do not go as smoothly as Wanda anticipates. Someone is working behind the scenes to make sure they do not raise the money in time.

What is going to happen to the foundry? Will Richard and Wanda get married? Who is the other buyer for the foundry? You do have to read the first two books in the series in order to understand what is happening in The Paradise of Glass. I loved the first book in the series, the second one was okay, and this one was just fine (so-so). The book is very slow throughout the middle of the book (like the author ran out of things to put into the book). Wanda comes across as a very selfish, spoiled, self-centered girl who has no business raising a child nor getting married (I would never trust her with money). Wanda is always coming up with ideas, but she rarely follows through with them (or wants someone else to). I give The Paradise of Glass 3 out of 5 stars. The writing is good, but the content (story) was deficient. I was very disappointed with this final book in The Glassblower Trilogy.

I received a complimentary copy of The Paradise of Glass from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. show less