Earthly Creatures

For all her life, idealistic 20-year-old bookworm Magdalena Arber has been split down the middle: veering wildly between fidelity to indoctrinated Nazi beliefs, and her father's humanist values.

Then comes the summons - the Nazi War Labour Service is conscripting her into a teaching position in East Prussia.

Magda is elated. It's a release from the cosy cage of childhood, and a chance to form young minds.

She enters a lush rural world of forests, lakes, and meadows where order prevails.

Yet there are monstrous hands out to shape the whole continuum of earthly creatures.

The Gestapo are a lurking darkness. There is bombing further East, and news of a moving Russian front.

Will Alt Schonbek burn as well? Can Magda survive?