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One Clear Ice-cold January Morning at the Beginning of the 21st Century
A contemporary Berlin fairy tale that bristles with urban truths - the first novel of Germany's most successful playwright
"A highly original and often hypnotic work . . . exactly the type of book that readers in search of striking European voices should embrace" John Boyne, author of THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PYJAMAS
A contemporary Berlin fairy tale that bristles with urban truths - the first novel of Germany's best-known contemporary playwright
One clear, ice-cold January morning shortly after dawn, a wolf crosses the border between Poland and Germany. His trail leads all the way to Berlin, connecting the lives of disparate individuals whose paths intersect and diverge.
On an icy motorway eighty kilometres outside the city, a fuel tanker jack-knifes and explodes. The lone wolf is glimpsed on the hard shoulder and photographed by Tomasz, a Polish construction worker who cannot survive in Germany without his girlfriend. Elisabeth and Micha run away through the snow from their home village, crossing the wolf's tracks on their way to the city. A woman burns her mother's diaries on a Berlin balcony. And Elisabeth's father, a famous sculptor, observes the vast skeleton of a whale in his studio and asks: What am I doing here? And why?
Experiences and encounters flicker past with a raw, visual power, like frames in a black and white film. Those who catch sight of the wolf see their own lives reflected, and find themselves searching for a different path in a cold time. This first novel of Germany's most celebrated contemporary playwright is written in prose of tremendous power and precision.
"A highly original and often hypnotic work . . . exactly the type of book that readers in search of striking European voices should embrace" John Boyne, author of THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PYJAMAS
A contemporary Berlin fairy tale that bristles with urban truths - the first novel of Germany's best-known contemporary playwright
One clear, ice-cold January morning shortly after dawn, a wolf crosses the border between Poland and Germany. His trail leads all the way to Berlin, connecting the lives of disparate individuals whose paths intersect and diverge.
On an icy motorway eighty kilometres outside the city, a fuel tanker jack-knifes and explodes. The lone wolf is glimpsed on the hard shoulder and photographed by Tomasz, a Polish construction worker who cannot survive in Germany without his girlfriend. Elisabeth and Micha run away through the snow from their home village, crossing the wolf's tracks on their way to the city. A woman burns her mother's diaries on a Berlin balcony. And Elisabeth's father, a famous sculptor, observes the vast skeleton of a whale in his studio and asks: What am I doing here? And why?
Experiences and encounters flicker past with a raw, visual power, like frames in a black and white film. Those who catch sight of the wolf see their own lives reflected, and find themselves searching for a different path in a cold time. This first novel of Germany's most celebrated contemporary playwright is written in prose of tremendous power and precision.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2016
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709 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
January 20, 2024
Wow. There's so much to ponder here. A solid 4✩s.
”The newspapers were full of the story, the wolf had names or nicknames. The city was abuzz with excitement. The stray wolf in winter. The stray wolf on his way to Berlin.”
I have to admit that it was the cover that caught my eye. Who has ever seen such a long title for a book? What on earth could it be about? And the wolf on the cover. Yup, sold.
The story opens with a collision on a highway in a snowstorm. People are caught in the long line of traffic, waiting for the road to be cleared. In the distance, a wolf is spotted. And photographed.
The chapters are short, no more than a few pages long. Each vignette features different characters, whose stories overlap in telling the story of life in a modern city. The isolation. The fear. Feelings of disenchantment. Wanting to belong.
And still the wolf marches to Berlin… bringing all sorts of different reactions from people. This was interesting to me, as I felt that how people felt towards the wolf reflected what was going on in their minds and hearts.
The book captured an essence which I can’t explain properly. I was absolutely intrigued by it, which is why it took me so long to complete this review. I couldn’t begin to think to put into words the impact this book had on me.
There's a feeling of urban decay across the pages. Buildings and people's lives falling into disarray. While the wolf's pawprint is freshly imprinted on the snow.
Read this fab review! It will explain things far better than I can.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
”The entire city in uproar. The newspaper, the headlines. The local television. The news going across the globe. The wolf of Berlin. People of the world, look at this city, see how it has changed. This wolf is a Berliner.”
”The newspapers were full of the story, the wolf had names or nicknames. The city was abuzz with excitement. The stray wolf in winter. The stray wolf on his way to Berlin.”
I have to admit that it was the cover that caught my eye. Who has ever seen such a long title for a book? What on earth could it be about? And the wolf on the cover. Yup, sold.
The story opens with a collision on a highway in a snowstorm. People are caught in the long line of traffic, waiting for the road to be cleared. In the distance, a wolf is spotted. And photographed.
The chapters are short, no more than a few pages long. Each vignette features different characters, whose stories overlap in telling the story of life in a modern city. The isolation. The fear. Feelings of disenchantment. Wanting to belong.
And still the wolf marches to Berlin… bringing all sorts of different reactions from people. This was interesting to me, as I felt that how people felt towards the wolf reflected what was going on in their minds and hearts.
The book captured an essence which I can’t explain properly. I was absolutely intrigued by it, which is why it took me so long to complete this review. I couldn’t begin to think to put into words the impact this book had on me.
There's a feeling of urban decay across the pages. Buildings and people's lives falling into disarray. While the wolf's pawprint is freshly imprinted on the snow.
Read this fab review! It will explain things far better than I can.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
”The entire city in uproar. The newspaper, the headlines. The local television. The news going across the globe. The wolf of Berlin. People of the world, look at this city, see how it has changed. This wolf is a Berliner.”
September 25, 2024
I read the English translation of this German language original. You can tell just by the title of the book that it’s going to be a bit different. I was prompted to read it after seeing the review by my GR Friend Nat K, (to whom, many thanks). As I write this, Nat’s review is the most liked, and appears at the top of the community reviews. I encourage you to read it.
Nat says in her review that “There’s so much to ponder here”. I agree with her comment and would add only that, having pondered the book, I remain unclear as to what it all means. Then again, I enjoy novels that leave the reader thinking.
This is one of those books where a series of individuals, who don’t know each other, become connected through a central event. I don’t mind that as the theme for a novel, but I have read others where the use of different backstories becomes repetitive. The author avoids that pitfall by keeping the book short.
As set out in the blurb, the story hangs around a lone wolf that crosses the Polish-German border and heads towards Berlin. It’s first spotted by Tomasz, a Polish construction worker heading for a job in Berlin. Tomasz is someone who seems to have great difficulty in relating to other people. Actually a lot of the characters in the novel seem to have that problem, though none as severe as Tomasz.
A 16-year-old girl and her boyfriend run away from their parents’ homes in a village near the Polish border and head to Berlin, mirroring the wolf’s journey. Another character, a young Berliner named Charly, becomes obsessed with the wolf. Further characters are introduced and paths cross. Walking through the streets of Berlin, the teenage runaways have a conversation:
“It’s like a grid’, she said. ‘Everything’s like a grid’.
‘What, the city?’
‘No, everything. It seems as if there’s nothing but straight lines, all paths are set out, you can’t deviate from the grid…”
So is this a suggestion that the book’s characters all have a pre-determined fate?
I suppose in the end, I took this as a portrait of a group of people. It’s a bit like a random snapshot taken on a city street, with a story that sets out the complexity and diversity of those pictured.
Nat says in her review that “There’s so much to ponder here”. I agree with her comment and would add only that, having pondered the book, I remain unclear as to what it all means. Then again, I enjoy novels that leave the reader thinking.
This is one of those books where a series of individuals, who don’t know each other, become connected through a central event. I don’t mind that as the theme for a novel, but I have read others where the use of different backstories becomes repetitive. The author avoids that pitfall by keeping the book short.
As set out in the blurb, the story hangs around a lone wolf that crosses the Polish-German border and heads towards Berlin. It’s first spotted by Tomasz, a Polish construction worker heading for a job in Berlin. Tomasz is someone who seems to have great difficulty in relating to other people. Actually a lot of the characters in the novel seem to have that problem, though none as severe as Tomasz.
A 16-year-old girl and her boyfriend run away from their parents’ homes in a village near the Polish border and head to Berlin, mirroring the wolf’s journey. Another character, a young Berliner named Charly, becomes obsessed with the wolf. Further characters are introduced and paths cross. Walking through the streets of Berlin, the teenage runaways have a conversation:
“It’s like a grid’, she said. ‘Everything’s like a grid’.
‘What, the city?’
‘No, everything. It seems as if there’s nothing but straight lines, all paths are set out, you can’t deviate from the grid…”
So is this a suggestion that the book’s characters all have a pre-determined fate?
I suppose in the end, I took this as a portrait of a group of people. It’s a bit like a random snapshot taken on a city street, with a story that sets out the complexity and diversity of those pictured.
April 22, 2018
A novel of BERLIN
4.5*
#coldwolf
A wolf pads across the border from Poland to Germany and lopes along motorways, railway tracks and cuttings, across the snow-bedecked countryside, seemingly headed for Berlin. He is the Leitmotiv that holds together snapshots of lives, of people who find themselves drawn to the capital city for a variety of reasons. The wolf is occasionally spotted; some want to kill him, others to capture him on film. He is a shadowy figure, much like the humans who are intrigued by his lonely sightings.
The chapters are for the most part short and punchy. This perhaps reflects the author’s style, as he is a playwright. It is also beautifully translated by Jamie Bulloch. The book portrays a cross-section of humanity, trying to eke out a living in and around Berlin. There are many unhappy lives – loneliness and sadness are the inescapable feelings in this mucky, snowy city early one January at the beginning of the 21st Century.
As the various characters make their way around the city, we have glimpses of lives that are ordinary, yet individual. Yes, it is a parable; yes, it is also a snapshot of a city with a huge and oftentimes violent history. Just like the wolf, governed by environment, the people are themselves part of the fabric of the edgy city, moulded, influenced and ultimately subject to the whims of this capricious an colourful city. There are stark reminders of the historical division that somehow permeates the very core of life in Berlin.
The city is portrayed as linear, metallic, sliced and unforgiving. It makes a stark backdrop to the softer forms of the people whose lives we track: two young people flee an abusive mother; a lonely Polish worker struggles with his relationship; a woman is observed chopping and burning diaries on her balcony; an elderly couple has chosen to stay in an apartment block that is being renovated, and have their electricity cut… yes, it is an absorbing and at times depressing read.
The city itself comes through loud and clear. I took it with me on a recent trip to Berlin and was staying near Schönhauser Allee. Part of the book is set around that long street in the former Eastern sector and thus the book felt supremely real. I half wondered whether I would have a sighting of a wolf as I, too, made my way around the city, to Alexanderplatz, to Gesundbrunnen (the Dark Worlds and bunker tours office is there) and the shopping centre, which the characters visited. This book will offer you a really interesting perspective on this oftentimes uneasy but ultimately fascinating and beguiling city.
I certainly found this book appealing and the publishers Maclehose Press say it is ‘one to watch for 2018’. Yes, I loved it, it has a very cinematic appeal but will it have wider appeal, I wonder?
And what of the title? I can’t really conclude without giving it a mention. It’s long and eye catching, for sure – it is in fact the first part of the opening sentence – but as a title it is also a mouthful. When people asked what I was reading, I was able to recall the odd word from the title, and would mostly evade the question and say I was reading the latest book by Roland Schimmelpfennig. I still don’t remember the full title and have to keep looking it up to get the words in the right order. It’s definitely a talking point – not sure it’s a great marketing ploy; sadly, I feel, the title may not be an asset to getting the book in front of a wider audience. Readers! I would love to hear what you think of the title, do leave your thoughts in the comments below!!
If you are going to Berlin (or, indeed, know the city well) then I recommend that you do buy this book, it will add a really perceptive and immersive dimension to your trip and offer societal insight into what you observe as you make your way around the city.
4.5*
#coldwolf
A wolf pads across the border from Poland to Germany and lopes along motorways, railway tracks and cuttings, across the snow-bedecked countryside, seemingly headed for Berlin. He is the Leitmotiv that holds together snapshots of lives, of people who find themselves drawn to the capital city for a variety of reasons. The wolf is occasionally spotted; some want to kill him, others to capture him on film. He is a shadowy figure, much like the humans who are intrigued by his lonely sightings.
The chapters are for the most part short and punchy. This perhaps reflects the author’s style, as he is a playwright. It is also beautifully translated by Jamie Bulloch. The book portrays a cross-section of humanity, trying to eke out a living in and around Berlin. There are many unhappy lives – loneliness and sadness are the inescapable feelings in this mucky, snowy city early one January at the beginning of the 21st Century.
As the various characters make their way around the city, we have glimpses of lives that are ordinary, yet individual. Yes, it is a parable; yes, it is also a snapshot of a city with a huge and oftentimes violent history. Just like the wolf, governed by environment, the people are themselves part of the fabric of the edgy city, moulded, influenced and ultimately subject to the whims of this capricious an colourful city. There are stark reminders of the historical division that somehow permeates the very core of life in Berlin.
The city is portrayed as linear, metallic, sliced and unforgiving. It makes a stark backdrop to the softer forms of the people whose lives we track: two young people flee an abusive mother; a lonely Polish worker struggles with his relationship; a woman is observed chopping and burning diaries on her balcony; an elderly couple has chosen to stay in an apartment block that is being renovated, and have their electricity cut… yes, it is an absorbing and at times depressing read.
The city itself comes through loud and clear. I took it with me on a recent trip to Berlin and was staying near Schönhauser Allee. Part of the book is set around that long street in the former Eastern sector and thus the book felt supremely real. I half wondered whether I would have a sighting of a wolf as I, too, made my way around the city, to Alexanderplatz, to Gesundbrunnen (the Dark Worlds and bunker tours office is there) and the shopping centre, which the characters visited. This book will offer you a really interesting perspective on this oftentimes uneasy but ultimately fascinating and beguiling city.
I certainly found this book appealing and the publishers Maclehose Press say it is ‘one to watch for 2018’. Yes, I loved it, it has a very cinematic appeal but will it have wider appeal, I wonder?
And what of the title? I can’t really conclude without giving it a mention. It’s long and eye catching, for sure – it is in fact the first part of the opening sentence – but as a title it is also a mouthful. When people asked what I was reading, I was able to recall the odd word from the title, and would mostly evade the question and say I was reading the latest book by Roland Schimmelpfennig. I still don’t remember the full title and have to keep looking it up to get the words in the right order. It’s definitely a talking point – not sure it’s a great marketing ploy; sadly, I feel, the title may not be an asset to getting the book in front of a wider audience. Readers! I would love to hear what you think of the title, do leave your thoughts in the comments below!!
If you are going to Berlin (or, indeed, know the city well) then I recommend that you do buy this book, it will add a really perceptive and immersive dimension to your trip and offer societal insight into what you observe as you make your way around the city.
March 5, 2020
So - this is a novel by Germany's "most celebrated contemporary playwright" - I would advise that he stick to - plays.
It was easy enough to read - and reasonably interesting. I think the inhabitants of Berlin and its environs would probably relate to the story much more easily and with far more interest - as the city is very present throughout:
He looked for them in Alexanderplatz, he looked for them in Mauerpark, then he looked for them in Gleisdreieck, he drove up and down Oranienstrasse, and finally he looked for them in Wrangelkiez, Kreuzberg.
I did get out my big old Atlas and checked to see where places were, but I didn't have a large scale plan of the city - Berlin, so I certainly missed a lot. Should have used Google Maps I suppose. I do like to know what is being referred to - but there were so many names/places - for which I have No Mental Map - how could I - I have never been to Berlin.
Anyway - back to the story - I liked the details of all the different people and their stories interconnecting. This gave a very contemporary illusion of modern life - many times family members passing the same spot but missing each other by minutes or hours or simply not seeing the person who should have been visible to them. A comment very much on how modern living has left people disconnected.
A HUGE massive theme on the effects of alcoholism - but it felt preachy. The boy's mother - alchoholic - the boy's father ditto. Then the girl's parents - similar. I suppose the girl's mother hit the girl - when she was drunk. Sorry but I don't need a "heads up" on the destructive effects of alcohol - specifically with reference to families. Same heavy hand with Guns - destructive power of etc.
Next point - the missing names palaver. We are allowed to hear - Charly and Jacky - refer to each other by their names, and we are told the names of the main couple, Tomasz and Agnieszka, and other characters do refer to these people by their names. However, when we come to the boy and girl who run away - Elizabeth and Micha - these names are simply not used. It's just "the boy and girl did this, the boy and girl did that". And the parents of both children are endlessly referred to as "the boy's father, or the mother of the girl, or the boy's mother, the girl's father" - it becomes remarkably tedious. I can only guess at the author's point - these parents did not retain the right to have names of their own? I can understand that the children have no identity to anyone - In The City - which is why they are endlessly referred to as "the boy and the girl". OhKay - but it makes for very clumsy reading.
Next point - Turkish immigrants - the young female reporter who decides to cover the story of the wolf - doesn't know anything at all about wolves - but we do have her name - which I've forgotten.
Finally - I have in fact had an encounter - with a wolf. It was when I lived in Edmonton, Alberta. I liked walking in the river valleys- especially in winter - the frozen water in the river bed provided a very nice hard, flat surface to walk on. Anyway - I was climbing down a steep bank one day to reach the bed, when I saw a wolf directly opposite me on the other side. He looked straight at me - and like everyone in Schimmelpfennig's story - I thought no way - it's a dog. But I also knew that I was looking at something wild, ALIVE. No dog - a quick, clean intelligence assessing me. No challenge, just need to know - what I was. And then he and the wolves behind him, simply turned and disappeared into the rough vegetation at the top of the bank.
Appearance of the wolf - the late afternoon sun caught his fur and he seemed completely shades of glowing silver and black. Only the eyes - intelligent, and quiet, were golden.
The wolf presumably is intended as a metaphor in Roland's novel - each and every person projects onto IT - his feelings about the world, his/her life, the environment, the spread, or interconnectedness of the city with wild areas and vice-versa.
It was easy enough to read - and reasonably interesting. I think the inhabitants of Berlin and its environs would probably relate to the story much more easily and with far more interest - as the city is very present throughout:
He looked for them in Alexanderplatz, he looked for them in Mauerpark, then he looked for them in Gleisdreieck, he drove up and down Oranienstrasse, and finally he looked for them in Wrangelkiez, Kreuzberg.
I did get out my big old Atlas and checked to see where places were, but I didn't have a large scale plan of the city - Berlin, so I certainly missed a lot. Should have used Google Maps I suppose. I do like to know what is being referred to - but there were so many names/places - for which I have No Mental Map - how could I - I have never been to Berlin.
Anyway - back to the story - I liked the details of all the different people and their stories interconnecting. This gave a very contemporary illusion of modern life - many times family members passing the same spot but missing each other by minutes or hours or simply not seeing the person who should have been visible to them. A comment very much on how modern living has left people disconnected.
A HUGE massive theme on the effects of alcoholism - but it felt preachy. The boy's mother - alchoholic - the boy's father ditto. Then the girl's parents - similar. I suppose the girl's mother hit the girl - when she was drunk. Sorry but I don't need a "heads up" on the destructive effects of alcohol - specifically with reference to families. Same heavy hand with Guns - destructive power of etc.
Next point - the missing names palaver. We are allowed to hear - Charly and Jacky - refer to each other by their names, and we are told the names of the main couple, Tomasz and Agnieszka, and other characters do refer to these people by their names. However, when we come to the boy and girl who run away - Elizabeth and Micha - these names are simply not used. It's just "the boy and girl did this, the boy and girl did that". And the parents of both children are endlessly referred to as "the boy's father, or the mother of the girl, or the boy's mother, the girl's father" - it becomes remarkably tedious. I can only guess at the author's point - these parents did not retain the right to have names of their own? I can understand that the children have no identity to anyone - In The City - which is why they are endlessly referred to as "the boy and the girl". OhKay - but it makes for very clumsy reading.
Next point - Turkish immigrants - the young female reporter who decides to cover the story of the wolf - doesn't know anything at all about wolves - but we do have her name - which I've forgotten.
Finally - I have in fact had an encounter - with a wolf. It was when I lived in Edmonton, Alberta. I liked walking in the river valleys- especially in winter - the frozen water in the river bed provided a very nice hard, flat surface to walk on. Anyway - I was climbing down a steep bank one day to reach the bed, when I saw a wolf directly opposite me on the other side. He looked straight at me - and like everyone in Schimmelpfennig's story - I thought no way - it's a dog. But I also knew that I was looking at something wild, ALIVE. No dog - a quick, clean intelligence assessing me. No challenge, just need to know - what I was. And then he and the wolves behind him, simply turned and disappeared into the rough vegetation at the top of the bank.
Appearance of the wolf - the late afternoon sun caught his fur and he seemed completely shades of glowing silver and black. Only the eyes - intelligent, and quiet, were golden.
The wolf presumably is intended as a metaphor in Roland's novel - each and every person projects onto IT - his feelings about the world, his/her life, the environment, the spread, or interconnectedness of the city with wild areas and vice-versa.
April 25, 2019
arriva il lupo e semina lo scompiglio, ma non riesce a scalfire la solitudine di quanti lo sfiorano. secco, essenziale, struggente e amaro. strabello.
January 17, 2019
In un chiaro, gelido mattino di gennaio all’inizio del ventunesimo secolo è sicuramente un romanzo particolare, non tanto per la storia in sé, ma per come essa è stata narrata da Roland Schimmelpfennig.
Tutto inizia con l’apparizione inaspettata di un lupo in una Berlino gelida e immersa nella neve. Da quel momento si intrecciano le storie di persone molto diverse tra loro, che per un motivo o per un altro si conoscono, si incrociano, si amano e si odiano, si perdono e si ritrovano.
Noi lettori non sapremo i nomi di tutti, anzi, la maggior parte avrà nomi molto generici come il ragazzo e la ragazza, o ancora, il padre del ragazzo e la madre della ragazza.
Non ci affezioneremo a queste persone, non c’è tempo, non c’è occasione, non ci sono possibilità.
Lo stile di Roland Schimmelpfennig è secco, minimalista, senza sfumature emotive. Le parole si susseguono una dopo l’altra formando frasi brevi, concise e dirette. Tutto sembra un continuo colpo di fucile.
In un chiaro, gelido mattino di gennaio all’inizio del ventunesimo secolo inizia con un lupo e finisce con il lupo, sparito all’improvviso. Ed è come se sparissero anche i personaggi comparsi in queste storia: tutte le loro vite sono così intrecciate che nella mia testa si è formata, a fine lettura, una matassa aggrovigliata delle loro storie che a poco a poco ha cominciato a sbiadire, per poi disperdersi nell’aria.
In un chiaro, gelido mattino di gennaio all’inizio del ventunesimo secolo è un libro che mi ha colpito fin da subito per lo stile di Roland Schimmelpfennig. È uno stile a cui noi lettori italiani non siamo abituati; nonostante questo, il libro mi è piaciuto. Mi ha permesso di immergermi completamente nelle vie innevate di Berlino; di carpire la solitudine di alcune persone e lo sforzo che compiono per sopravvivere, rinunciando a vivere.
È un libro che consiglio, ma per la sua particolarità credo che non molti lettori italiani lo possano apprezzare.
Tutto inizia con l’apparizione inaspettata di un lupo in una Berlino gelida e immersa nella neve. Da quel momento si intrecciano le storie di persone molto diverse tra loro, che per un motivo o per un altro si conoscono, si incrociano, si amano e si odiano, si perdono e si ritrovano.
Noi lettori non sapremo i nomi di tutti, anzi, la maggior parte avrà nomi molto generici come il ragazzo e la ragazza, o ancora, il padre del ragazzo e la madre della ragazza.
Non ci affezioneremo a queste persone, non c’è tempo, non c’è occasione, non ci sono possibilità.
Lo stile di Roland Schimmelpfennig è secco, minimalista, senza sfumature emotive. Le parole si susseguono una dopo l’altra formando frasi brevi, concise e dirette. Tutto sembra un continuo colpo di fucile.
In un chiaro, gelido mattino di gennaio all’inizio del ventunesimo secolo inizia con un lupo e finisce con il lupo, sparito all’improvviso. Ed è come se sparissero anche i personaggi comparsi in queste storia: tutte le loro vite sono così intrecciate che nella mia testa si è formata, a fine lettura, una matassa aggrovigliata delle loro storie che a poco a poco ha cominciato a sbiadire, per poi disperdersi nell’aria.
In un chiaro, gelido mattino di gennaio all’inizio del ventunesimo secolo è un libro che mi ha colpito fin da subito per lo stile di Roland Schimmelpfennig. È uno stile a cui noi lettori italiani non siamo abituati; nonostante questo, il libro mi è piaciuto. Mi ha permesso di immergermi completamente nelle vie innevate di Berlino; di carpire la solitudine di alcune persone e lo sforzo che compiono per sopravvivere, rinunciando a vivere.
È un libro che consiglio, ma per la sua particolarità credo che non molti lettori italiani lo possano apprezzare.
January 10, 2019
In Germania, nella provincia di Berlino, viene avvistato un lupo. L'animale si dirige verso la città, cosa mai successa prima d'ora e perciò molto interessante. Attorno all'evento l'autore costruisce vari personaggi, i quali si muovono come se si trovassero al di sopra di un palcoscenico.
L'autore è infatti un famoso drammaturgo tedesco e "In un chiaro gelido mattino..." è il suo romanzo d'esordio.
Ecco perché questi uomini e donne appaiono uno alla volta, o in coppia, e recitano le loro battute illuminati dalle luci del palcoscenico. Poi scompaio per riapparire ancora, e così via, dando vita ad un gioco affascinante di luci e ombre.
La prosa è molto asciutta, scorre con facilità e naturalezza e non sono riuscita a smettere di interessarmi finché il libro non è terminato!
Il lupo, come nelle favole dei fratelli Grimm, e nel folklore tedesco, indica probabilmente l'angoscia e un senso di incertezza. Questi sentimenti vibranti sono presenti in tutti i personaggi insieme alla solitudine che è intensa quanto può esserlo il gelo tedesco.
L'autore è infatti un famoso drammaturgo tedesco e "In un chiaro gelido mattino..." è il suo romanzo d'esordio.
Ecco perché questi uomini e donne appaiono uno alla volta, o in coppia, e recitano le loro battute illuminati dalle luci del palcoscenico. Poi scompaio per riapparire ancora, e così via, dando vita ad un gioco affascinante di luci e ombre.
La prosa è molto asciutta, scorre con facilità e naturalezza e non sono riuscita a smettere di interessarmi finché il libro non è terminato!
Il lupo, come nelle favole dei fratelli Grimm, e nel folklore tedesco, indica probabilmente l'angoscia e un senso di incertezza. Questi sentimenti vibranti sono presenti in tutti i personaggi insieme alla solitudine che è intensa quanto può esserlo il gelo tedesco.
June 16, 2019
This book is a lot of things: a poetic, spare modern fairytale; an allegory of border crossing; a cacophony of modern European voices. And it works beautifully on most levels.
A wolf crosses the border between Poland and Germany. As it travels on towards Berlin, the wolf is spotted by a disparate group of characters, whose lives gradually become more closely entwined. Some are obsessed with the wolf, tracking its movements, dreaming of killing it. Others have bigger problems.
The whole story is told delicately and Schimmelpfennig's skills as a playwright are in evidence in the sharp, realistic dialogue throughout. It all has a sort of Willy Vlautin-esque feel about it, lots of characters having a tough time for one reason or another, all sketched out by someone with a skillful lightness of touch.
My one criticism is the amount of voices. It is sometimes a little distracting, even overwhelming, to have such a huge cast. Still, it's a delightfully composed fairytale and we'll worth a read.
A wolf crosses the border between Poland and Germany. As it travels on towards Berlin, the wolf is spotted by a disparate group of characters, whose lives gradually become more closely entwined. Some are obsessed with the wolf, tracking its movements, dreaming of killing it. Others have bigger problems.
The whole story is told delicately and Schimmelpfennig's skills as a playwright are in evidence in the sharp, realistic dialogue throughout. It all has a sort of Willy Vlautin-esque feel about it, lots of characters having a tough time for one reason or another, all sketched out by someone with a skillful lightness of touch.
My one criticism is the amount of voices. It is sometimes a little distracting, even overwhelming, to have such a huge cast. Still, it's a delightfully composed fairytale and we'll worth a read.
February 14, 2022
A wolf appears on the border between Poland and Germany and a series of stories come together loosely tied by this event: a Polish couple living and working in Berlin, a teenage boy and girl who run away from home, a couple running a kiosk, and other inhabitants. If you live or know Berlin well this book would have been a joy to read, as the map created by the movements of both the wolves and the characters in this book would really bring the book to life.
April 29, 2025
A modern Berlin fairytale sounded really appealing, but I had no idea who this guy with the interesting name was; only when I finished and read the bit about the author at the back of the book did I learn that he's actually a playwright, and then it all made sense. It read very much like Before the Coffee Gets Cold, which I loathed: characters constantly calling each other by name (when he bothered to give them names), which no one does in real life and makes for horrible dialogue; a detached narrative view from above and descriptions that read like stage directions; a simple device employed to make the whole thing seem more intelligent (separate vignettes that are very obviously going to gradually come together) that then shoots itself in the foot by explaining and reiterating things it didn't need to and should not have to make sure you're keeping up (no, Roland, you didn't lose me); and worst of all, no character development. Oh, so-and-so drinks, he or she has a troubled relationship with them or the other, and one is annoyingly and stupidly just kind of insane, because everyone's all grey and blah like Berlin 8 months of the year otherwise and we need a splash of colour. Great. Totally uncompelling.
The wolf is the main character and literally only exists as a plot device. At least, unlike that fucking coffee book, the animal on the cover is actually in the story. 2/5 stars. Maybe even 1.5, because I plowed through this just wanting it to be over.
The wolf is the main character and literally only exists as a plot device. At least, unlike that fucking coffee book, the animal on the cover is actually in the story. 2/5 stars. Maybe even 1.5, because I plowed through this just wanting it to be over.
March 26, 2019
Chuyện về một con sói đi tới Berlin và những mảnh đời xen kẽ. Chương kết xuất hiện một người Việt.
February 25, 2016
Der junge Pole Tomasz ist auf der Heimreise aus Polen nach Berlin, wo er mit einer Baukolonne Mietshäuser entkernt. Tomasz steckt nach einem Massenunfall im dichten Schneegestöber im Stau fest, als er plötzlich einen Wolf in Richtung Berlin ziehen sieht. Tomasz fotografiert den Wolf; sein Foto wird verkauft und in allen deutschen Zeitungen abgedruckt. Um die Sichtung des Wolfs, der ungewöhnlich mager wirkt, gruppiert Roland Schimmelpfennig extrem kurze Episoden, die teils kürzer als eine Buchseite sind. Parallel zu Tomasz Wolfssichtung laufen die beiden Jugendlichen Elisabeth und Micha aus einem ostdeutschen Dorf in der Nähe der polnischen Grenze weg, stirbt ein älterer Mann am Fuß seines Hochsitzes, machen sich die Eltern der Jugendlichen auf die Suche nach ihren Kindern und beschließt der Inhaber eines Spätkaufs in Prenzlauer Berg, diesen Wolf unbedingt zu töten. Einige Figuren gehören zu jenen Deutschen, die glaubten, niemals auf legalem Weg ihren Staat hinter der Mauer verlassen zu können. Alle Episoden des komplexen Geflechts hängen mit allen anderen zusammen. Die Wege der Personen haben sich wie auf Rasterlinien einer Landkarte bereits früher gekreuzt und werden sich wieder kreuzen. Es geht um Lebensbedingungen osteuropäischer Wanderarbeiter in Berlin, um Menschen, die allein hunderte von Quadratmetern Wohnraum zur Verfügung haben, um Städter, die in abgelegene ostdeutsche Dörfer ziehen, um Alkoholismus – und um eine Nation, die sich durch einen halb verhungerten Wolf in einer Großstadt in kollektive Aufregung versetzen lässt. Um den Wolf als Katalysator drehen sich die Ereignisse, als Impulsgeber hätte ebenso gut das Gewehr des Jägers dienen können oder das entkernte Mietshaus am Ende der Lychener Straße mit seinen ehemaligen Bewohnern.
Aufgrund der Wolfsthematik war Schimmelpfennigs Episodenroman für mich persönlich ein lesenswertes Buch, weil es eine Gesellschaft demaskiert, in der das gesunde Maß dafür verloren gegangen ist, was für uns Menschen wirklich ein Risiko ist und was nur Hype einer abstrakten Bedrohung, um offenbar in erster Linie das finanzielle Überleben von Medien zu sichern. Keine der Figuren hat mehr eine Vorstellung davon, was ein Wolf ist. Um etwas über Wölfe zu erfahren, müssten sie Romane von Tolstoi lesen oder mit Menschen aus der Türkei oder Rumänien sprechen, in deren Heimatdörfern noch Wölfe gesehen werden. Es ist die Gesellschaft, in der Lehrer in vielen ersten Schulklassen Kindern zuerst erklären müssen, was ein Eichhörnchen ist und was Löwenzahn, ehe sie die entsprechenden Wörter schreiben lernen.
Wenn ich an den für den Preis der Leipziger Buchmesse nominierten Text jedoch mit dem Anspruch herangehe, dass er auch anderen Lesern außer mir gefallen soll, stehen die Konstruktion des Plots und sperrige Formulierungen aus „Vater des Jungen“ und „ Mutter des Mädchens“ einer Empfehlung entgegen. Ein Episodenroman an sich spricht eher leidensfähige Romanleser an. Vielschichtiger und stilistisch runder als Schimmelpfennigs Fährtensuche im Schnee Berlins und Ostdeutschlands finde ich in diesem Frühjahr Antje Rávic Strubels Roman In den Wäldern des menschlichen Herzens, in dem sie ebenfalls in Episodenform Rand- und Zwischenregionen unserer Zivilisation und unserer Beziehungen erkundet.
Aufgrund der Wolfsthematik war Schimmelpfennigs Episodenroman für mich persönlich ein lesenswertes Buch, weil es eine Gesellschaft demaskiert, in der das gesunde Maß dafür verloren gegangen ist, was für uns Menschen wirklich ein Risiko ist und was nur Hype einer abstrakten Bedrohung, um offenbar in erster Linie das finanzielle Überleben von Medien zu sichern. Keine der Figuren hat mehr eine Vorstellung davon, was ein Wolf ist. Um etwas über Wölfe zu erfahren, müssten sie Romane von Tolstoi lesen oder mit Menschen aus der Türkei oder Rumänien sprechen, in deren Heimatdörfern noch Wölfe gesehen werden. Es ist die Gesellschaft, in der Lehrer in vielen ersten Schulklassen Kindern zuerst erklären müssen, was ein Eichhörnchen ist und was Löwenzahn, ehe sie die entsprechenden Wörter schreiben lernen.
Wenn ich an den für den Preis der Leipziger Buchmesse nominierten Text jedoch mit dem Anspruch herangehe, dass er auch anderen Lesern außer mir gefallen soll, stehen die Konstruktion des Plots und sperrige Formulierungen aus „Vater des Jungen“ und „ Mutter des Mädchens“ einer Empfehlung entgegen. Ein Episodenroman an sich spricht eher leidensfähige Romanleser an. Vielschichtiger und stilistisch runder als Schimmelpfennigs Fährtensuche im Schnee Berlins und Ostdeutschlands finde ich in diesem Frühjahr Antje Rávic Strubels Roman In den Wäldern des menschlichen Herzens, in dem sie ebenfalls in Episodenform Rand- und Zwischenregionen unserer Zivilisation und unserer Beziehungen erkundet.
November 21, 2017
Berlijn en de wolf - dit zijn de twee verbindende motieven, waaromheen de reeks verschillende mensen in de roman staat.
Er zijn de twee tieners Elisabeth en Micha, die hun afgelegen Oost-Duitse dorp verlaten om naar Berlijn te trekken, in plaats van 's ochtends de schoolbus te nemen. De moeder van het meisje en de pas uit de psychiatrie ontslagen vader van de jongen volgen hen onafhankelijk van mekaar naar Berlijn om hen te vinden.
Dan is er het Poolse echtpaar Tomasz en Agnieszka. Hij fotografeert de wolf langs de weg toen hij kwam vast te zitten in een file onderweg naar Berlijn, zij is een schoonmaakster en verkoopt zijn foto aan de krant. De beschrijving van hun leven confronteert je als lezer met de leefomstandigheden van de Oost-Europese arbeidsmigranten in Berlijn.
En dan zijn er nog een paar andere marginale randfiguren die een kleinere rol spelen. Van sommige personages, zoals de oude jager die sterft in het bos, vroeg ik me af wat hun relevantie was voor wat er in de roman gebeurde. Iedereen dwaalt rond en is overgeleverd aan de winterkoude en aan zijn eigen sombere lot.
Alle personages ontmoeten elkaar min of meer toevallig ergens in het boek in Berlijn. Ze ruziën met zichzelf en hun geluk: ze drinken te veel, ze zijn op zoek naar geluk of een frisse start of een geweldige kans ... Ze zijn allemaal verenigd door de wolf, die ook in Berlijn aankomt en daar op veel plaatsen wordt gespot.
Het verhaal is op een kille, afstandelijke wijze beschreven, en geeft een goed beeld van het hedendaagse leven in een grootstad als Berlijn, de desoriëntatie in de sociale woestijn, werkloosheid, alcoholisme, eenzaamheid en vervreemding van de natuur. Het laat je achter met een koud, eenzaam gevoel.
Er zijn de twee tieners Elisabeth en Micha, die hun afgelegen Oost-Duitse dorp verlaten om naar Berlijn te trekken, in plaats van 's ochtends de schoolbus te nemen. De moeder van het meisje en de pas uit de psychiatrie ontslagen vader van de jongen volgen hen onafhankelijk van mekaar naar Berlijn om hen te vinden.
Dan is er het Poolse echtpaar Tomasz en Agnieszka. Hij fotografeert de wolf langs de weg toen hij kwam vast te zitten in een file onderweg naar Berlijn, zij is een schoonmaakster en verkoopt zijn foto aan de krant. De beschrijving van hun leven confronteert je als lezer met de leefomstandigheden van de Oost-Europese arbeidsmigranten in Berlijn.
En dan zijn er nog een paar andere marginale randfiguren die een kleinere rol spelen. Van sommige personages, zoals de oude jager die sterft in het bos, vroeg ik me af wat hun relevantie was voor wat er in de roman gebeurde. Iedereen dwaalt rond en is overgeleverd aan de winterkoude en aan zijn eigen sombere lot.
Alle personages ontmoeten elkaar min of meer toevallig ergens in het boek in Berlijn. Ze ruziën met zichzelf en hun geluk: ze drinken te veel, ze zijn op zoek naar geluk of een frisse start of een geweldige kans ... Ze zijn allemaal verenigd door de wolf, die ook in Berlijn aankomt en daar op veel plaatsen wordt gespot.
Het verhaal is op een kille, afstandelijke wijze beschreven, en geeft een goed beeld van het hedendaagse leven in een grootstad als Berlijn, de desoriëntatie in de sociale woestijn, werkloosheid, alcoholisme, eenzaamheid en vervreemding van de natuur. Het laat je achter met een koud, eenzaam gevoel.
May 13, 2025
Ein unmerstreifender Wolf beschäftigt einige Menschen in und um Berlin.
Einer von ihnen, Tomasz, begegnet ihm tatsächlich. Er macht ein Foto von ihm, das in allen Zeitungen abgedruckt wird. Sein Leben beeinflusst dieser kleine Ruhm allerdings kaum.
Ein Mädchen und ein Junge, die aus ihren zerrütteten Elternhäusern ausbrechen, sehen die Spuren des Wolfs im Schnee. Und der alkoholkranke Vater des Jungen folgt wiederum ihren Spuren.
Ein Kioskbesitzer möchte den Wolf erschießen und eine junge Redakteursvolontärin soll über ihn schreiben.
Und dann ist da noch Agnieszka, Tomasz' Freundin, die schwanger von einem anderen Mann ist.
Irgendwie kreuzen sich all diese Geschichten und irgendwie auch nicht. Irgendwie haben all diese Figuren nichts gemeinsam und irgendwie alles.
Schimmelpfennig reißt sie alle nur an, lässt uns nur kurz teilhaben an ihrer Verzweiflung, ihren Sorgen, ihrem Alltag. Er gibt uns keine großen Wendungen, keine abgeschlossenen Handlungsstränge, keine Happy Ends oder überhaupt Ends. Alles wird nur kurz angetippt. Wie der Wolf streifen wir all diese Leben und verlassen sie dann wieder.
Das mag unbefriedigend klingen, ist aber auf ganz eigentümliche Weise berührend. Denn obwohl Schimmelpfennig eher präzise nüchtern erzählt, findet er einen Ton, einen Sprachrhythmus, der sich unter die Haut gräbt. Seine Sätze bleiben noch lange nach dem Lesen haften, seine Figuren verlassen einen nur langsam.
Einer von ihnen, Tomasz, begegnet ihm tatsächlich. Er macht ein Foto von ihm, das in allen Zeitungen abgedruckt wird. Sein Leben beeinflusst dieser kleine Ruhm allerdings kaum.
Ein Mädchen und ein Junge, die aus ihren zerrütteten Elternhäusern ausbrechen, sehen die Spuren des Wolfs im Schnee. Und der alkoholkranke Vater des Jungen folgt wiederum ihren Spuren.
Ein Kioskbesitzer möchte den Wolf erschießen und eine junge Redakteursvolontärin soll über ihn schreiben.
Und dann ist da noch Agnieszka, Tomasz' Freundin, die schwanger von einem anderen Mann ist.
Irgendwie kreuzen sich all diese Geschichten und irgendwie auch nicht. Irgendwie haben all diese Figuren nichts gemeinsam und irgendwie alles.
Schimmelpfennig reißt sie alle nur an, lässt uns nur kurz teilhaben an ihrer Verzweiflung, ihren Sorgen, ihrem Alltag. Er gibt uns keine großen Wendungen, keine abgeschlossenen Handlungsstränge, keine Happy Ends oder überhaupt Ends. Alles wird nur kurz angetippt. Wie der Wolf streifen wir all diese Leben und verlassen sie dann wieder.
Das mag unbefriedigend klingen, ist aber auf ganz eigentümliche Weise berührend. Denn obwohl Schimmelpfennig eher präzise nüchtern erzählt, findet er einen Ton, einen Sprachrhythmus, der sich unter die Haut gräbt. Seine Sätze bleiben noch lange nach dem Lesen haften, seine Figuren verlassen einen nur langsam.
May 18, 2024
Esordio da romanziere del (così ho letto) più grande drammaturgo tedesco contemporaneo, questo libro dal titolo lunghissimo a me ha dato quasi più un'idea di cinema, quello dei film corali di Robert Altman o di Paul Thomas Anderson, con tante storie che si intrecciano, ciascuna portata avanti con scene brevi, quasi dei flash, però estremamente centrate e significative grazie alla resa di un'immagine, di una sensazione, di tre righe di dialogo.
Lo sfondo è la Berlino degli anni '00 o forse '10, non è chiarissimo, ma non importa, perché è comunque una Berlino nettamente trasformata rispetto a quella precedente alla caduta del Muro, ma che quella Berlino divisa non l'ha dimenticata, anzi ne porta i segni nel tessuto urbano e nelle anime di chi la Guerra Fredda l'ha vissuta; e intanto è cresciuta e ha accolto nuove generazioni ma anche nuove etnie, nuove memorie.
In questo scenario «in un chiaro, gelido mattino di gennaio all'inizio del ventunesimo secolo» a est della città, poco dopo il confine con la Polonia, appare un lupo (per la prima volta da secoli a questa parte) che nei giorni successivi si sposta verso ovest, si inoltra nella periferia, aggira il centro sui binari della S-Bahn e poi sparisce così come è apparso. Viene il dubbio che si sia trattato di un'allucinazione ma no, era reale, c'è chi l'ha fotografato, c'è chi se l'è trovato davanti e da allora si è dannato per ritrovarlo, c'è chi doveva farci un articolo di giornale, c'è anche chi se ne fregava ma ci ha dovuto fare i conti perché era l'ossessione del momento e la gente non parlava d'altro.
Sono questi brevi segmenti di esistenze intersecati dalla presenza del lupo a Berlino a costituire il romanzo, e quando l'animale sparisce è come se si spegnesse il proiettore, stop, ogni storia resta in sospeso, chi si cercava e continuava a sfiorarsi e perdersi per un pelo ancora non si è ritrovato, i futuri di diverse coppie sono incerti, le prossime strade non sono ancora state imboccate.
Lo sfondo è la Berlino degli anni '00 o forse '10, non è chiarissimo, ma non importa, perché è comunque una Berlino nettamente trasformata rispetto a quella precedente alla caduta del Muro, ma che quella Berlino divisa non l'ha dimenticata, anzi ne porta i segni nel tessuto urbano e nelle anime di chi la Guerra Fredda l'ha vissuta; e intanto è cresciuta e ha accolto nuove generazioni ma anche nuove etnie, nuove memorie.
In questo scenario «in un chiaro, gelido mattino di gennaio all'inizio del ventunesimo secolo» a est della città, poco dopo il confine con la Polonia, appare un lupo (per la prima volta da secoli a questa parte) che nei giorni successivi si sposta verso ovest, si inoltra nella periferia, aggira il centro sui binari della S-Bahn e poi sparisce così come è apparso. Viene il dubbio che si sia trattato di un'allucinazione ma no, era reale, c'è chi l'ha fotografato, c'è chi se l'è trovato davanti e da allora si è dannato per ritrovarlo, c'è chi doveva farci un articolo di giornale, c'è anche chi se ne fregava ma ci ha dovuto fare i conti perché era l'ossessione del momento e la gente non parlava d'altro.
Sono questi brevi segmenti di esistenze intersecati dalla presenza del lupo a Berlino a costituire il romanzo, e quando l'animale sparisce è come se si spegnesse il proiettore, stop, ogni storia resta in sospeso, chi si cercava e continuava a sfiorarsi e perdersi per un pelo ancora non si è ritrovato, i futuri di diverse coppie sono incerti, le prossime strade non sono ancora state imboccate.
December 31, 2024
Der Text hat mich nicht überzeugt. Das Wolfsthema als Verbindung war mir etwas zu wenig und die Figuren blieben mir fern und unnahbar.
January 30, 2019
Leggi la mia recensione sul blog!
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February 20, 2019
Un libro che si legge velocissimo, scritto con dei cambi di scena velocissimi e capitoli molto brevi (l'autore nasce come drammaturgo e a volte sembra di leggere un'opera teatrale più che un romanzo).
Le vite di diverse persone ruotano attorno ad un Lupo che viene avvistato vicino a Berlino e che diventa per alcuni un'ossessione, per altri una via di fuga e per altri ancora una semplice curiosità.
Troviamo due adolescenti scappano, una coppia di fidanzati polacchi con difficili decisioni da prendere, una coppia che gestisce un negozio a Berlino.
Attorno alla vicenda del lupo si dipanano tutte le storie personali di questi protagonisti in un vortice che a volte li farà convergere e a volte li terrà separati.
Un libro piacevole, lascia tutto un po' sospeso, come se avessimo potuto vedere solo una finestra nella vita di queste persone, la stessa finestra che ha osservato il lupo nella sua permanenza nei boschi!
Le vite di diverse persone ruotano attorno ad un Lupo che viene avvistato vicino a Berlino e che diventa per alcuni un'ossessione, per altri una via di fuga e per altri ancora una semplice curiosità.
Troviamo due adolescenti scappano, una coppia di fidanzati polacchi con difficili decisioni da prendere, una coppia che gestisce un negozio a Berlino.
Attorno alla vicenda del lupo si dipanano tutte le storie personali di questi protagonisti in un vortice che a volte li farà convergere e a volte li terrà separati.
Un libro piacevole, lascia tutto un po' sospeso, come se avessimo potuto vedere solo una finestra nella vita di queste persone, la stessa finestra che ha osservato il lupo nella sua permanenza nei boschi!
July 6, 2020
One Clear, Ice-Cold January Morning at the Beginning of the Twenty-first century by Roland Schimmelpfennig, translated from the German by Jamie Bulloch.
Perfect read for me at the moment. We had our coldest morning so far this winter, 4 degrees. Probably a heat wave to some but here where I am in sub tropical climes that is freezing.
The author writes plays and this is his first novel. Short pieces for each person who had sighted the wolf which had wandered across the border from Poland into Germany. Just wonderful.
Perfect read for me at the moment. We had our coldest morning so far this winter, 4 degrees. Probably a heat wave to some but here where I am in sub tropical climes that is freezing.
The author writes plays and this is his first novel. Short pieces for each person who had sighted the wolf which had wandered across the border from Poland into Germany. Just wonderful.
February 9, 2019
Bello: in superficie un viaggio nel mondo autodistruttivo degli alcolisti, raccontato in maniera molto originale ed efficace; tra le righe e più in profondità, molto materiale sociale su cui riflettere. Un consiglio, leggetelo senza interruzioni, o con poche pause, perché "fare una sosta è più doloroso che continuare"
February 10, 2021
I haven't read a book like this before. At times I thought it was a bit weird but I was fascinated by how the stories of a handful of people were interwoven without the characters noticing it, sometimes only catching a glimpse at the complicated lives of the others. The language is plain, yet poetic.
August 16, 2023
zabrakło mi dobrego połączenia wątków i sensu niektórych epizodów. A poza tym, na co ten wilk?
March 25, 2016
Roland Schimmelpfennig ist Deutschland meist gespielter Dramatiker. Dies ist sein erster Roman, mit dem er direkt für den Preis der Leipziger Buchmesse nominiert wurde.
Am Rand von Berlin taucht ein Wolf auf. Erzählt wird von verschiedenen Personen, die im Laufe ihrer kurzen Geschichte auf den Wolf treffen oder mit jemandem zu tun haben, der ihm begegnet.
Ein junger Pole begegnet dem Wolf auf der Autobahn, als er hinter einem Stau hält. Er ist auf dem Weg zu seiner Freundin nach Berlin, wo diese als Putzfrau arbeitet – und eine Affäre hat.
Zwei Jugendliche reißen von Zuhause aus. Sie wollen sich nach Berlin durchschlagen. Beide wuchsen in schwierigen Verhältnissen auf. Trotzdem machen sich ihre Eltern in Berlin auf die Suche nach ihnen.
Die verschiedenen Charaktere begegnen und verpassen sich. Ein paar der Personen fand ich nicht so interessant wie andere; sie erschienen mir flacher als andere Charaktere. Doch darüber halfen mir dann zwei Dinge hinweg: Zum Einen die Verknüpfungen zwischen Charaktere, zum Anderen der stets interessante Schreibstil Schimmelpfennigs, der den Eindruck erweckt, das jederzeit etwas Spannendes passieren könnte. So viel passiert aber eigentlich nie; zumindest nichts, das uns in der heutigen Welt noch stark schockiert (sind doch Ehebruch, Alkoholismus, Autounfälle, angeschossen werden und weggelaufene Kinder in der heutigen Zeit und mit unseren Medien beinahe schon Alltag).
Mich hat das Buch stark an Bernhard Aichners Schnee kommt erinnert, in dem Menschen durch einen Autounfall in einem Tunnel festsitzen und nach und nach aufgedeckt wird, dass diese Menschen eine Verbindung zueinander haben, von der sie teilweise selbst nicht wissen. Mag einer eines der Bücher, sollte er unbedingt auch das andere lesen!
Mir hat An einem klaren, eiskalten Januarmorgen zu Beginn des 21. Jahrhunderts sehr gefallen. Meiner Meinung nach absolut begründet für den Preis der Leipziger Buchmesse nominiert. Überaus lesenswert!
Weitere Rezensionen von mir findest du auf meinem Blog www.buchstuetze.wordpress.com
Am Rand von Berlin taucht ein Wolf auf. Erzählt wird von verschiedenen Personen, die im Laufe ihrer kurzen Geschichte auf den Wolf treffen oder mit jemandem zu tun haben, der ihm begegnet.
Ein junger Pole begegnet dem Wolf auf der Autobahn, als er hinter einem Stau hält. Er ist auf dem Weg zu seiner Freundin nach Berlin, wo diese als Putzfrau arbeitet – und eine Affäre hat.
Zwei Jugendliche reißen von Zuhause aus. Sie wollen sich nach Berlin durchschlagen. Beide wuchsen in schwierigen Verhältnissen auf. Trotzdem machen sich ihre Eltern in Berlin auf die Suche nach ihnen.
Die verschiedenen Charaktere begegnen und verpassen sich. Ein paar der Personen fand ich nicht so interessant wie andere; sie erschienen mir flacher als andere Charaktere. Doch darüber halfen mir dann zwei Dinge hinweg: Zum Einen die Verknüpfungen zwischen Charaktere, zum Anderen der stets interessante Schreibstil Schimmelpfennigs, der den Eindruck erweckt, das jederzeit etwas Spannendes passieren könnte. So viel passiert aber eigentlich nie; zumindest nichts, das uns in der heutigen Welt noch stark schockiert (sind doch Ehebruch, Alkoholismus, Autounfälle, angeschossen werden und weggelaufene Kinder in der heutigen Zeit und mit unseren Medien beinahe schon Alltag).
Mich hat das Buch stark an Bernhard Aichners Schnee kommt erinnert, in dem Menschen durch einen Autounfall in einem Tunnel festsitzen und nach und nach aufgedeckt wird, dass diese Menschen eine Verbindung zueinander haben, von der sie teilweise selbst nicht wissen. Mag einer eines der Bücher, sollte er unbedingt auch das andere lesen!
Mir hat An einem klaren, eiskalten Januarmorgen zu Beginn des 21. Jahrhunderts sehr gefallen. Meiner Meinung nach absolut begründet für den Preis der Leipziger Buchmesse nominiert. Überaus lesenswert!
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March 26, 2018This debut novel shares much of its dna with Schimmelpfennig’s theatre works. There are lots of storylines all seemingly coincidentally intersecting in a modern city, and dealing with figures at the margins of society that would normally disappear in the ant’s nest of city life. The events in this novel are centered around two journeys through former East Germany to the heart of Berlin. The first is the journey of a wolf, the second journey is undertaken by a young boy and girl running from home. These two journeys form a red line that guides readers past (a.o) a polish couple who do little else than work, an old couple who refuse to leave their house whilst all other apartments in their flat are being renovated, a couple of night shop owners, the ex wife of a successful artist doubting the meaning of life etc.
Whilst an enjoyable read with some powerful passages, this novel does not quite have this sense of every character being a part of a grand constellation of events of which you as a reader only grasp the surface. Maybe it is because it much less draws on the magical realism that Schimmelpfennig’s plays employ so well, but this novel rarely gets beyond just describing a number of stories, some of which feel like they don’t really get enough room to fully develop.
I would very much recommend reading one of Schimmelpfennig’s plays, such as the marvelous ‘The Golden Dragon’ if you are looking to get acquainted with his work.
Whilst an enjoyable read with some powerful passages, this novel does not quite have this sense of every character being a part of a grand constellation of events of which you as a reader only grasp the surface. Maybe it is because it much less draws on the magical realism that Schimmelpfennig’s plays employ so well, but this novel rarely gets beyond just describing a number of stories, some of which feel like they don’t really get enough room to fully develop.
I would very much recommend reading one of Schimmelpfennig’s plays, such as the marvelous ‘The Golden Dragon’ if you are looking to get acquainted with his work.
March 3, 2018
What happens in January is that a wild wolf walks across the frozen river separating Poland and eastern Germany. Which means that, when the book starts properly, mid-February, it has had time to get a lot closer to Berlin – within 80 kilometres, to be precise, for that is the road marker where one of our main characters sees it. He is trying to get back to work in Berlin for the first time in a month, and to be with his girlfriend, not knowing she has had an infidelity while he was away. Also fancying the bright lights and big city are a teenaged pair of love-birds, the boy and girl next door to each other in an eastern village, who flee an unhappy lot on the off-chance of a better one. You just know there is a chance that these characters – human and lupine alike – are sucked into one combined narrative, but you won't know quite what that will entail…
Please feel free to see the full review at:-
http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/i...
Please feel free to see the full review at:-
http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/i...
July 13, 2025
Curious little tale following a series of interlinked stories around Berlin and its environs. One of the main connections is the presence of a wolf spotted making its way toward the city for the first time in generations, and although it only appears very occasionally there was something magical about the way it pulled the narratives together. I have no idea how this was achieved as not a lot happens, and, because the novel very much focuses on one brief moment in time as the wolf appears and heads towards the city, there are not necessarily any great resolutions to all of the different stories, but I really enjoyed it as a midwinter read that felt highly evocative of both the city and the different kinds of people that live within it.
July 9, 2018
Roland Schimmelpfennig’s literary novel (translated from German by Jamie Bulloch) is an icy affair reminiscent of the movie CRASH in that it’s disparate cast are drawn together by a random event but despite its clean, cool prose the story itself left me cold as the wide cast prevented me from feeling close with any specific character and the downbeat notes left me depressed, while I didn’t know enough about Germany to comprehend the allegory.
December 11, 2016
Een fijn boek, dat ik goed kon lezen, omdat het Duits niet ingewikkeld is en de handeling eenduidig. Een wolf nadert Berlijn en een aantal mensen heeft daarmee te maken, of krijgt daarmee te maken. Een beeld van de hedendaagse mens in de grote stad, beschreven op een koele verslaggeverstoon. Koude en wolf, dat is een bedreigende combinatie. Zo is de wereld.
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