Lies about my mother

Daniela Dröscher tells the story of growing up in a family dominated by one theme: the mother's body weight. Is this beautiful, strong-willed, unpredictable woman too fat? Does she need to lose weight urgently? Yes, she does. Her husband decides. And the mother is subjected to this day after day.

"Lies About My Mother" is both a narrative of a childhood in the Hunsrück region during the 1980s, increasingly overshadowed by the father's fixed idea that his wife's overweight is responsible for everything he lacks: the promotion, social advancement, recognition in the village community. It is also an inquiry into the events from today's perspective: What really happened back then? What was hidden, what was lied about? And what does all of this tell us about the larger context: the society that constantly influences us, whether we want it to or not?

Unflinchingly and impressively, Daniela Dröscher allows her childlike alter ego to relive the years during which this "chamber play called family" unfolded. She creates a novel that is both touching and insightful, exploring subtle violence, but also responsibility and care. Above all, this is a tragicomic book about a strong woman who never stops fighting for control over her own life.