Simon Mawer - The Glass Room

Review by Corinna Christopher on show 10th June.
This is a remarkable book which has everything you would want in a novel and was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2009.

It commences in 1928 with a young couple, Viktor and Liesel who encounter a brilliant architect who they commission to design a special house for them. It is set on a hillside in their hometown in Czechoslovakia and becomes a masterpiece of modern living known as the Landauer House since their family are responsible for building the famous Landauer cars. The incredible design incorporates a glass room with folding walls one made of onyx that fills the space with light and optimism. It is there in this abode that Viktor and Liesel start and fullfill a perfect life of harmony and opulence and where they host many artistic and musical events.

All however begins to unravel with the onset of war and a passionate affair that Viktor has in Vienna with the beautiful Kata. Liesel remains unaware of this for some time and is supported by her very good friend Hana with whom she has a close relationship.

In due course Hana and her child come to live with the Landauer family to act as the nanny for their two children and this of course causes many difficulties and torn emotions. The political crisis worsens and they flee first to Switzerland and then ultimately to America. Hana is left behind because her husband is a Jew and Kata and her child are also not allowed to emigrate.

The fabulous Glass Room is abandoned, subsequently neglected and taken over by German scientists who are measuring rounded-up citizens to determine whether there any specific factors to identify Jews and thus eliminate them.
Hana who is keeping an eye on the house has a relationship with the head man in an effort to keep her husband safe.

When the Germans leave the Glass Room, a new group of officials take over and run a physiotherapy centre. Later it is decided to restore the house and to open it to the public as an architectural gem.

The Landauer family have a new life in America where their children are brought up. Viktor dies in an accident and after the family is found by Czech officials many years later Liesel returns for a very emotional meeting with her house and Hana who is still around.

There is much that I have left out in the plot and some of it is very harrowing and sad,,,,, but the characters are all very real and there is history and drama on every page. “ All around them is the Glass Room, a place of balance and reason, an ageless place held in a rectilinear frame that handles light like a substance and volume like a tangible material and denies the very existence of time” --Quote from last page.

The style of writing is masterful with short chapters, good headings and a flowing text - always one is drawn to the next page and a difficult book to put down. Excellent. The author now lives in Italy after a career of teaching.

review by Corinna