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In 1936 Ernest Tinnion leaves England for Switzerland to climb, with his childhood friend Hansi Kirchner, the awesome north face of the Versucherin. As they prepare the ascent, unforeseen pressures mount: from Tinnion’s lover, who has left her husband to join him; from a too curious, menacing German photographer; and from a rival Italian team. In a breathtaking climax, Tinnion is forced to weigh survival against loyalty, neutrality against love and friendship, and to recognise ominous parallels with the looming global conflict.
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Reviews
'Excellent, exquisitely crafted... one of Britain's finest writers' Daily Mail.
'That rare thing: a novel of action and emotion which is also a novel about the way people think … it is a tremendous achievement' Independent.
'Christopher Burns' harsh, beautiful novel employs a number of unforgettable mountaineering images to dig deep into the condition of the European soul on the eve of war' Kazuo Ishiguro.