In Times of Fading Light

“Combining dense, full-bodied storytelling with an enlightening sense of modern history.”
      —Publishers Weekly

“Ruge takes full advantage of the varying viewpoints to display, impressively, the density of family.”
      —Kirkus

“A deeply plaintive examination of personal and political tragedy.”
      —Booklist [HC starred review]

“A novel full of the wisdom of experience.”
       —Die Zeit

“Ruge’s characters have a fully rounded existence beyond their own period. . . . The time is ripe for this clear, humorous, and understanding look at the subject.”
       —Die Tageszeitung

“Outstanding. . . . A fascinating inside view of the GDR.”
        —Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

“The real miracle of this novel . . . lies in how he does each of his characters justice, in precise, unpretentious language, based entirely on observations and the importance of things, smells, [and] gestures. There is no reason to mourn the GDR as a state, but there are a lot of reasons to tell the story of successful or wasted lives with fine black humor.”
        —Die Welt

“A shrewd and very knowing novel, slippery with the truth and packed tight with compressed tension, and written by a talented new voice.”
      —Minneapolis Star Tribune

“[Simon Vance’s] tone is animated, and his phrasing is crisp.”
      —AudioFile

“Thoughtful and reflective. . . . Highly recommended for both personal and public library audiobook fiction collections.”
      —Library Bookwatch