For Polina

The novel For Polina shines like a diamond in the German literary sky. Readers adore it – it spent a whole year at the top of Der Spiegel magazine's prestigious bestseller list. The translation rights have been sold to 30 countries. Hannes grows up in a dilapidated villa in the middle of the moors with his mum, his eccentric stepfather, and Polina, the daughter of his mother's best friend. He is quiet and timid, but has an exceptional talent for music – and he is secretly in love with Polina. When an unexpected tragedy turns his life upside down, he leaves for Hamburg and stops composing. After years of emptiness, he decides to find Polina again – using the melody he once composed for her. Written in a language that flows like beautiful, heartfelt music, the novel is primarily about love – whether it's a mother's love or a man's love for a woman – and also about a passion for music.