Halbe Leben

A sensitive, literary novel about the conflict women face between career and family. Susanne Gregor insightfully explores themes of estrangement and alienation. Klara is dead, having fallen while hiking. Only Paulína, a Slovakian whom Klara hired after her mother suffered a stroke, was with her. Finally, the mother was taken care of. Klara could return to her career, and her husband could enjoy his freedom. Meanwhile, Paulína's own children were being looked after by her mother-in-law in Slovakia. Everything was wonderfully organized, everything seemed so simple. Everyone liked Paulína, thanking her with generous gifts for her services and extra help. Were they not even friends by now? In a clear, unpretentious language, Susanne Gregor addresses the significant issues that affect us all and tells a story of inequality—between two women, between two lives.