Book review: In Berlin by Eric Silberstein. Thank you to Liu Book Group and NetGalley for the gifted ARC.

This isn’t the genre I normally read, and I’ll be honest—it took me a while to get through. I picked the book up and put it back down more than once, not because the writing was weak or the story was boring, but because the emotional weight was heavier than I expected. As someone who works in the medical field, I found the accuracy of the clinical details both impressive and deeply affecting. Anna’s spinal stroke and the aftermath—hospitalization, rehabilitation, the slow and uncertain process of recovery—were portrayed with a level of specificity I rarely see in fiction. For me, that realism made the story more powerful, but I can understand how readers unfamiliar with the terminology or the complexity of spinal cord injury might feel overwhelmed at times. Silberstein doesn’t water anything down. He respects the reader enough to trust we’ll meet the story on its terms—and that makes it feel honest, even when it’s hard.

The premise is devastating in its simplicity: Anna Werner, a successful software engineer in Berlin, suffers a sudden spinal stroke on her commute home. In the span of a few minutes, her entire identity—as a runner, a professional, an independent woman—is flipped upside down. What follows isn’t a straight recovery arc. There’s no magical bounce back. This is a story about learning to live with a new body and, even harder, a new version of self. Anna’s internal struggle is layered. She’s intelligent, driven, but not immune to despair. Her resistance to being written off by doctors and insurance reps is fierce, but it’s also painful to watch—because we know how easily the system gives up on people like her.

What adds another dimension to the story is Batul, a young Syrian immigrant working as a janitor in the hospital. Batul was once a medical student in Aleppo, before war and displacement rerouted her life. She’s trying to reclaim that dream in Germany, but she’s stuck navigating cultural expectations, language barriers, and the weight of family obligations. When she meets Anna, there’s no sudden spark or cliché. Their connection builds slowly, through honest conversations, shared frustrations, and the rare experience of truly being seen. What they find in each other is not easy to define—it’s part friendship, part caregiving, part something more—and Silberstein wisely resists pinning it down too neatly. Their bond evolves organically, full of tension, tenderness, and compromise. I found myself rooting for them not just as individuals, but as a pair who brought out something brave and defiant in each other.

The author does a remarkable job weaving together the physical reality of spinal cord injury with the emotional toll it takes. As someone who works in healthcare, I appreciated how deeply he understood the nuances of care—not just the medical interventions, but the psychological, social, and even bureaucratic hurdles patients face. The attention to detail here is impressive: the pressure sores, the hours of physical therapy, the frustration with assistive technology, the threat of infections, and the constant balancing act between hope and acceptance. These things are often glossed over in fiction, but Silberstein gives them their full weight. It’s not just about what Anna’s lost—it’s about how she learns to navigate a world that now sees her differently, and not always fairly.

That said, the book isn’t without its challenges. The inclusion of software engineering language and technical jargon—much like the medical terminology—adds authenticity, but it can occasionally feel dense. I didn’t mind it personally, but I can see it being a stumbling block for readers who aren’t familiar with either world. And while the pacing is generally steady, the final portion of the book feels rushed. There’s a significant time jump near the end that pulled me out of the emotional rhythm the novel had built so carefully. I would’ve liked to see more of the transition—more insight into how Anna rebuilt her life after the events of the hospital, more clarity on Batul’s choices, and more emotional closure between them.

Despite those critiques, I’m grateful I read this book. It challenged me, both intellectually and emotionally. It pushed me out of my comfort zone and stayed with me long after I finished the last page. In Berlin doesn’t try to tie everything up with a bow, and that’s part of what makes it so affecting. It’s messy in a way that feels true to life. The characters are flawed, stubborn, and incredibly human. The story asks tough questions about identity, agency, love, and what it means to rebuild—not just your body, but your future. It also explores the quiet heroism of choosing to show up for yourself, day after day, even when nothing feels certain.

This novel isn’t easy, and it won’t be for everyone. But for those willing to sit with the discomfort and the complexity, it offers something rare: a portrait of resilience that doesn’t romanticize suffering. It respects the reader’s intelligence, and it respects the lived realities of those whose stories often go untold. That, to me, is what makes In Berlin worth reading.

3.75/5 ⭐️ Thank you to Liu Book Group for the advanced copy! I was definitely interested throughout the book but there were a few things that kept me from giving it a higher rating. Mainly, I felt that the ending was a bit rushed and there was some closure that was missing from the narrative. However, overall I enjoyed the book and am glad I read it.

3.2 stars. I thought this was a very interesting read and something I normally wouldn’t pick up, but something about the characters didn’t exactly work for me. Anna is working as a software engineer when her life is changed forever. She’s living life as she normally does when she suffers a spinal stroke that leaves most of her body paralyzed. She has a rare case and now faces the challenge of how to navigate life when she’s unable to do all of the things that she normally does. Will she able to regain movement? Will she able to be heard and seen as not just a patient but as a human being whose life has been changed forever? As always, thank you to the publisher for the earc.

Unfortunately had a lot of trouble getting past the writing. Found it very hard to follow and stick with

Told from two POVs of two interesting women, Batul and Anna, one a refugee, the other one, Anna, suffering from a spinal stroke, In Berlin is a compelling and quick read.
Despite the hight quality of characterisation, it was the themes and the layers that stood out.
Overall, because of how it is paced, structured and how the plot develops, this was a 3 star read.
I am glad I read it, although it was not exactly to my tastes.

A great book with clearly a lot of thought and research put behind it. Both Anna and Batul were very fleshed out. Sadly, I struggled a bit with the side characters. Some seemed quite one note (Julia, Anna's sister-in-law) and could've played a bigger role. I also struggled a bit with the writing style sometimes as, initially, Anna's POV's had quite some abstract imagery, which later on disappeared. It would've been great if the author doubled down on these abstract images and had made Anna's voice speak through them.
Still, a great book. I'll keep out for any of Eric Silberstein's future works.



Thank you to the publisher and author for the E-Arc. This review is all my own opinion.

This book follows two FMCs in a dual POV—Anna, a software engineer navigating life after a rare spinal stroke leaves her paralysed, and Batul, a Syrian immigrant chasing her dream of becoming a doctor in a city that feels both promising and isolating.

On paper, this should’ve been a 5-star read: complex characters, queer rep, disability rep, immigrant experience, and a slow-burn sapphic romance set in Berlin. But in execution, it felt like the book was trying to do too much all at once.

Anna’s journey through sudden disability and adjusting to her new reality was compelling. Batul’s cultural dissonance and quiet resilience were also powerful. But throw in shifting identity, trauma, language barriers, romance, and more—and it started to feel crowded.

Still, the writing is solid, the setting vivid, and the characters linger after the final page. A good read, just… a lot.

Excellent novel, moving and informative, the two central characters beautifully developed. The extraordinary story of Anna's determination to beat her tetraplegia following a spinal stroke is superbly told and inspiring. Batul's equally difficult journey to continue fighting racism, and probably sexism and sacrificing her desires for the sake of her family's values and religious beliefs is heart-breaking but also inspiring. The ending seemed a litle far-fetched to me but it was written in the future so who knows? Often writers who are scientists first cannot write good novels but Eric Silberstein is not one of them! His understanding of human nature and ability to put it on the page is A+. Thankyou to the publisher and NetGalley for a Digital ARC.

I loved the first half of it and couldn't stop reading. It was devastating and I was on the edge of my seat. The second half felt a little sleepy, and for me, I don't love montage-like sequences where years are skipped ahead to give a slice of "look how well things went!" Still, it was an interesting story and I'm glad I read it. I wish the ending were different, and I didn't love the title. 3.5 rounding up to 4.

Beautifully heartbreaking. I flew through this one! Anna suffers a rare spinal stroke at a young age, leaving her unable to move most of her body. No one knows if Anna will be able to recover and she must rely on others for her most basic needs. The odds are against her as she struggles to deal with her new condition. Batul, a Syrian refugee and hospital custodian studying to become a doctor, seems to be the only one who sees past Anna's disability. Throughout the book, their relationship grows as they deal with their respective setbacks and struggles - Anna's medically and Batul's culturally.

My only complaint was the very end which seemed a bit disconnected from the rest of the story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Eric Silberstein and Liu Book Group for the eARC!

As a deep reader, I try to channel one of the characters in the story I'm starting. To do that, I chose Anna, the main character in "In Berlin." I was greatly surprised that the author was a male writing very sensitive narrative for two females. Silberstein carries the women well, through opening an awkward professional relationship of two women, building up interest as they begin to take on budding love.
The development of a love affair whether male, female is fraught with quicksand and mountains and Silberstein builds excellent reader interest along the way.
I highly recommend this book for adults of any persuasion.

You haven’t read a book like this before. Neither had I. This is such a unique blend of multiple genres that kept me riveted. The novel is character driven, with each main protagonist so fleshed out that they truly feel like real people. Anna and Batul have so much heart and perseverance. Both women’s stories were fascinating. I’ll keep this vague so I don’t spoil anything, but I will be thinking about this story for quite some time..

In Berlin is a very different book than I've read recently. Eric Silberstein weaves several strong characters from very different backgrounds and religions, into a story of hope. Anna is a young, athletic professional coder who suffers a spinal stroke (I didn't even know that existed!) and ends up at a hospital where she meets Batul, a janitor who was in the middle of her medical degree when all hell broke loose in Syria and her and her family escaped to Germany. Batul and Anna share the hope and belief that Anna can and will get better - at a time when virtually no one else did.

These two women's stories are so beautifully told, through heartache and hope and from such different paths in the lives.

Eric Silberstein does a fantastic job in explaining the familial pulls of a young Muslim daughter and her responsibilities to her family - one that most Americans cannot begin to understand.

Thank you to NetGalley, Eric Silberstein and Liu Book Group for this eye-opening e-ARC in exchange for my opinions.

I really enjoyed the first half of this book, the POVs from our two MCs was interesting and I learned so much about spinal cord injuries, paralysis, and disabilities. However, the relationship between the two seemed very forced and didn't feel organic at all. I wish that part of the story was left out and that we could have followed the two in their own separate outcomes.
The timeline title for Winter 2015 comes before Summer 2015.
There were also too many reviews placed before the book in my opinion.

In Berlin, we meet Anna and Batul in the midst of personal and political challenges. Software engineer Anna has her life turned upside down by an extremely rare spinal stroke and has to learn to live her life while advocating for herself on different terms. While hospitalized, she meets Batul, an aspiring med school student dealing with the immense challenges of being a Syrian immigrant. They form a deep bond during Anna's recovery. But family pressures intervene and change their lives. Through their stories, we learn more about science, culture, love and possibility.

I received an Advance Reader's Copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars. In this story we meet Anna, a software engineer who at a young age, receives a rare diagnosis that affects her mobility, her relationships and her employment. We also meet Batul, a Syrian immigrant who works at the hospital where Anna is receiving care. This book explored friendship, romantic relationships, and work relationships, and all are impacted in both positive and negative ways by Anna's diagnosis. We see her navigate her new reality and the highs and lows of successes and disappointments along the way. This novel also shows the reality and importance of the need for self-advocacy in health care environments, and how having one or two people in your corner can make a big difference in your treatment and post-care. Batul's life experiences are also filled with successes and disappointments, and her life is impacted by immigration laws, politics, and racism. There are two characters that although they disappointed Anna in the type of relationship she desired with each ending, they showed up for her in major ways that ultimately showed how much they cared for her. I thought the ending was a fitting way for this story to end, although I can see other readers hoping for a bit more to have happened at the end. I look forward to reading more by this author. This review is also posted on Goodreads.com.

BOOK REPORT
Received a complimentary copy of In Berlin, by Eric Silberstein, from Liu Book Group/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.

Sometimes I really wonder about Previous Kristi. Like, why can she be relied upon to always have chicken tetrazzini and Cavender’s-and-garlic-seasoned pan-fried thin boneless pork chops in the freezer but sometimes goes all wacky-wack when it comes to her book selections?

Because, y’all? I’m not sure why I requested/received this book. I have a love-hate relationship with Berlin, even though I’ve never set foot one in Germany (don’t ask, long story). I’m not a lesbian, nor am I practicing Muslim from Syria with an interest in a career in medicine. (Not a practicing anything, FTR.) And I’m not making my way through life with tetraplegia (which I grew up hearing referred to as “being quadriplegic”).

I do, however, have a bad case of yard work-related poison ivy that is distracting me to no end as I attempt to string some coherent thoughts together about In Berlin.

Who knows? Maybe I just wanted to live outside my comfort zone for a while/get some different perspectives on life? Because that I did…..

But. Oh, but…..

This book was incredible, captivating, educating, and a delight to read……until it wasn’t. Because of the way it ended. It went from being a 5-star book I couldn’t shut up about while I was reading it —past my bedtime—to a 4, and then a 3. So, so disappointing. And I can’t tell you why because: “Spoilers, sweetie!”


(Heavens how I wish I had the early 2000s reboot of Doctor Who to watch for the first time all over again. Sigh.)

PS
Also? Somebody needs to get word to this publisher’s marketing department that _too much_ advance praise is quite off-putting. It’s the positive equivalent, to my mind, of, the popular misquoting of Hamlet: “Me thinks thou doth protest too much.”

DESCRIPTION
“An utterly spellbinding journey…reflects a triumph of the human spirit in the face of unexpected catastrophe.” —Vivek Murthy, MD, MBA, 19th and 21st Surgeon General of the United States

“His novel is for the universe, and all readers will find bits of themselves in places they might not have realized.” —Heather Krill, True North

For fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid and Abraham Verghese, an “intriguing, exciting, twisted, frustrating, entangled, non-conventional love story.”

Software engineer Anna Werner lives at a rapid clip, relishing her work and adopted city as much as her early morning runs. All comes undone on a sweaty August evening when, in the course of a 20-minute commute, Anna goes from worrying vaguely over a sore shoulder to staggering her way into an ambulance. She has suffered a spinal stroke. Over the coming months, her parents join the insurance man in telling her to get ready for life in a group home.

The only person who recognizes what Anna is still capable of is Batul al-Jaberi, a recent Syrian immigrant who meets Anna while doing her rounds as a janitor at the hospital. Batul is applying to medical school, where she hopes to regain control of a life hijacked by her family’s flight from persecution in the early days of the Arab Spring.

At first the friendship is what Anna and Batul each need to regain mobility. But as their relationship deepens, Batul finds she must choose between her family and Anna—a choice that will force both women to rewrite their notions of loyalty.

In Berlin is a work of empathetic precision, exploring both the unpredictable nature by which geopolitics and scientific breakthroughs touch our lives, and the brave, bold, and sometimes quiet ways in which people reassert agency in the face of loss. Most of all, it taps a throughline of emotion that binds characters and readers alike across geographies, cultures, and ambitions.

This beautifully written novel spirals through a dizzying array of topics: living with disability, reconciling religion and sexuality, and machine learning, to name a few. This book explores love and care, the expectations we put on ourselves and others, and the all to real notion that love often is simply not enough. I loved getting lost in Anna and Batul’s Berlin, and I think I am more understanding and empathetic for having done so.

Thanks to NetGalley and Eric Silberstein for this early reader copy of In Berlin

Anna a career driven and healthy woman who suffers a spinal stroke meets Batul, a syrian woman who dreams of being a doctor. This isn’t just a story of Anna’s rough road to recovery and rediscovering who she is post spinal stroke, but of her strength and enthusiasm for her life getting better. It’s also about Batul and her struggle with identifying the deep bond she shares with Anna and her connection to her culture and life in Syria. Although they are very different to one another, they form this complex yet beautiful connection. As the book progresses the complexities get even more complex, well worth the read. I feel I have learnt a lot just from reading this book.

A spellbinding book! When a young woman has a tragic accident, she befriends someone who will.change her life. Character driven and well-plotted. Draws you in quickly.