The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle

Als ich das Buch kaufte, war mir schon klar, das eines dieser Bücher wird, die mich zum Weinen bringen und ich hatte recht damit. Aber tatsächlich waren es meist Tränen der Freude und weil es einen so sehr berührt. Albert Entwistles Geschichte mag zwar fiktiv sein, dennoch erzählt sie die Geschichte vieler queerer Menschen, die in eine Zeit geboren wurden, wo Homosexualität noch strafbar war. Während einige dieser Menschen sich dazu entschieden zu kämpfen, gibt es mindestens genau so viele Menschen wie Albert Entwistle, die völlig zurück gezogen und einsam leben, weil sie bis heute Angst haben, das sie aufgrund ihrer Sexualität abgelehnt werden. Doch so traurig Alberts Geschichte auch beginnt, sie gibt einen Hoffnung und Mut. Es ist so schön zu sehen, wie er mehr und mehr aufblüht und dabei so viele Menschen beeinflusst, ihnen so sehr hilft, wie sie ihm und von manch einem sogar die Blickweise ändert. Da die Geschichte kurz vor Weihnachten beginnt und die meiste Zeit über im Januar spielt, ist es das perfekt Buch für diese Zeit.

In some ways I'm like a picture that hasn't been coloured in yet. Or one that I'm still in the process of colouring in... What a beautiful book! As a character, Albert really touched me. It started off so sad, Albert really struggled with his life. He felt lonely, unloveable, and irrelevant. The writing was incredible, and the beginning made me really sad as well. I was looking forward to a real comfort read, a book that feels like a hug. But instead it made me want to cry! He turns 65 soon, and he's supposed to retire. So far, work was all he had. But confronted with retirement and the death of his cat, he starts to rethink his entire life. Through flashbacks, we find out that he used to have a boyfriend. Back when homosexuality was a crime in Britain. What makes our love so different from anybody else's? Why should we have to hide it away like it's something to be ashamed of? Years later, Albert is still in the closet and surpressed this part of his identity. When he finds old letters and pictures of George, his former boyfriend, it's a start of a journey of self-discovery. Slowly, he starts to trust the people around him, and they help him to track down George. I'm one of them. However much I've tried to resist it, I'm one of them. All the side characters are lovely and have their own quirks. There are a few well-placed subplots which add even more depth to the narrative. There was so much character development, and even minor characters went through changes. I love you a little bit more than yesterday and a little bit less than tomorrow. The reveal couldn't have been more perfect. After hitting dead ends, Albert is able to find George, who is working as drag queen in London! Using all the courage he has, Albert gets onto a train to reunite with the love of his life. And - of course - George gives him a second chance. Flashbacks reveal that they got discover by the police (Albert's own father!), and Albert takes flight, leaving George all alone. What a great book. Even though Albert's sudden changes felt a bit unrealistic from time to time, I couldn't help but fall in love with all the characters. The story is great and I was rooting for Albert and George. The writing is beautiful and sucks you in immediately. Definitely my favourite book of 2022.