Kirillow

Franz Kober and Julian Nagel are more than friends; they are almost like chosen brothers. Enrolled at the University of Frankfurt, they study not so much a specific field as the fundamental question of how to distinguish between false and true life. Unexpectedly—more easily than in the first two novels—Andreas Maier entangles us with Kirillow in the web of relationships and conversations of these two young men and their group, who are constantly on the move: in search of enlightenment, a life goal, a partner, recognition, more alcohol, more sausages, and a place to sleep for the rest of the night. The humor with which Maier addresses the seriousness of youth's struggles is both entertaining and compelling, without making the slightest concession to frivolity.