Tereza Semotamová

In the Cupboard

Trans. Martina Lisa
Im Schrank Im Schrank
Im Schrank
Voland & Quist, 2019, 288 pp
9783863912246
Language: German
Goodreads rating
71.4% (Rated by 161 users)

A tragicomedy about a young woman looking for her place in the world and finding refuge in an old cupboard in the middle of a town.

Literary fiction

While living abroad, a young sculptor has to contend with an unhappy relationship and the unexplained death of her partner. Returning to her own country is difficult, not least because of her personal crisis: she has no reason to live or even a place to live. However, there is an old cupboard that her respectable sister has left in the courtyard to be thrown out. Having run out of other options, she moves into it. The metaphor of a longed-for place in the world culminates as her uncomfortable dwelling in the courtyard starts leaking badly. Many things can be blocked out, but not constriction at home or within yourself. The rich and lively use of language and the sense of the absurd, drama and farce, coupled with a strong command of narration, guarantee a high-quality read. This tragicomic story has unexpected depths.

Information about the original Czech edition

Ve skříni

Im Schrank
Voland & Quist, 2019, 288 pp
9783863912246
Language: German
Goodreads rating
71.4% (Rated by 161 users)