Visitation (2008)

by Jenny Erpenbeck

Other authors: See the other authors section.

Members	Reviews	Popularity	Average rating	Mentions
745	46	32,441	(3.89)	206
A forested property on a Brandenburg lake outside Berlin lies at the heart of this darkly sensual, elegiac novel. Encompassing over one hundred years of German history, from the nineteenth century to the Weimar Republic, from World War II to the Socialist German Democratic Republic, and finally reunification and its aftermath, Visitation offers the life stories of twelve individuals who seek to make their home in this one magical little house. The novel breaks into the everyday life of the house and shimmers through it, while relating the passions and fates of its inhabitants. Elegant and poetic, Visitation forms a literary mosaic of the last century, tearing open wounds and offering moments of reconciliation, with its drama and its exquisite evocation of a landscape no political upheaval can truly change.… (more)

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Showing 1-5 of 40 (next | show all)

This is told in an unusual way, focused on a small parcel of land near Berlin, and telling the stories of the land and the people who lived there, slipping back and forth through time and between people in ways that were sometimes disorienting. Content warnings for sexual violence, and basically all the kinds of dehumanization you'd expect in a book that takes place in Germany in a period that encompasses the Second World War. Yes, there are Holocaust horrors here. Focusing on the land was a unique way to form the story, and I found it compelling, even if I did take issue with a few of the author's choices. (

)

greeniezona | Nov 19, 2023 |

This is an interesting book - a slightly quirky take on historical fiction.
using a lakeside house as the stable point, the author weaves the stories of the people coming and going against the history of East Germany in the 20th century as background.
Everything is told subtly. The horrors are referred to, but not directly. No polemics.
I really enjoyed the book and will be back for later books by this author. (

)

mbmackay | Sep 27, 2023 |

What a powerful, small book this is. After a chapter or two I thought of quitting it - didn't like the format - but went ahead, and I am glad I did. The characters are interesting, the plot, such as it can be called a plot, is troubling, clear, painful and eye-opening. The craftswomanship of the writing is wonderful. This is a worthwhile novel that has lingered with me. (

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RickGeissal | Aug 16, 2023 |

The imagery and rhythm of language in this book was gorgeous. Almost like a long poem or an ode to a place and people's experiences and pain. (

)

beentsy | Aug 12, 2023 |

More poetic and less straightforward than the summary would suggest. I found the form impactful and not forced or overwhelming. Reminded me of a specific poetic structure that I'm sure my sister would know the name of. The author uses the story of this house and land passing through hands as a sort of Vergangenheitsbewältigung. (

)

Kiramke | Jun 27, 2023 |

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Author name	Role	Type of author	Work?	Status
Erpenbeck, Jenny	—	primary author	all editions	confirmed
Bernofsky, Susan	Translator	secondary author	some editions	confirmed
Bussink, Gerrit	Translator	secondary author	some editions	confirmed
Colbus, Jean-Claude	Translator	secondary author	some editions	confirmed
Hébert, Brigitte	Translator	secondary author	some editions	confirmed
Schippers, Elly	Translator	secondary author	some editions	confirmed

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Canonical title

Visitation

Original title

Heimsuchung

Alternative titles

Original publication date

2008

People/Characters

The Gardener

Important places

German Democratic Republic

Important events

Related movies

Epigraph

As the day is long and the world is old, many people can stand in the same place, one after another. - Marie in 'Woyzeck', by Georg Büchner.

If I came to you,
O woods of my youth, could you
Promise me peace once again?
-Friedrich Hölderlin.

When the house is finished, Death enters.
-Arabic proverb

Dedication

For Doris Kaplan.

First words

APPROXIMATELY TWENTY-FOUR THOUSAND years ago, a glacier advanced until it reached a large outcropping of rock that now is nothing more than a gentle hill above where the house stands.

Quotations

Last words

(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)

Disambiguation notice

Publisher's editors

Blurbers

Original language

German

Canonical DDC/MDS

Canonical LCC

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Wikipedia in English (1)

Jenny Erpenbeck

▾Book descriptions

A forested property on a Brandenburg lake outside Berlin lies at the heart of this darkly sensual, elegiac novel. Encompassing over one hundred years of German history, from the nineteenth century to the Weimar Republic, from World War II to the Socialist German Democratic Republic, and finally reunification and its aftermath, Visitation offers the life stories of twelve individuals who seek to make their home in this one magical little house. The novel breaks into the everyday life of the house and shimmers through it, while relating the passions and fates of its inhabitants. Elegant and poetic, Visitation forms a literary mosaic of the last century, tearing open wounds and offering moments of reconciliation, with its drama and its exquisite evocation of a landscape no political upheaval can truly change.

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