NOMINATING LIBRARY COMMENTS
In Lutz Seiler’s “Stern 111” Carl Bischoff, the main character, is left to navigate post-Wall Berlin alone after his parents abruptly disappear. Immersed in the city’s underground scene, Carl seeks belonging among bohemians and artists while uncovering family secrets. The novel captures the quest for identity and freedom in a transforming Germany. (Stadtbibliothek Bremen) After Kruso, Star 111 opens up an atmospheric panorama of the German post-reunification period in a touching and exciting way. The novel depicts the attempts of a son and his parents to find their new fortune in Berlin and the West. Anarchy and chaos characterise the big story and the individual fates of the family members of two generations from East Germany. (Zentralbibliothek Zürich)
The full 2025 longlist can be found here. The shortlist will be announced 25 March, and the winner on 22 May.