Between the Clouds and the River is Dave Mason’s latest historical fiction, with a dual timeline narrative set between 1942 and 1965. Spanning continents and decades, this book is a sweeping and moving tale of life, love, loss and everything in between.
In 1942, Bernhardt Lang, a young German soldier, is taken captive in North Africa and held in an American POW camp. Here, he becomes increasingly aware of a different way of living, and strives to escape from his past. Meanwhile, in 1965 twelve year old Joseph Holliman is trapped in an abusive household with his increasingly punitive father, until an encounter with Frank Gardner changes his life forever.
Mason cleverly uses Bernhardt’s character as a catalyst for explorations of identity and belonging, particularly in relation to citizenship, nationality and immigration. When we are introduced to Bernhardt, he is resentful that conscription has removed his agency, particularly as he questions what he is fighting for: to him, borders are changeable, countries are abstract entities and nationhood is fallible. At the end of the war, Bernhardt witnesses the reality of this as his hometown comes under Soviet rule, and his national identity and sense of self is once again disrupted. Through Bernhardt, we can also glimpse what life was like for a section of German POWs that are often forgotten – those who became disillusioned by the Wehrmacht’s ideological teachings. Bernhardt is also used to emphasise the importance of choice to readers, and teaches the need to veer away from unwavering compliance. Frank similarly teaches Joseph about the power of choice, offering him the means to break free from the constraints of forced paternal compliance.
Mason’s descriptive prose is highly evocative, particularly in relation to battlefield sounds, and the experience of being amongst nature. Both meandering and sharp, Mason’s writing is a perfect balance of levity (often facilitated by characters’ wry voices) and gravity. Tackling heavy topics, such as violence on a domestic and global scale, Between the Clouds and the River shows the multifaceted nature of cruelty and explores the idea that people are a product of their choices as well as their circumstances.
This novel shows that history and truth are not always the same thing as people can, intentionally or unintentionally, edit or erase aspects of history. Bernhardt is particularly aware of the tendency for fact and fiction to become intertwined, whilst Frank uses literature to teach Joseph the importance of stories, silences, and of finding his voice. Each character teach us about the subjective nature of truth, whilst showing that love is often the single prevailing certainty in people’s memories and stories.
Between the Clouds and the River is a story of choices, change, sacrifice and endurance. It is about grief, hope, friendship and the true meaning of family. It shows how history can shape and transform us, and how we can shape and transform history. But most importantly, it is about the strength of love, kindness, and the importance of connections between people.
Ella Beales is a Historical Researcher, Archivist and Public Historian.
