Earthly Creatures by Stevie Davies

For all her life, idealistic 20-year-old bookworm Magdalena Arber has been split down the middle: veering wildly between fidelity to indoctrinated Nazi beliefs, and her father’s humanist values.

Then comes the summons–the Nazi War Labour Service is conscripting her into a teaching position in East Prussia. Magda is elated.

It’s a release from the cosy cage of childhood, and a chance to form young minds.

She enters a lush rural world of forests, lakes, and meadows where order prevails. Yet there are monstrous hands out to shape the whole continuum of earthly creatures.

The Gestapo are a lurking darkness.

There is bombing further East, and news of a moving Russian front.

Will Alt Schönbek burn as well?

Can Magda survive?