Product Description

As the clock chimed the turn of the twentieth century, Lilly Nelly Aphrodite took her first breath. Born to a cabaret dancer and soon orphaned in a scandalous double murder, Lilly finds refuge at a Catholic orphanage, coming under the wing of the, at times, severe Sister August, the first in a string of lost loves.

There she meets Hanne Schmidt, a teen prostitute, and forms a bond that will last them through tumultuous love affairs, disastrous marriages, and destitution during the First World War and the subsequent economic collapse. As the century progresses, Lilly and Hanne move from the tawdry glamour of the tingle-tangle nightclubs to the shadow world of health films before Lilly finds success and stardom in the new medium of motion pictures and ultimately falls in love with a man whose fate could cost her everything she has worked for or help her discover her true self.

Gripping and darkly seductive, The Luminous Life of Lilly Aphrodite showcases all the glitter and splendour of the brief heyday of the Weimar Republic, and the rise of Hollywood to its golden age. As it foreshadows the horrors of the Second World War, the novel asks what price is paid when identity becomes unfixed and the social order is upended.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #869 in Books
• Published on: 2009-06-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 416 pages

Review

“Huge, beautiful 2008 novel...there’s confidence in its scope and ambition that’s very rare indeed in debut novels”

(The List )

“The novel is full of atmosphere...very convincing” “excellent characterisation...the whole story resonates with life. I Loved it” “Irresistible” “If your book club wants an unusual story with plenty to discuss, then this is the book for them”

(New Books )

'The storytelling is masterful and the language magical'

(Sunday Times )

‘A transfixing concerto of intrigue, passion, desperation, intrigue, love, heroism and tragedy’

(Easy Living )

‘Intricately plotted and filled with memorable characters, Beatrice Colin’s gorgeous novel is a lush delight that perfectly captures the spirit of Berlin ... compelling’

(The Gloss )

'Colin's descriptions of Berlin are as vibrant and alive as Lilly and the rich cast of characters around her'

(Scotland on Sunday )

‘An exceptional novel . . . Colin is an entertaining storyteller'

(Sunday Herald )

‘Bold, solid and clever’

(Herald )

‘A big, plush velvet cushion of a book’

(The List )

'Deftly captures the era’s sense of frenzied invention and seductive promise. Born on New Year’s Eve in 1899, Lilly is the incarnation of this toxic mix of glitter and despair. Over the course of nearly half a century, as troops parade through Berlin and bread lines erupt into riots, she is transformed, almost accidentally, from Tiny Lil, the unwanted baby, to Lidi, one of Germany’s most celebrated film stars . . . Colin . . . writes with a supple, whimsical charm. [The Luminous Life of Lilly Aphrodite is] absorbing in its . . . authenticity' (New York Times Book Review )

'As moving as it is smart, this tough-minded extravaganza had me from page one . . . a dazzling tale of survival in the urban wilderness' (Emma Donoghue, author of the bestselling SLAMMERKIN )

'Written with intelligence and shimmer, [The Luminous Life of Lilly Aphrodite] transports the reader to Berlin in the first part of the twentieth century. Colin’s heroine, Lilly Aphrodite, is as rich, alive, and dangerous as the city she inhabits; and as the novel progresses, Berlin’s history becomes her own.' (David Ebershoff, author of The Danish Girl and The 19th Wife )

'There are few characters as beguiling as the incomparable Tiny Lil. And Colin tells her riveting story—and the enthralling story of pre-war Berlin—breathlessly and triumphantly.' (Jennifer Gilmore, author of Golden Country )

‘A compelling story well told’

(Sun Herald (Australia) )

‘Decadent, tantalising’

(Axis Magazine )

‘This gripping and darkly seductive novel showcases the glitter and darkness of the Weimar  Republic’

(Western Daily Press )

‘A cartload of tingle-tangle fun’

(Bookmunch )

‘This absorbing read is both well researched and plushly written’

(Guardian )

‘Full of suspense, this is an all-feeling novel, seductively and dramatically told’

(Daily Mail )

‘A sparkling array of Germany’s most flamboyant characters ... intelligent, bold and  passionate, this is a beautifully written book’

(Good Book Guide )

About the Author
Beatrice Colin was born in London and raised in Scotland. She has worked as a freelance journalist, writing for publications including The Guardian, and a playwright, writing radio plays for the BBC. She lives in Glasgow.

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Customer Reviews

A luminous look into the histroy of German movie making...


This books displays the short but heady days of film making in the Weimar Republic and the climb of Hollywood into its golden age, all foreshadowed by the coming horrors of war. This is accomplished by following the life of Lilly Nelly Aphrodite, orphaned as a baby after both her parents are killed in a lovers quarrel. Her early years are spent in an orphanage and finds herself under the wing of stern Sister August. Here she befriends, Hanne Schmidt teen prostitute. The two woman form a sisterly bond that will last them through their lives from Germany's tawdry night clubs through failed marriages, Lilly's rise to movie stardom in silent films and her love affair with a man who could cost her everything. The Author does a wonderful job of breathing life into his characters and the time period. It was also obvious the author has done extensive research on his subject. I was fascinated to learn about the glamour days of German movie making after World War I through the rise of the Nazi's. German films of the 20's and early thirties were free from censorship and explored sexual themes including homosexuality. It was further interesting to learn how German film making eventually effected American Cinema. In the end however, this is the story of Lilly and the author is able to portray her rough and tumble life that never flounders in sentimentality. Highly recommended! For more excellent historical fiction about the movie industry I also recommend "Misfits Country" Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable brilliantly portrayed in there final movie rolls.

Very Film-Noir
The Luminous Life of Lily Aphrodite opens with Lily's birth. Her mother could be described as Bohemian and unconventional but her homelife is soon to be replaced by the 'family' she inherits as an orphan in a Berlin orphanage. Lily eventually befriends the streetwise Hanne who shows her life outside their home. When the orphanage closes Hanne and Lily lose touch (a recurring theme) and Lily has to grow up in a hurry as she struggles to survive in a brutal, war torn Germany.

This is where the real story begins and life for Lily just seems to be one trauma to deal with after another.

Things are bleak, depressing, grim and hopeless. Through it all though, Lily seems to keep her chin up, while all around her people are dropping like flies and making poor choices. There's not a lot of luminosity in Lily's life though, despite what the title tells you. I had thought that Lily would make a name for herself as an actress and I'd be able to revel in the success she enjoyed, but mostly there isn't a lot to celebrate. Any success she has is accidental or brought about by being in the right place at the right time and I never got the impression that Lily was very instrumental in getting to where she was.

Most of her good luck stems from the fact that she was breathtakingly beautiful with haunting eyes and a voice like a caress.....at least that's how everyone else sees her, Lily herself doesn't know what the fuss is about.

I didn't hate the book, but it's difficult for me to really love a book when things are so bleak. I was hoping for the payoff at the end, where some sort of reward was waiting for Lily, to compensate for all the hardship and fight she had to contend with, but No, the end is the worst part of all.....for Lily at least.

Beautifully written, and very well researched, it's brings the German era surrounding the first world war and the Weimar rule startlingly into focus.
I suppose it's content can be best summed up by the cover artwork .... it's very Film-Noir.

Bewitching must read
The Luminous Life of lily Aphrodite starts with Lily's birth wrapped in blue material and something of a novelty. She quickly becomes orphaned however and lily's novelty fades as she becomes a child in the Berlin orphanage under the watchful eye of Sister August. Lily's only friend is feloow orphan Hanne and while she has too much experience of the outside world Lily has none, making them an unlikely pairing. Yet as the orphanage closes Lily must face the Berlin that lies beyond the orphanage walls and splitting up from Hanne Lily's real story begins. She quickly develops from a child into a young woman struggling to survive. As Berlin seems to race towards the First World War life revolves around Lily and then sweeps her along. While Lily seems to alway teeter between respectability and poverty, Hanne falls head first into the seedy side of life and the relationship between the two becomes that terrible mix of love and hate displayed by best friends.
Lily is a wonderful character who leads us through Berlin's interwar years, through starvation, inflation, depression and joy. Lily's life reflects that of the city - full of hope and joy then taken over by danger and destruction. Lily's salvation comes from a Russian film director Ilya, who sees her talent and beauty and makes her a great film star.
This is an amazing novel, depicting the German film world and Berlin's 'tingle-tangle' clubs through the experiences of a young woman just struggling to survive in the safest way possible. A book that has to be finished once started and while often sad it is always compelling.