---
product_id: 8289805
title: "The Glass Room: A Novel"
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---

# The Glass Room: A Novel

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## Description

A New York Times Best-Seller Honeymooners Viktor and Liesel Landauer are filled with the optimism and cultural vibrancy of central Europe of the 1920s when they meet modernist architect Rainer von Abt. He builds for them a home to embody their exuberant faith in the future, and the Landauer House becomes an instant masterpiece. Viktor and Liesel, a rich Jewish mogul married to a thoughtful, modern gentile, pour all of their hopes for their marriage and budding family into their stunning new home, filling it with children, friends, and a generation of artists and thinkers eager to abandon old-world European style in favor of the new and the avant-garde. But as life intervenes, their new home also brings out their most passionate desires and darkest secrets. As Viktor searches for a warmer, less challenging comfort in the arms of another woman, and Liesel turns to her wild, mischievous friend Hana for excitement, the marriage begins to show signs of strain. The radiant honesty and idealism of 1930 quickly evaporate beneath the storm clouds of World War II. As Nazi troops enter the country, the family must leave their old life behind and attempt to escape to America before Viktor's Jewish roots draw Nazi attention, and before the family itself dissolves. As the Landauers struggle for survival abroad, their home slips from hand to hand, from Czech to Nazi to Soviet possession and finally back to the Czechoslovak state, with new inhabitants always falling under the fervent and unrelenting influence of the Glass Room. Its crystalline perfection exerts a gravitational pull on those who know it, inspiring them, freeing them, calling them back, until the Landauers themselves are finally drawn home to where their story began. Brimming with barely contained passion and cruelty, the precision of science, the wild variance of lust, the catharsis of confession, and the fear of failure - the Glass Room contains it all.

Review: Der Glasraum - One of the first things I noticed about this book was that the writing style reminded me of other books I had read that were translated from a language other than English, but this book was written in English, not translated. That Simon Mawer's style mimicked a novel in translation, yet was really tremendously well controlled is just one of the aspects that make this book stand out from other historical novels. For The Glass Room is an historical novel and both the sometimes subtle presence and sometimes ironic impact of historical context is integral to the story. The story starts simply enough, a Czech couple, the Landauers, on their honeymoon journey to Italy, but before they arrive there they visit the grave of the Bride's brother who died in the Great War. In just a few pages we already have some of the themes: history, endings and beginnings, death and life. But this novel is just as much about the new house that is yet to be built on a plot of land that was a present from the bride's parents. It is this house, designed by the great modern architect Rainer von Abt, that will have as its centerpiece the "Glass Room" of the title, and at the center of the room an onyx wall that is magnificent in its simplicity. The story spans the rest of the twentieth century and involves living, loving, parting, tragedy, and more than one metamorphosis for the "Glass Room" at the heart of the story. While the writing is controlled -- this can be over done and, in our book group discussion, there developed a consensus among the group that there were at least moments in the novel when the style was too controlled, where the irony was too heavy, and where the literary references were too forced. I would compare it too a film where the director is too heavy-handed resulting in the feeling that he is interfering with rather than directing the film. However, this did little to diminish my enjoyment of this novel nor did it deter our book group from unanimous praise of Mawer's literary creation. In addition to the smooth almost glass-like writing style I was impressed by the structure of the book as the story gathers speed, develops the central characters, provides suspense and deftly links the various subplots. Early in the novel the architect, Rainer von Abt, tells the Landauers that: "'I am a poet of space and form. Of light' -- it seemed to be no difficulty at all to drag another quality into his aesthetic -- 'of light and space and form. Architects are people who build walls and floors and roofs. I capture and enclose the space within.'"(p 16) The author is also a poet whose aesthetic provides similar form for this story. Yes, this is the exciting era of modern architecture, of the new era represented by artists like Mondrian and others who were establishing "de stijl". The world is constantly changing and the artists, the architects, and musicians like Janacek and Kapralova are leading the way. The political world of the story is in turmoil with changes, including another war and its aftermath, lead the Landauers to new ventures, places, and loves as the plot unfolds. However, the key to the story remains the haunting spirit of the"Glass Room".
Review: "I wish to take Man out of the Cave and float him in the air. I wish to give him a glass space to inhabit." - While on their honeymoon in Venice, Czech citizens Viktor and Liesl Landauer meet architect Rainer von Abt and see display models of the dramatically different buildings he has been creating. Afterward, von Abt extols "the virtues of glass and steel and concrete, and decrie[s] the millstones of brick and stone that hung about people's necks." Viktor is enthralled, suggesting von Abt might built a house for them. Ultimately, the architect agrees, "But form without ornament is all I can give you...Here, in the most ornamental city in the whole world [Venice], I am offering you the very opposite." After he arrives in Czechoslovakia and surveys the site, with its slope down into a garden, he indicates that he wants to work f"rom the foundations to the interior, the windows, the doorways, the furnishings, the fabric of the place as well as the structure." And so begins an enthralling tale in which the building of a spectacular and unusual house becomes the framework for a story about the social and political changes which occur in Eastern Europe between the two world wars, all of them affecting the fate of the house and the architect's dream. But it is also a story of the family, Viktor and Liesl Landauer and their children, who build and live in the house. Though Liesl is a gentile, Viktor is Jewish, and when the National Socialists seize power in Austria and begin their campaign to dominate the Sudentenland of Czechoslovakia, Viktor quickly realizes that they must leave the Glasraum they love, and sell his business to Liesl's Christian family, if they are to survive. "If you play with mad dogs, you are going to get bitten," he declares. Author Simon Mauer has always created exciting plots with important thematic overtones, and in this novel he outdoes himself, incorporating the broadest scope of any of his novels so far. Beginning in 1929, the story and the history of the house continue up to the 1990s, exploring the sociopolitical traumas of the era, from National Socialism through the Communist takeover, and the rebellion and eventual liberation of the country. Subplots and many secondary characters repeat throughout, connecting and reconnecting, over the sixty-year time span. The pacing is flawless, keeping the reader completely occupied has he explores the issues of the house and the Landauers' relationship, their friendships (and/or infidelities), and their household staff. He explores several stories of love and betrayal; stories of love sanctioned, illicit, and forbidden; and the fraught history of Czechoslovakia (and peripherally, Austria) between the wars. Mawer's prose is efficient and his style keeps the reader involved, never having to stop to figure out what the author "really" means. Filled with vibrant imagery, both of the external and internal worlds of the characters, the novel has something for everyone. Ultimately, the stories of all the characters are resolved, with only one loose end, and readers who enjoy this novel will want to reread the preface for further insights after completing the novel. A fully-developed and thoughtful novel with a unique focus and point of view. Mary Whipple

## Features

- Used Book in Good Condition

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #1,116,582 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #145 in Jewish Historical Fiction #363 in Jewish Literature & Fiction #10,538 in Literary Fiction (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.2 out of 5 stars 2,620 Reviews |

## Images

![The Glass Room: A Novel - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71d5K98P5cL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Der Glasraum
*by J***N on April 26, 2012*

One of the first things I noticed about this book was that the writing style reminded me of other books I had read that were translated from a language other than English, but this book was written in English, not translated. That Simon Mawer's style mimicked a novel in translation, yet was really tremendously well controlled is just one of the aspects that make this book stand out from other historical novels. For The Glass Room is an historical novel and both the sometimes subtle presence and sometimes ironic impact of historical context is integral to the story. The story starts simply enough, a Czech couple, the Landauers, on their honeymoon journey to Italy, but before they arrive there they visit the grave of the Bride's brother who died in the Great War. In just a few pages we already have some of the themes: history, endings and beginnings, death and life. But this novel is just as much about the new house that is yet to be built on a plot of land that was a present from the bride's parents. It is this house, designed by the great modern architect Rainer von Abt, that will have as its centerpiece the "Glass Room" of the title, and at the center of the room an onyx wall that is magnificent in its simplicity. The story spans the rest of the twentieth century and involves living, loving, parting, tragedy, and more than one metamorphosis for the "Glass Room" at the heart of the story. While the writing is controlled -- this can be over done and, in our book group discussion, there developed a consensus among the group that there were at least moments in the novel when the style was too controlled, where the irony was too heavy, and where the literary references were too forced. I would compare it too a film where the director is too heavy-handed resulting in the feeling that he is interfering with rather than directing the film. However, this did little to diminish my enjoyment of this novel nor did it deter our book group from unanimous praise of Mawer's literary creation. In addition to the smooth almost glass-like writing style I was impressed by the structure of the book as the story gathers speed, develops the central characters, provides suspense and deftly links the various subplots. Early in the novel the architect, Rainer von Abt, tells the Landauers that: "'I am a poet of space and form. Of light' -- it seemed to be no difficulty at all to drag another quality into his aesthetic -- 'of light and space and form. Architects are people who build walls and floors and roofs. I capture and enclose the space within.'"(p 16) The author is also a poet whose aesthetic provides similar form for this story. Yes, this is the exciting era of modern architecture, of the new era represented by artists like Mondrian and others who were establishing "de stijl". The world is constantly changing and the artists, the architects, and musicians like Janacek and Kapralova are leading the way. The political world of the story is in turmoil with changes, including another war and its aftermath, lead the Landauers to new ventures, places, and loves as the plot unfolds. However, the key to the story remains the haunting spirit of the"Glass Room".

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ "I wish to take Man out of the Cave and float him in the air. I wish to give him a glass space to inhabit."
*by M***E on May 4, 2012*

While on their honeymoon in Venice, Czech citizens Viktor and Liesl Landauer meet architect Rainer von Abt and see display models of the dramatically different buildings he has been creating. Afterward, von Abt extols "the virtues of glass and steel and concrete, and decrie[s] the millstones of brick and stone that hung about people's necks." Viktor is enthralled, suggesting von Abt might built a house for them. Ultimately, the architect agrees, "But form without ornament is all I can give you...Here, in the most ornamental city in the whole world [Venice], I am offering you the very opposite." After he arrives in Czechoslovakia and surveys the site, with its slope down into a garden, he indicates that he wants to work f"rom the foundations to the interior, the windows, the doorways, the furnishings, the fabric of the place as well as the structure." And so begins an enthralling tale in which the building of a spectacular and unusual house becomes the framework for a story about the social and political changes which occur in Eastern Europe between the two world wars, all of them affecting the fate of the house and the architect's dream. But it is also a story of the family, Viktor and Liesl Landauer and their children, who build and live in the house. Though Liesl is a gentile, Viktor is Jewish, and when the National Socialists seize power in Austria and begin their campaign to dominate the Sudentenland of Czechoslovakia, Viktor quickly realizes that they must leave the Glasraum they love, and sell his business to Liesl's Christian family, if they are to survive. "If you play with mad dogs, you are going to get bitten," he declares. Author Simon Mauer has always created exciting plots with important thematic overtones, and in this novel he outdoes himself, incorporating the broadest scope of any of his novels so far. Beginning in 1929, the story and the history of the house continue up to the 1990s, exploring the sociopolitical traumas of the era, from National Socialism through the Communist takeover, and the rebellion and eventual liberation of the country. Subplots and many secondary characters repeat throughout, connecting and reconnecting, over the sixty-year time span. The pacing is flawless, keeping the reader completely occupied has he explores the issues of the house and the Landauers' relationship, their friendships (and/or infidelities), and their household staff. He explores several stories of love and betrayal; stories of love sanctioned, illicit, and forbidden; and the fraught history of Czechoslovakia (and peripherally, Austria) between the wars. Mawer's prose is efficient and his style keeps the reader involved, never having to stop to figure out what the author "really" means. Filled with vibrant imagery, both of the external and internal worlds of the characters, the novel has something for everyone. Ultimately, the stories of all the characters are resolved, with only one loose end, and readers who enjoy this novel will want to reread the preface for further insights after completing the novel. A fully-developed and thoughtful novel with a unique focus and point of view. Mary Whipple

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Beauty, fragility, transparency, and war
*by R***R on June 1, 2010*

This was the first Simon Mawer novel I've read, and I'm very glad to have bee introduced to his work. This book impresses me with its wonderfully three dimensional characters, its compelling plot, and the way it is informed by history--and makes it clear that life is shaped by history, and no one is immune to its forces--without being a simple historical novel. _The Glass Room_ is a work of fiction, but the house at its center is not: it is Tugendhat House by Mies van der Rohe, here called The Landauer House or Der Glasraum by Rainer von Abt. The house is a modernist experiment, with the main living area a glass enclosed open space room. Von Abt aims not to construct a house but to "create a work of art. A work that is the very reverse of sculpture: I wish to enclose a space'" (21). The family who lives in this house is the wealthy Landauer family: Viktor, Liesel, and their children, Ottilie and Martin. Part of what makes this book so compelling is the complexity of the characters. Viktor is a successful businessman, the head of a company that designs and manufacturers Landauer cars. He cares deeply about the latest developments in architecture and the arts, and is pleased to hire von Abt to design a living space for his growing family. At the beginning of the novel, they seem to represent all that is hopeful and modern in The Republic of Czechoslovakia. He is a Jew married to a gentile, and they surround themselves with a group of advanced friends accomplished and interested in the arts and sciences. Yet like their glass enclosed house, and like the political future of their infant nation, their relationship is fragile. Viktor almost thoughtless stumbles in what could have just been a one night stand, but becomes a passionate affair with a Viennese woman, Kata. The novel does not, however, paint him as a villian or a particularly selfish individual, but an imperfect and complex one. Though on the day of his housewarming, Viktor says that their home "says who Liesel and I are....In our wonderful glass house you can see everything" (76), the truth is that Viktor, like all the characters in the novel, has things he would prefer to keep secret. And Viktor's affair is only one of the clouds potentially disturbing their halcyon existence. Storm clouds are also gathering over Europe, as Hitler's reach extends and it becomes increasingly clear to Viktor that they have to leave their modern masterpiece of a home in The Republic of Czechoslovakia (a conclusion his wife and some of their friends resist) for Switzerland, and, eventually, leave Switzerland as well. The novel follows not only the fate of the Landauer family and that of Kata and her daughter Marika, but also that of the house, whose fate during the Nazi occupation takes some perverse twists and turns, becoming a place of ominous scientific experimentation and violence in one incarnation, and of beneficent therapy in another. The book opens with an elderly Liesel Landauer returning to Der Glasraum before flashing back to the early days of her marriage. Watching Mawer unfold the history of this place and this family highlights the beauty, fragility, and complexity of human life, and the impossibility of living a truly transparent existence.

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