Sibylle Berg has the eye of an entomologist: she scrutinizes wretched human existence for its characters, dissects feelings and dramas, stigmatizes dreams and hopes: but does so quite gently and humorously, and with empathy. She prefers being clear-sighted rather than indulging in fine feelings.

In this novella, not previously published in English, the author relates the lives of two children in the GDR, describing their families, things that were not said, projects that came to nothing, loneliness, boredom and confinement so the two protagonists decide to take a hand in shaping their own destiny.

Sibylle Berg was born in Weimar and now lives in Zurich. She has published several novels and plays.