"Reminiscent of Anthony Doerr's All the Light We Cannot See . . . Heart-stopping in its suspense and dramatic reveals." —The Boston Globe
A moving and deeply humane story about a trans man who must relinquish the freedoms of prewar Berlin to survive first the Nazis then the Allies, all while protecting the ones he loves
In 1932 Berlin, a trans man named Bertie and his friends spend carefree nights at the Eldorado Club, the epicenter of Berlin’s thriving queer community. An employee of the renowned Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld at the Institute of Sexual Science, Bertie works to improve queer rights in Germany and beyond. But everything changes when Hitler rises to power. The Institute is raided, the Eldorado is shuttered, and queer people are rounded up. Bertie barely escapes with his girlfriend, Sofie, to a nearby farm. There they take on the identities of an elderly couple and live for more than a decade in isolation.
In the final days of the war, with their freedom in sight, Bertie and Sofie find a young trans man collapsed on their property, still dressed in Holocaust prison clothes. They vow to protect him—not from the Nazis, but from the Allied forces who are arresting queer prisoners while liberating the rest of the country. Ironically, as the Allies’ vise grip closes on Bertie and his family, their only salvation is to flee to the United States.
Brimming with hope, resilience, and the enduring power of community, The Lilac People tells an extraordinary story inspired by real events and recovers an unknown moment of World War II and trans history.
Genre: Historical
A moving and deeply humane story about a trans man who must relinquish the freedoms of prewar Berlin to survive first the Nazis then the Allies, all while protecting the ones he loves
In 1932 Berlin, a trans man named Bertie and his friends spend carefree nights at the Eldorado Club, the epicenter of Berlin’s thriving queer community. An employee of the renowned Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld at the Institute of Sexual Science, Bertie works to improve queer rights in Germany and beyond. But everything changes when Hitler rises to power. The Institute is raided, the Eldorado is shuttered, and queer people are rounded up. Bertie barely escapes with his girlfriend, Sofie, to a nearby farm. There they take on the identities of an elderly couple and live for more than a decade in isolation.
In the final days of the war, with their freedom in sight, Bertie and Sofie find a young trans man collapsed on their property, still dressed in Holocaust prison clothes. They vow to protect him—not from the Nazis, but from the Allied forces who are arresting queer prisoners while liberating the rest of the country. Ironically, as the Allies’ vise grip closes on Bertie and his family, their only salvation is to flee to the United States.
Brimming with hope, resilience, and the enduring power of community, The Lilac People tells an extraordinary story inspired by real events and recovers an unknown moment of World War II and trans history.
Genre: Historical
Praise for this book
"The Lilac People is at once a poignant ode, a powerful testimony, a rousing anthem, a timely warning, and a gripping heart-in-throat novel that is as richly rendered as it is urgent. All fiction should aspire to as much." - Nawaaz Ahmed
"From its thrilling first pages to its elegiac yet buoyant close, The Lilac People is a fully immersive reading experience filled with indelible and achingly human characters. A masterful debut, and a treasure of a novel." - Christopher Castellani
"With exquisite attention to historical detail and deep compassion, Milo Todd brings to life a story that feels both urgent and timeless. From the streets of pre-war Berlin to the isolation of rural survival, we follow characters forced to choose daily between truth and safety. Through Bertie's eyes, we witness how quickly hard-won freedoms can vanish, and how the bonds of chosen family become both sanctuary and salvation. A profound and riveting story of identity and resilience, The Lilac People reclaims a powerful piece of trans history." - Christina Baker Kline
"Todd's debut is a moving and poignant reminder that, even if we imagine ourselves finished with history, history is never finished with us. The Lilac People is a bravely, brutally perfect companion for those desperate to survive our darkening century." - Patrick Nathan
"With The Lilac People, Milo Todd brings to life an almost-forgotten chapter of World War II. With this remarkable story rooted in history, the author speaks to the urgency of our times where the rights of trans individuals are steadily being robbed by right-wing extremists. It's a stunning feat of storytelling." - S Kirk Walsh
"From its thrilling first pages to its elegiac yet buoyant close, The Lilac People is a fully immersive reading experience filled with indelible and achingly human characters. A masterful debut, and a treasure of a novel." - Christopher Castellani
"With exquisite attention to historical detail and deep compassion, Milo Todd brings to life a story that feels both urgent and timeless. From the streets of pre-war Berlin to the isolation of rural survival, we follow characters forced to choose daily between truth and safety. Through Bertie's eyes, we witness how quickly hard-won freedoms can vanish, and how the bonds of chosen family become both sanctuary and salvation. A profound and riveting story of identity and resilience, The Lilac People reclaims a powerful piece of trans history." - Christina Baker Kline
"Todd's debut is a moving and poignant reminder that, even if we imagine ourselves finished with history, history is never finished with us. The Lilac People is a bravely, brutally perfect companion for those desperate to survive our darkening century." - Patrick Nathan
"With The Lilac People, Milo Todd brings to life an almost-forgotten chapter of World War II. With this remarkable story rooted in history, the author speaks to the urgency of our times where the rights of trans individuals are steadily being robbed by right-wing extremists. It's a stunning feat of storytelling." - S Kirk Walsh
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