Reading by Eva Menasse

After the end of her marriage, the narrator finds herself alone with her weekend house in the East German countryside. What once symbolized family idyll must now become a place of new beginnings - amid renovation work, burst pipes, peculiar neighbourhood disputes, and mysterious staff. In the process, she takes stock of her own life, uncovering both old memories and unexpected insights. Ultimately, she decides to sell the beloved house to break free once more.

"Alleinruhelage" (Kiepenheuer & Witsch) is a novel about estrangement, home, and farewell - a witty reflection on ruptures and turning points, as well as the pitfalls of German-German history.

Eva Menasse, born in Vienna in 1970, is one of the most significant literary voices in the German-speaking world. Following her debut "Vienna", she has written novels and stories such as "Lässliche Todsünden", "Quasikristalle", and "Tiere für Fortgeschrittene", as well as the bestseller "Dunkelblum".