Urban Melody: Exploring the Sonic Landscape of This City
Emily Marie Lara's debut novel, "Nowhere Heart Land," and Hanns-Josef Ortheil's "Schwebebahnen" are captivating readers with their exploration of personal identity and the post-war period in Germany.
In "Nowhere Heart Land," published by Pola-Verlag, we meet Rosa Konert, a 30-year-old woman who returns to Wuppertal from London. The novel spans far back in time, describing Rosa's struggles in great detail. One unforgettable sentence on page 125 reads, "This autumn day feels like the question of whom to love and why, like a rumble in the sky, like Rosa Parks after the war."
Rosa's grandparents' house in Wuppertal needs to be sold to pay for the care of a dementia-stricken grandmother. The true father of Rosa Konert is not explicitly revealed, as the story raises the question of who he really is without giving a definite answer. Rosa struggles with identity and family secrets throughout the novel, but the novel leaves this question open and unresolved.
Meanwhile, in "Schwebebahnen," published by Luchterhand-Verlag, we follow the life of a young boy named Josef who moves from Cologne to Wuppertal. Hanns-Josef Ortheil, the author of this novel, spent parts of his childhood and youth in Wuppertal in the 50s.
Josef's great talents in piano and writing cause him difficulties with his environment, hinting at Ortheil's own biography. The friendship between Josef and "Mücke" is the core of love in the novel, which paints an intense panorama of the post-war period, sparing nothing. "Schwebebahnen" is a touching piece about the hard-won magic of classical music, the secret of writing, and the power of dreams.
"Mücke" teaches Josef life and self-confidence. Good teachers, his mother, and the mother of the neighbor girl "Mücke" are important anchors for Josef in Wuppertal. The novel costs 24 euros.
Ortheil's "Schwebebahnen" is a 320-page novel that offers a poignant exploration of the post-war period, while Lara's "Nowhere Heart Land" delves into the complexities of personal identity and family secrets. Both novels are must-reads for anyone interested in contemporary German literature.
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