Sixteen-year-old Frieder’s plans for the summer are shattered when he fails two subjects. In order to move up to the next school year in the Autumn, he must resit his exams. So, instead of going on holiday with his family, he now faces the daunting and boring prospect of staying at his grandparents’ house, studying with his strict and formal step-grandfather.
On the bright side, he’ll spend time with his grandmother Nana, his sister Alma and his best friend Johann. And he meets Beate, the girl in the beautiful green swimsuit…
The next few weeks will bring friendship, fear and first love – one grand summer that will change and shape his entire life.
Heartbreaking, poignant and warmly funny, One Grand Summer is an unforgettable, tender novel that captures those exquisite and painful moments that make us who we are.
For readers who loved Sarah Winman’s When God Was a Rabbit
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One Grand Summer by Ewald Arenz was published on 18 July 2024 by Orenda Books and is translated by Rachel Ward. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review as part of this Blog Tour
Back in June 2022 I read and reviewed Tasting Sunlight by Ewald Arenz, the first of his novels published in English by Orenda. I adored that book so much and have been eagerly awaiting publication of One Grand Summer. I can confirm that it is another beautifully written story that totally captured my heart. This author excels in creating relationships between his characters that are so realistic.
It's the early 1980s in a small town in Germany. Teenage Frieder is the lead character, a boy who is not doing well at school. In fact, he's done so badly that it is decided that he will not join his family on their summer holiday in Rio. Instead, Frieder is destined to stay with his Grandmother (Nana) and her husband; the Professor. Over the summer, he must study hard, so that he can stay on at school. Frieder's Grandfather is a man who doesn't accept any foolishness, and Frieder looks ahead to the summer with some trepidation. The saving grace for him is that he will get to spend time with his younger sister Alma who is training to be a nurse, his best friend Johann, and most exciting of all, he can get to know Beate better. He and Beate met briefly at the swimming pool and it is the memory of her in her green swimming costume that spurs him on.
It is most certainly a 'grand summer' for these four young people. They are at the age where they are no longer children, hidden from consequences of real life, but not quite adults, and still dealing with the discovery that life is not all fun and games, and sunshine and laughter.
Arenz's ability to draw wonderfully colourful characters, and create such intricate relationships is so very special. As Frieder finds himself in some sticky situations, he also discovers so much more about the Grandfather who always appeared aloof and distant. Both of his grandparents are wise, without preaching, they allow Frieder to make his own mistakes, they do not cover up for him, but teach him how to deal with punishments, and also with pain.
Frider causes pain, and also feels pain. There are choices that he makes that he will come to regret, he will hurt those closest to him, yet he will always learn.
It's a coming of age novel that deals with some deeply emotional subject, yet it is often filled with humour and light too. The pacing of the novel and the fine balance between the dark and the light it expertly done. Rachel Ward's translation from German into English is superbly done, the narrative flows without fault at all.
Compassion, hope, joy and a long hot summer ..... a wonderful read that I highly recommend.
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history, and now works as a teacher at a grammar school.
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