A review by magnuscumlaude
While We Were Dreaming by Clemens Meyer

4.0

A gritty and intimate story of teenagers fighting to survive and clinging onto any hope they can find as they come of age in East Germany. It's a non-linear and messy jumble of violence and drugs, but at the core it's a really harrowing story of friendship and despair. I love the International Booker longlist, it always gives me great books I don't think I would have ever found otherwise. I couldn't get a copy of this novel in Canada so I made it a priority to pick one up on my trip through London last month. If you liked Shuggie Bain and Trainspotting, I feel like it's a mix of that but tragically without any gays.