The Fire

Reviews / Votes

A quietly devastating portrayal of a marriage . . . Krien beautifully conveys Rahel's sense of impotent frustration, familial tensions and the thwarted desires of middle age -- Hannah Beckerman * Observer * [A] slim yet powerful novel about families and relationships . . . subtle and psychologically astute . . . acutely observed -- P.D. Smith * Times Literary Supplement * With her trademark hypnotic prose, Krien looks at the nuances of a relationship with honesty and clarity. A stylish, subtle read that digs deeps into the human psyche. -- Zoe West * Woman & Home "Book of the Month" * The intersecting of a troubled past, uneasy present and increasingly uncertain future makes for a quiet, reflective read -- Catherine Taylor * Irish Times * Deeply engaging . . . Beautifully written, subtle and shines a light on the feelings and desires of middle-aged women -- Prudence Wade * Independent * Impactful * Irish Times (Gloss Magazine) * The Fire examines the endurance of long-time love through a couple finding themselves cocooned in an isolated farmhouse for three weeks. -- Charlie Connelly * New European * [A] perfectly paced, nuanced, forgiving story of good, flawed people with a family secret at its heart * Saga Magazine "Pick of the Month" * The plot develops with summery lightness, and the intellectual depth of this book is gradually revealed. * Spiegel * Daniela Krien's The Fire achieves the masterstroke of touching upon the existential without flaunting it. -- Rainer Moritz * Neue Zuercher Zeitung * She writes clearly and without frills. Her language is never banal, but always artfully literary. -- Anke Jahns * NDR Kultur *