The Berlin Syndrome (film tie-in)

Description

One afternoon, near the tourist trap of Checkpoint Charlie, Clare meets Andi. There is an instant attraction, and when Andi invites her to stay, Clare thinks she may finally have found somewhere to call home. But as the days pass and the walls of Andi's apartment close in, Clare begins to wonder if it's really love that Andi is searching for a or something else altogether. Berlin Syndrome is a closely observed and gripping psychological thriller that shifts between Andi's and Clare's perspectives, revealing the power of obsession, the fluidity of truth, and the kaleidoscopic nature of human relationships. A startling debut from a talented new writer.

Melanie Joosten works at the National Ageing Research Institute in Melbourne. Her debut novel, Berlin Syndrome, saw her named a Sydney Morning Herald Best Young Novelist and receive the Kathleen Mitchell Award; it is currently being made into a motion picture directed by Cate Shortland. Melanie holds a Master of Arts and a Master of Social Work. Her work appears in various publications, including Meanjin, Kill Your Darlings, Best Australian Stories 2014, and Going Down Swinging.

"Berlin Syndrome is a compelling literary thriller." --Australian Book Review "A courageous and exciting debut...Berlin Syndrome is an intelligent novel, and Joosten is masterful in her descriptions of the loneliness that can be found both in a foreign city full of strangers and in an apartment shared by two people." --Eloise Keating, Bookseller & Publisher "Berlin Syndrome is a beguiling psychological dance." --Canberra Times "In language that's hypnotic and sparse, Joosten's remarkable first novel demands to be guzzled in one sitting." --Courier Mail "Begs to be guzzled in one sitting." --Daily Telegraph "This gripping psycho-thriller has put the talented Melbourne writer on our radar big time." --Grazia "Joosten's debut novel is a taut and intimate psychological thriller...an unflinching examination of power dynamics in a relationship." --Literary Minded "[Joosten's] frank evocative depiction of what happens when loneliness and obsession collide makes for a striking debut novel." --North & South magazine "Startling yet understated...Joosten writes with authority and restraint, uncommon attributes for a first-time novelist." --Patrick Allington, SA Weekend magazine "A gripping, well-written, undisputedly strong novel." --Louise Swinn, Saturday Age "Elegantly written, especially difficult given the subject matter." --Sunday Age "A psychological thriller of the highest order, this is a strong first showing. More, please." --Sunday Herald Sun "A true psychological thriller." --Sunday Tasmanian "[A] haunting debut novel." --Sydney Morning Herald "An impressive debut." --Vogue Australia "Capture[s] the psychodynamics of a generation that is just emerging into its own on the page. I look forward to seeing what she does next." --Weekend Australian "Joosten excavates the psychology of captivity--its fear, smells, delusions and helplessness--in relentless detail and with considerable skill." --Fiona McGregor