Der große Sommer (2021)

One Grand Summer (German: Der große Sommer) is a 2021 coming-of-age novel by German author Ewald Arenz. Set in the 1980s in West Germany, the story follows 16-year-old Frieder (Friedrich) Büchner as he spends a transformative summer with his grandparents, with themes of first love, friendship, and family relationships. It became a bestseller in Germany and has been translated into several languages.

Plot

The novel is set in the early 1980s in an unnamed South German town, following 16-year-old Frieder during a transformative summer. After failing his ninth-grade year and needing to retake exams in Math and Latin, Frieder is sent to stay with his grandmother Nana and step-grandfather Walther, a strict medical professor, for six weeks to ensure he studies. Before leaving, Frieder meets Beate, a girl his age, at a local swimming pool while attempting a dive and immediately falls for her. With help from his sister Alma and best friend Johann, he manages to find out where she lives but doesn't get a chance to see her again immediately. As summer begins, Frieder's family, except for Alma who's doing an internship at a retirement home, goes on vacation.

Initially struggling with his strict grandfather, Frieder gradually develops a closer relationship with him, especially as Walther teaches Math and Latin in an unusual way. Frieder discovers and secretly reads his grandmother's diaries, learning about his grandparents' post-war love story, and sees his own feelings for Beate reflected in these accounts.

During a night-time break-in at the swimming pool, Frieder, Alma, Johann, and Beate are caught by the pool attendant. Frieder is given a choice: either he dives from the high board, or all four will be reported. Despite his fear, Frieder agrees, and is surprisingly joined by Beate. After the successful dive, they share their first kiss, beginning their relationship.

After Johann's father suddenly dies during a family vacation to Italy, his behavior becomes increasingly erratic. The friends end up accidentally damaging a digger in an abandoned quarry and flee the scene. Frieder and Beate have sex for the first time in his parents' empty apartment.

Johann, becoming increasingly unstable, suffers a psychotic episode where he falsely accuses Frieder and Alma of having an incestuous relationship, causing Beate to angrily break up with Frieder. As Johann's condition worsens, Frieder and Alma seek help from their grandfather. Johann is diagnosed with schizophrenic psychosis and forcibly hospitalized, a traumatic experience for the siblings who feel they've betrayed him. During this time, Frieder's relationship with his grandfather deepens as Walther helps him navigate the consequences of the damaged digger. With his grandmother's help, Frieder also reconciles with Beate.

The novel concludes with Frieder passing his resit exams, supported by Beate and Alma. The four friends, including a recovering Johann, reunite at a gravesite they had bought together during Johann's psychosis. An epilogue shows an adult Frieder meeting Beate at this same grave, leaving their current relationship status ambiguous.

Background

One Grand Summer draws inspiration from author Ewald Arenz's personal experiences and observations. Born in Nuremberg in 1965 and residing in Fürth, Arenz incorporated elements from his own youth into the novel. While the protagonist Frieder is not a direct representation of Arenz, the character benefits from the author's adolescent experiences, including academic struggles and the impact of loss. Arenz noted that he felt increasingly connected to his youth in recent years, recognizing how formative these experiences were for his entire life. The novel also reflects real-life events, such as the death of a friend's parent during their teenage years, which Arenz described as a life-altering experience that influenced the narrative.

Style

Arenz's writing style is characterized by its subtlety and evocative prose. The narrative structure combines present-day reflections with extended flashbacks to the pivotal summer. Critics have noted the author's ability to capture the atmosphere of a warm, long summer and the mood of 1980s Germany with well-observed details. The novel employs a light, accessible language that has been described as "light-footed" with "poetic, sometimes quite familiar images."

Themes

One Grand Summer is primarily a coming-of-age story, exploring the transformative experiences of youth. The novel delves into the themes of first love, friendship, and family relationships, set against the backdrop of 1980s Germany. Nostalgia plays a significant role in the novel. The novel also explores the lingering effects of historical events, such as World War II, on family dynamics.

Reception

One Grand Summer received largely positive reviews from critics. The novel quickly became a bestseller in Germany, with critics praising Arenz's subtle and evocative writing style. The novel was particularly well received by independent bookstores in Germany, which named it their favorite novel of 2021.