Fürsorge

The new novel by Anke Stelling describes the life of professional dancer Nadja, who works as an instructor at a ballet school after the end of her stage career, where she pushes her "little sheep" to their limits. Nadja is unsure of her direction in life, despite her relationship and the elaborate dinners her partner organizes. She decides to visit her mother for the first time in many years, who has been taking care of Nadja's sixteen-year-old son Mario since his birth. Mario defines himself and communicates, like his mother, solely through his body. A passionate romantic relationship develops between mother and son—much to the dismay of the observing narrator, who is not directly involved in the story. A relationship that no one else wants to acknowledge. With "Fürsorge," Anke Stelling has crafted a novel that addresses the disturbing loneliness in our society.