“End in Sight”, the second novel by Ronja von Rönne, became a bestseller within a very short time of its publication in January. In the RS questionnaire, the author answers 13 questions about music and literature.
Ronja von Rönne is a blogger, reporter, columnist, podcaster, presenter and novelist. In everything she does, she gives the sensibilities of her generation, the millennials, with her “complaints about life” (the subtitle of her collection of columns “Unfortunately, today is bad”) a voice that is appropriately cheeky, but also doubtful of herself and the world . Her second novel was published in January and immediately became a bestseller. “End in Sight” tells the story of two women – 69-year-old Hella and 15-year-old Juli – sometimes laconic, sometimes cautiously groping, sometimes angry and sometimes deeply sad, always with a lot of empathy. Both are unhappy. Both suffer from depression. Both want to die. Until they meet. A road novel – not against the wide horizon of the American landscape like Kerouac’s “On The Road”, but in the tunnel of the Depression, which often narrows everything. We owe the fact that “The End in Sight” still reads like a life-affirming, warm-hearted and sometimes very funny novel to Rönne’s own narrative style.
What was the last really good book you read?
“Alone” – Daniel Schreiber: A wonderful testimony of what it means to be alone. And what not. “Credits” – Steve Tesich: I only discovered this author a few weeks ago. My bookseller recommended it to me, and I’m already reading the second by it. Good booksellers are better than any algorithm.
Which literary character would you like to have as a friend?
Roald Dahl’s Matilda. The highly intelligent girl who can do telekinesis, very handy, I have to clean up anyway.
Which book do you wish more readers?
Cheeky, of course, my own. Just so I don’t have to worry about existential fears for a while. But a lot of books deserve it – one of my favorites is the young adult novel “The Middle of the World” (by Andreas Steinhoefel).
Which literary classic did you not finish reading and why?
Lots! But I’m also a firm believer in not agonizing over books. Also, I’m a child of my time and my attention span is limited.
Which novel written by someone else would you like to have written yourself?
Actually everyone. Writing a novel, getting something done in general, is actually an impossible undertaking. I have written two novels and I am nevertheless convinced that it is actually impossible to write a novel. In general: Having written is a much nicer feeling than writing.
How do you organize your bookshelf?
Formerly by cover colors. After numerous relocations: according to the supermarket concept: the best at eye level, the indifferent somewhere far up.
What book on your bookshelf would surprise us?
My large children’s book collection. I love Peter Härtling, Michael Ende, Astrid Lindgren, Ottfried Preußler and Andreas Steinhöfel. At no time does literature pick us up as much as in these formative years between 8 and 18.
How would you describe your new novel to a friend?
I don’t have to explain to my friends what End in Sight is about. They’ve listened to my whining long enough.
Assuming you’d written a novel with a truly abysmal evil protagonist, what music would they listen to?
“The greatest cuddly rock classics of all time on three CDs”
What was your last catchy tune?
“My heart is all yours” – great song, still.
When was the last time you listened to an entire album? And which one?
Caught. Very rare. Probably the last Rammstein record.
Which (relatively) unknown album would you like to see a bigger audience?
“I Love You” by Malakoff Kowalski, especially the song “Take Some Abuse”: wonderfully melancholic, a song that tastes like Coke Zero and afternoons in the Hotel California.
Which musician would you like to be for a day? And at what stage of her/his career?
Leonard Cohen. Or no, that’s wrong: I don’t want to be Leonard Cohen, I just would have liked to have been with him for a glass of wine on Hydra.
“End in Sight” was published by dtv Verlag.