The Wolves We Feed. Vol 1: The Path to the Mists of Oblivion by Mr Stein J. RubachThis ambitious novel follows several families from 1854–1902 in Prussia/Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire during a turbulent period of recurring wars and battles. The focus is not on the wars, but on the individuals, many of whom were real people, as they struggled to reconcile humanist beliefs with colonialism, militarism, sexism, antisemitism and homophobia.
The first chapter starts with aging Heinrich Göring spotting his eight-year-old son, Hermann, hanging off the edge of a cliff. I expected the novel would primarily be about Hermann Göring, who went on to become a notorious Nazi official. In fact, though, it is mostly about his parents, their friends and the environment that shaped him, including the growing antisemitism that was taking hold of Germany decades before the Nazis came to power. I suspect that a subsequent volume will take up his story.
The book weaves multiple perspectives on the era, from royalty and political elites down to workers and criminals. In all cases we delve into the complexity of their relationships, and how societal expectations shaped behaviour.
One hazard of novels based on real people is confusion over similar-sounding names. I was well into the book before I got Hermann, Heinrich, and Helmut straight in my mind. The author also jumps all over in terms of dates, which I found made the storylines more difficult than was necessary to keep track of. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the book and will be curious to see how the next volume turns out.
(This review first appeared in the Historical Novel Society’s book reviews section.)
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