Die schönste Version

The late 2000s and early 2010s in a small town in East Germany: The most beautiful version tells the story of Jella and Yannick, of first love that wants to do everything right. Until it turns. Back in her childhood room, Jella wonders how it could come to this. She takes a closer look at her upbringing in Lusatia. Small town and gravel pits, gangster rap and glitter lip gloss. About friends who carried her through so much. And about the moment when Yannick's hands closed around her neck. The most beautiful version is a story of awakening, recognition, and accusation, a profound introspection: Ruth-Maria Thomas writes about becoming a woman, being a woman, about bodies, desires, and deep abysses. With stylistic brilliance, great ease, and starkness, Ruth-Maria Thomas tells in her sparkling debut novel about the most beautiful things and the most terrible.

"I am impressed - by the intensity of this novel and the persistence with which Ruth-Maria Thomas seeks to explore the fate of her heroine Jella."
Julia Schoch

"I wish this book had existed during my post-reunification youth. It contains so much knowledge that was painfully missing back then."
Hendrik Bolz

"I had imagined all of this differently: Yannick and I would have simply lived in our beautiful bright apartment, with many plants, healthy, vibrant green. It would have always smelled of the mint from our balcony, we would have had couple friends who would come over for dinner, we would have said dinner, not supper. Lunch, dinner, that would have rolled off our tongues easily. We would have cooked lasagna together, with lemon pepper. Our faces would have been flushed from the heat of the stove, the wine and...