Dva životy – Arenz Ewald (2026)

This Czech-language novel is a story about destiny, freedom and people whose lives reveal unexpected paths. In 1971, twenty-year-old Roberta returns to her home village in southern Germany after training as a dressmaker. As an only child, she faces a clearly mapped-out future: one day she will take over the family farm. In the countryside, nobody is interested in coming to terms with Germany’s past, conscientious objection, feminism, pop culture or miniskirts. Work, obedience and morality are what matter. Roberta dreams of designing her own dresses, though she knows it will remain only a dream. At the same time, she loves the family farm and physical work in nature. She also loves Wilhelm, the pastor’s son. Roberta is not the only one who remains in the village because of Wilhelm. His mother Gertrud is also held there by her desire to stay close to her son, although unlike Roberta she hates rural life and wants nothing more than to escape into the wider world. Everything changes fundamentally when both women are faced with a serious decision and a tragic accident alters their lives forever.