Folio. PLACE BRUGMANN NR. 33.

This story takes place in eight flats in Brussels under Nazi rule. Charlotte Sauvin studies art. She shares flat 3S with her father, an architect. She knows its sounds, its light and how its surfaces feel. Her close friend Julian Raphael lives on the same floor. He is an art dealer’s eldest son. Then his family vanishes with the art they prize. They leave their other things behind.

A Nazi official moves in as German rule takes hold. Charlotte’s godmother, Masa, sews for a living. She lives in the attic. She starts a risky affair with Colonel Warlemont’s former comrade. The colonel lives in flat 2S. He schemes more than his neighbours know. New bonds form, and trust can decide who lives. Each person must choose whether to obey or risk saving others.

Alice Austen’s first novel blends a tale of the past with suspense. These linked lives show love, courage, loyalty and art under threat. This edition forms part of the Folio series. It is a translation of 33 Place Brugmann.

Austen once lived in Place Brugmann after moving to Brussels. At Harvard, she studied creative writing with Seamus Heaney. She also earned a law doctorate there. She works in both plays and film. She held a residency at the Royal Court Theatre. Several countries have staged her plays. She wrote and produced her first film, Give Me Liberty. It won the John Cassavetes Award. She now lives in Milwaukee. She is at work on another film and novel.