The Noise in the Silence

A book about the explosive power of friendship

Weimar, 1979 (German Democratic Republic). When Renée gets a place at university to study architecture, she can hardly believe her luck. The course is oversubscribed, and the required grades are high. Right from the start, there’s one of her fellow students whom Renée finds particularly fascinating. Uta, the daughter of a successful municipal architect, is the best at drawing in their year and is blessed with boundless energy and imagination. Renée, who comes from a humble background, is only too happy to let Uta show her how to break down seemingly insurmountable barriers. But there’s something not right about this friendship. There’s a shadow hanging over Uta, and it seems to be growing bigger and bigger...

A sensitive portrait of a friendship that pushes the boundaries of what is possible

A very personal and moving account of mental illness

Exciting setting: the Bauhaus University in Weimar during the GDR era