Book: The Glass Room

"The Glass Room" by Simon Mawer delves into the intertwined fates of individuals against the backdrop of a tumultuous Europe. At the heart of the story is the Landauer House, an architectural marvel of open space and light, embodying modernist ideals. Built in the 1930s in Czechoslovakia for Victor and Liesel Landauer, a wealthy Jewish couple, the house is designed by the enigmatic architect Rainer von Abt.

Their lives, full of promise and progress, are upended as the rise of the Nazi regime forces them into exile. As the war transforms Europe, the house becomes a silent witness to the ravages of history, converting from a family home to a Nazi laboratory and providing refuge later on for its subsequent occupants. Mawer intricately explores themes of identity, love, and loss while reflecting on the enduring influence of space and architecture in human lives. Through rich character development and poignant storytelling, the novel captures the tenacity of the human spirit amidst unyielding change.