Longlisted for the German Book Prize.
A life-long love affair that survives the tribulations of two World Wars, "Leon and Louise" beautifully tells the story of Alex Capus' French grandfather. It charmed German readers, never leaving the "Der Spiegel" bestseller list since publication a year ago, selling nearly two hundred thousand copies.
Summer 1918. The First World War is drawing to a close when Leon falls in love with Louise Janvier. Both are severely wounded by German artillery fire, are separated, and believe each other to be dead. Briefly reunited two decades later, the lovers are torn apart again by Louise's refusal to destroy Leon's marriage and the German invasion of France. Through occupied Paris during the Second World War, where Leon struggles against the abhorrent tasks imposed on him by the SS, and the wilds of Africa, where Louise confronts the hardships of her primitive environment, they battle the vicissitudes of history and the passage of time for the survival of their love.
Leon and Louise's is an enduring passion, an enchanting tale of love's triumph against improbable odds, and a story masterfully told. Alex Capus' poetic, understated language is beautifully translated by John Brownjohn.
Alex Capus is the author of "Sailing by Starlight."
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