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An Honest Man

Ben Fergusson (Goodreads Author)

4.24 · Rating details · 114 ratings · 24 reviews

In West Berlin in 1989, eighteen-year-old Ralf has just left school and is living a final golden summer with his three best friends. They spend their days swimming, smoking and daydreaming about the future, oblivious to the storm gathering on the other side of the Berlin Wall.

But an unsettling discovery about his family and a meeting with the mysterious Oz shatters ...more

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Paperback, 384 pages

Published July 9th 2019 by Hachette Australia

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Apr 03, 2020 Anna Luce rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, good-reads, my-feelings, poignant-reads, 2020-reviews

★★★★✰ 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4)

In Ben Fergusson's An Honest Man our narrator Ralf revisits a particularly significant year in his life. The year is 1989 and Ralf is eighteen and lives with his family in West Berlin. Growing up in a bilingual household (his mother is English), Ralf has always felt like a bit of an outsider. In a few months him and his friends will part ways and go to separate universities (Ralf whose passion is geology plans to study in England). Until then they spend their ★★★★✰ 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4)

In Ben Fergusson's An Honest Man our narrator Ralf revisits a particularly significant year in his life. The year is 1989 and Ralf is eighteen and lives with his family in West Berlin. Growing up in a bilingual household (his mother is English), Ralf has always felt like a bit of an outsider. In a few months him and his friends will part ways and go to separate universities (Ralf whose passion is geology plans to study in England). Until then they spend their days and nights relaxing: they go to the swimming pool, on nature excursions, drink together etc. Ralf's routine is interrupted by Oz, born to Turkish parents and a few years older than him.
As Ralf struggles to reconcile himself with his growing attraction, and feelings, towards Oz, he also learns that Oz is keeping tabs on one of his neighbours, Tobias Rose. When Oz asks him for help Ralf finds himself uncovering life-altering secrets. As Ralf's relationship with Oz deepens he is forced to question where is own loyalties lie, and who is willing to betray.

While the story does delve into espionage, the focus remains primarily on Ralf. His relationship with Oz sees him embarking on a journey of self-discovery. The approach of university also alters his perceptions about who he is and who he wants to become. When a shocking discovery jeopardises what little normalcy his life contained, Ralf becomes further enmeshed in a web of deceit.
The story is very much a coming of age. To begin with Ralf is a rather sheltered and somewhat naive boy, and as the story progresses, and he starts seeing with new eyes his family and friends, he becomes more of an adult.
Ben Fergusson portrays believably fallible characters. Ralf, somewhat understandably given that he has a lot to contend with, can be rather self-centred and bratty. More than once I experienced second-hand embarrassment at what he says or does. His relationship with Oz is filled with a young sort of longing, with plenty of awkward flirting (they talk about their favourite pasta shape) and even some tender moments. Oz's introverted nature lends him an air of mystery, and readers, alongside Ralf, will find themselves wanting to learn more about him.
Ralf's group of friends was also solidly depicted and we get to see how his relationship with each one of his friends differs. His friends all have their own backstory and clear-cut personalities.
Ralf's relationship with his family plays a big role in the narrative. Although we might not like or forgive Ralf's parents, Fergusson does give these characters some nuance.
What Fergusson truly excels at is brining West Berlin to life. The setting is vividly rendered, and Fergusson creates and maintains a rather bittersweet atmosphere. Ralf's narration is filled with youthful descriptions and observations. His narrative is sensuous, as he always seem to loose himself in the bodies of those around him (noting the way the light illuminates someone's hair or face).
The ending was a bit rushed for my taste, and part of me wished for a more satisfying confrontation between Ralf and certain other characters.
Although this is a slow-burn kind of story, I finished this novel in one day. Ralf's story is absorbing, and Fergusson examines complex themes in a compelling manner. If you enjoy coming of ages, books by John Boyne, or stories set in times of political divide (such as Confession with Blue Horses and Swimming in the Dark), chances are you will like this book. ...more

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Jul 05, 2019 Eric Anderson rated it it was amazing

Last year I went to visit Berlin for the first time over a long weekend. I dont think Ive ever been to a city thats still so haunted by the after effects of war. Certainly there is more to this thriving city which is dynamic and fascinating in many ways but walking through the streets there are evident battle scars around every corner. Of course, its perfectly understandable that this would be the case because it was turned into a battlefield during WWII and then became a city literally divided ...more

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Jun 23, 2019 Susan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I have enjoyed Ben Fergussons previous novels, The Spring of Kasper Meier, and The Other Hoffman Sister, so I was delighted to receive this for review. An Honest Man, is set in Berlin, during the summer of 1989, when friends Ralf, Stefan, Maike and Petra, spend the time hanging out and their involvement in conservation and nature; passing the time before they receive their exam results and move on to university.

Ralf is half-English and plans to go to the UK to study, which is unsettling him ...more

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Sep 26, 2019 Andrew Howdle rated it really liked it

This is a novel that keeps a reader guessing to the end and shows imagination and skill in equal amounts.

The novel is written from the present, but looks back to the months prior to November 1989 when the Berlin Wall fell. The story is built skilfully around a series of doubles. The narrator, Raif Dorsam, aged eighteen, is bisexual. His life is stretched between sexual reality and fantasy: his love for Maike Willert and his desire for Osman Ozemir-- the mysterious Oz. As with a mirror facing a ...more

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Dec 07, 2019 Eddie Clarke rated it liked it

Shelves: lgbt, claphambooks, fiction, reading-group

A great sense of period and location in this gay coming-of-age romance set in a tangle of Stasi & western spies as the Berlin Wall crumbles. Honesty between family and friends is the theme and the book is character-focussed rather than exclusively genre suspenseful. An enjoyable read - apparently the third segment of a Berlin trilogy set in the same building over the course of a century. After this I quite fancy checking out the first two.

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Jul 02, 2019 Alan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

And this might have been my lasting memory of summer 1989. Even that moment I might have forgotten, recalling only my A levels and the Wall if people asked what that year had meant to me. But of course, in the end, 1989 meant neither of those things. It just meant Oz, and espionage how grand that word sounds now and I suppose my family and the terrible things we did.

Covering the tumultuous period of summer-winter of 1989 in West Berlin, Ben Fergussons new novel centres on 18-year-old Ralf, his ‘And this might have been my lasting memory of summer 1989. Even that moment I might have forgotten, recalling only my A levels and the Wall if people asked what that year had meant to me. But of course, in the end, 1989 meant neither of those things. It just meant Oz, and espionage – how grand that word sounds now – and I suppose my family and the terrible things we did.’

Covering the tumultuous period of summer-winter of 1989 in West Berlin, Ben Fergusson’s new novel centres on 18-year-old Ralf, his family and friends, and Oz, a part-time informant for the authorities who has been spying on the apartment block where Ralf’s family live. This is mostly a coming of age story, with an espionage subplot that weaves in and out of the events of Ralf and his family, before the book reaches a thrilling twist and a moving conclusion. The novel is narrated in first-person, with an older Ralf looking back on this period to understand what happened. Imagine ‘Deutschland 83’ meets ‘Call Me By Your Name’, with a little bit of ‘Stand By Me’ thrown in for good measure – that’s probably the best way I can describe the whole effect of this novel.

Ralf and his friends have just finished school – Ralf, with an English mother and German father, has been studying at an international school (hence the A-levels). His close-knit group of friends include Maike, Ralf’s erstwhile girlfriend; Stefan, his closest friend; and Petra, who has an on-off relationship with Stefan. Together they have forged tight bonds, but as the summer of 1989 unfolds these bonds start to unravel, as Ralf finds himself involved in a spying mission set for him by Oz, a 22-year old of Turkish origin, whom Ralf meets at a swimming pool but recognises from a car which has been parked outside his building for weeks. Oz is trying to find the identity of ‘Axel’, a Stasi spy that has been blackmailing leading political and military figures and who, Oz thinks, is really Ralf’s neighbour Tobias. Furthermore, Ralf finds himself torn between his love for Maike and a growing attraction to Oz. As the weeks and months go by further secrets are revealed and everything Ralf has taken for granted in his life starts to crumble:
‘I had the uneasy feeling that I was just old enough to see these things shifting for the first time, a snapshot of a much longer cycle, a split second in the inestimable history of my own deep time.’

Of course, in the background, is the fracturing of Communism and the events leading up to November 1989, when the checkpoints in Berlin were opened and the process that ultimately led to the reunification of Germany was begun. Without forcing the parallels down your throat, Fergusson manages to make the events unfolding in Ralf’s life and the wider political issues find their own threads. There are several subtle examples throughout the book of borders or edges, of something on the brink of changing: Ralf is half British and half German; he and his friends stand on the cusp of adulthood; he finds himself torn between his sexuality; and of course the Wall, which stands as a physical embodiment of the change that is to come to everyone in the novel.

I’ll be honest, when I first came to this novel, I was expecting a pretty simple spy story. Instead, what I found was a little gem of a book, with characters who came alive and clearly show a great deal of affection from the author. The various strands of the novel work in harmony, and the story of Ralf and Oz becomes more and more complicated as he – and us – start to question everyone and everything that happens. Who can we trust? Who is telling the truth? As the answers start to come and Ralf’s life explodes, the truth is shocking and the implications are massive. This is a tender, involving, beautifully written novel which draws you in and makes you care. The historical perspective is handled really well, and you truly get a sense of the teenagers in the story and their lives. It feels authentic, and is deeply moving. As I say, this was an unexpected wonder of a book, providing so much more than a simple synopsis can provide. 4.5 stars, which I’m happy to bump up to 5 simply because of the surprise of its effect on the reader. Wonderful.
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Jan 19, 2020 Benjamin Farr rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2020, lgbtqi

An excellent portrayal of a young man's life in West Berlin, 1989. It's hard to say much more without giving aspects of the plot away (the author keeps you guessing until the end), but a story I'll be thinking about long into the future.

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Sep 25, 2019 Chris rated it it was amazing

A story about family, espionage and truths. I was very intrigued with the directions the book took and the "twists" were very surprising. I had no knowledge of the plot going in and I was pleasantly surprised to say the least.

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Dec 07, 2019 Nicolas Chinardet rated it really liked it

Shelves: london-gay-reading-group, signed-copy

This is the final book of a trilogy set in the same building.

The book starts with the languorous nonchalance of the hot 1989 Berlin summer it is set in and torpor seems always about to strike but slowly the plot catches pace to an almost satisfying ending.

There are a few elements of the plot that don't come as huge surprises when they finally happen but others are much more unexpected.

This is a gentle spy story but more importantly it is a tender coming of age and moving evocation of Berlin ...more

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Jan 15, 2020 Carlos Mock rated it it was amazing

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. An Honest Man by Ben Fergusson

"Who was he? I thought. Who were we? Traitors, emigrants, West German, East German, British? We were all of those things and none of them, of course. And the trouble was that our history of lies was the only true and stable thing I'd known, however corrupt it was." p. 349

Ralf (Ralfi) Dörsay is an 18 y/o student who just finished high school. He and his three best friends, Stefan, Petra, and Maike are living a final golden summer before they enroll in University. An Honest Man by Ben Fergusson

"Who was he? I thought. Who were we? Traitors, emigrants, West German, East German, British? We were all of those things and none of them, of course. And the trouble was that our history of lies was the only true and stable thing I'd known, however corrupt it was." p. 349

Ralf (Ralfi) Dörsay is an 18 y/o student who just finished high school. He and his three best friends, Stefan, Petra, and Maike are living a final golden summer before they enroll in University. They spend their days swimming, smoking and daydreaming about the future, oblivious to the storm gathering on the other side of the Berlin Wall.

Ralfi has dated Maike for over a year and lost his virginity to her. All is well until Ralfi spots a handsome Turk by the name of Osman (Oz) Özemir. Oz has been spying his building searching for an East German spy by the code name "Axel." All Oz knows is that Axell had polio as a child and lives in Ralfi's building. As old Cold War tensions begin to tear his life apart, he finds himself caught up in a web of deceit, forced to make impossible choices about his country, his family and his heart. As the Berlin Wall falls--November 9, 1989--all is revealed.

The book is written from the first-person point of view. It's a heartfelt coming of age memoir. Alongside the intricate story, I found myself caring about the characters, learning about them, their backstories and their thoughts, which helped explain what motivated their actions as the story unfolded. I never saw the end coming! But, by then, I was so involved that it made no difference.

I loved the language about growing up. Finding out your mother has had an affair makes her human, in Ralfi's eyes: "And now? Now she had become human. Her fallibility had been exposed in an instant, like the lights going on in a club, revealing the shabbiness of all the dark forms that had a second earlier seemed so solid and so exquisite." p 114-5

On coming out: "I felt he was inviting me to explain myself. I had imagined that telling Petra would have a powerful effect on my ability to talk about Oz, but years of silence had left the connection between my mouth and my heart atrophied, like a vestigial organ--the withered legs whale or a mole rat's sightless eye. The language to say to my childhood friend, 'Yes, I love him' didn't exist. When I look for the words, I found nothing." p 258

Talking about your parent's sex lives: "It still made me feel nauseous, this talk of romance and desire and submission. I wonder if the children of good parents retain the myth that their mothers and fathers are not hot-blooded creatures like themselves, do not form childhood crushes, do not masturbate, are not easily flattered and afraid of dying." p. 337

And growing up: "I felt a pain in my chest. It was a disappointment that all of my secrets had now been revealed and yet there was still an insurmountable distance between the feelings I wanted to express to my friends and my ability to do so. Was this what it meant to be an adult? I thought, and felt sad." p. 359.

I literally had to force myself to put the book down! My only regret is that it was not longer! Loved it!!!! ...more

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May 18, 2019 Siobhan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

An Honest Man is a novel about love and Cold War tensions, set in West Berlin in 1989. Ralf is eighteen and is waiting for his exam results to see if he's going to university in England. He and his friends spend their time together, enjoying the days of summer before they all part ways. When Ralf meets Oz at a swimming pool, he is intrigued by the man, and they are drawn closer as Oz reveals dangerous secrets about possible spies and divided loyalties. Suddenly Ralf must question what he knows ...more

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Mar 25, 2020 Shawn rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is a thick, deeply enveloping treat of a read. Full of twists and deeply engaging it is a coming of age tale set in 1988-89 West Berlin where a group of teens, face the challenges of their own families during a tumultuous time in German history. The author has captured the spirit and the rich environment and wrapped around a tense and skillfully woven narrative.
The teens are enjoying a last summer before heading off to University and coming to grips with the coming changes in their own ...more

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Mar 05, 2020 Zoe Adams rated it liked it

I think this should really be 3.5 stars. It was extremely well-written, and very interesting. The characters were well developed, and the story was actually interesting and compelling. It just wasn't my 'sort' of story. I did think 'I'd rather be reading something else' frequently, and yet, it was so well done that I couldn't give up on it. It was definitely a well-crafted narrative, and a well-written novel, just not a book I could fall in love with or feel particularly attached to.

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Jul 29, 2019 Dr Tony rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Prima

A very entertaining, informative, and gripping book - in this year 30 years after it was set it was most interesting to read and experience. The West Berlin life must have been rather odd and is well-captured here. As are the brown eyes of Oz.

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Jan 31, 2020 Andrew Smith rated it really liked it

Wonderfully evocative of time and place Berlin, 1989 and an affecting portrait of young man, Ralf, and his friends poised on the brink of adulthood. An intriguing plot complicates Ralfs sexual confusion and makes for an entertaining page-turner. ...more

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Aug 05, 2019 AR MORAES rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Brilliant

This is my favourite novel by Ben Fergusson. Its a brilliant coming of age love story that brings the 80s to life and makes you miss the characters as soon as the book ends. I want to read it again straight away. ...more

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Mar 08, 2020 Frances rated it liked it

*3.5*

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Feb 24, 2020 Phil Butcher rated it really liked it

1989 Berlin - the year the wall comes down. Part a coming of age love story, part a spy thriller. Well written & captures the spirit of that era well.

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Dec 07, 2019 Jason Davis rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is a truly excellent book

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Nov 18, 2019 Patrick Ruddick rated it really liked it

A good fiction set in West Berlin with a gay twist, the wall and the Stasi spies lurking around. Worth a read.

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Feb 25, 2020 Amelia rated it liked it

2.9

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Mar 24, 2020 Caitlin Fletcher rated it really liked it

Shelves: on-my-shelf

I would have given this book three stars honestly but the way the characters are written made me get attached to them in a way that made me feel like I couldnt let them down like that. ...more

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Sep 05, 2019 Neil Spark rated it it was amazing

A great coming-of-age/spy/thriller set in Germany at the time the wall came down. Ben Fergusson further explores here the theme of family relationships he did in his second novel The Other Hoffman Sister.

Nothing and no one are what they seem in this novel about 18-year-old Ralf who has just finished high school. He is part of a group of friends, one of whom, Maike, he is having a relationship. Ralf is also attracted to men and when he meets Turkish-born Oz, his life changes. Oz is an informant ...more

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Alexander Petkovski rated it it was amazing
Aug 15, 2019

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Jul 28, 2019

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Dec 31, 2019

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May 19, 2019 Louise added it · review of another edition

I can't really rate this,as I only got 20% of the way through the book.
There was nothing wrong with the writing,I'm obviously just not a patient enough reader,as I felt nothing had happened.

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Ian Hazle rated it really liked it
Mar 01, 2020

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About Ben Fergusson

Ben Fergusson

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Ben Fergusson is an award-winning novelist. He was born in Southampton in 1980 and grew up near Didcot in Oxfordshire. He studied English Literature at Warwick University and Modern Languages at Bristol University. Since leaving university he has worked as an editor, translator and publisher in London and Berlin and currently teaches at the University of Potsdam.

Bens debut novel, The Spring of ...more