Marie

Twelve-year-old Frido tells his little sister Chiara a disturbing bedtime story. It’s about an old man who steals a baby. When Chiara shortly afterwards tells their mother about it, she reacts in shock. In a fit of anger, she hits her daughter. A secret, a taboo, is tangible. From that moment on, the small family is thrown off balance. Veronika Kelber struggles between her desire to be a good single mother, to find a new partner, to endure the rejection of her ex-husband, and to heal the wound that constantly reminds her of her terrible failure as a mother, wife, and human being. When she finally loses control of her life, she pulls her three children into a whirlwind of events that will change everything. Steven Uhly's new novel "Marie" is a masterfully composed drama.