Castorp

SHORTLISTED FOR THE INDEPENDENT FOREIGN FICTION PRIZE 2008 Picking up on a throwaway line in The Magic Mountain, Castorp tells thestory of Hans Castorp's student years in Gdansk, long before theadventures in Davos described in Thomas Mann's novel. Pawel Huelleskilfully creates a credible scenario for this influential period in HansCastorp's development, imagining what happened when the rational Germanstudent was exposed to the Slavonic eastern edge of the Prussian empire.He comes across people, events and ideas that anticipate some of theencounters he will experience in years to come, including an enigmaticPolish woman who becomes his obsession. Set at the dawn of the twentieth century, Castorp faithfully recreatesthe atmosphere of central Europe as the storm began that would lead to twoworld wars. Beautifully written, full of humour, mystery and eccentricity,this is a moving tribute to a masterpiece of European literature.