After the end of the Second World War in Jerusalem in 1947, 15-year-old Holocaust survivor Tessa meets Mo, a Palestinian of the same age whose father was killed in a terrorist attack. Their nightly discussions on the roof of their shared house too often end in vain. 75 years later, in 2023, the 18-year-old conscript Anat and the Palestinian Karim meet. Their arguments continue with the same intensity. They have no idea how closely their biographies are interwoven.
Anja Reumschüssel tells the story of the Middle East conflict from the beginnings of the state of Israel to the present day in four interlinked life stories set in two different time periods. The historical facts of a complicated conflict are skilfully combined with the individual fates of the characters. In this way, the often abstract contexts are made immediately understandable to the reader. Without taking sides or patronising, the author succeeds in making the background and complexity of a seemingly unsolvable conflict tangible for young people and the spiral of violence more comprehensible. This title is nominated for the 2024 German Children՚s Literature Award.