Mareike Fallwickl

"Hold on tight." Book presentation in German.

Luzia grows up in a community that offers a safe haven to people from all walks of life. Within the household, queer and platonic forms of love, as well as shared parenting, are the norm. Later, as an adult, Luzia, a theater director, fights against patriarchal structures and tries to bring about positive change. Her childhood friend Marle, in her early forties, feels a strong desire to have children and decides to take an unconventional path away from relationships with men. 

But suddenly, after a devastating storm, everything this chosen family has built together over decades seems to be threatened. What does it take for such a community to survive in times like these?

Mareike Fallwickl made her debut in 2018 with *Dunkelgrün fast schwarz* (Dark Green, Almost Black), followed in 2019 by *Das Licht ist hier viel heller* (The Light Is Much Brighter Here). “Die Wut, die bleibt” (2022) was a huge success with critics and audiences alike, was staged at the Salzburg Festival, and is being adapted for the big screen. “Und alle so still” (2024) made it into the top 10 of the Spiegel bestseller list and is also being staged at various theaters. Mareike Fallwickl lives in the Salzburg region and is committed to promoting literature both online and offline, with a focus on female and diverse narrative voices.

“To write like Mareike Fallwickl takes courage: she looks precisely where it hurts, exposing the oppression of women in poetic, clear language without resorting to accusation.” (Der Standard)

Mareike Fallwickl, *Haltet euch fest*, Rowohlt, 2026