'The Blind Side of the Heart' tells of two World Wars, of hope, loneliness and love, and of a life lived in terrible times. It is a great family novel, a powerful portrayal of an era, and the story of a fascinating woman.

Thomas and Ella grow up under the roof of their overpowering mother, a sculptress and a fervent believer in the socialist ideology of East Germany. She barely acknowledges Ella's vulnerable loneliness and Thomas's quiet aspirations. They create an imaginary world as a shelter from the coldness that surrounds them.