German / Germany
Sankt Irgendwas
(Saint Something)
Bach, Tamara
(text)
Hamburg: Carlsen, [2020]. – 123 p.
ISBN 978-3-551-58430-4
School trip | Solidarity | Rumour | Communication | Conflict
Reading age: 12+
White Ravens issue: 2021
Every novel Tamara Bach writes has it: this distinctive Bach sound – reduced, pointed, rhythmic. Other ever-present characteristics are the author’s sensibility for different moods, her subtle humour, and her unwavering loyalty to her characters. Despite these common features, each book is unique and explores the possibilities of language anew: “Sankt Irgendwas” tells the story of a school trip during which something goes wrong. What, and the whys and wherefores, remain in the dark. There are various voices and rumours, but nobody knows nothing for sure. Tamara Bach combines different text types and narrative perspectives, leaving many gaps. What actually happened is never revealed. And even if team spirit and solidarity are important themes, the book also touches upon the problem of how things gain momentum, how assumptions and presumptions take on a life of their own; and it broaches the subject of miscommunication and constant escalation. [IG]