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An intricate, metaphysical, ambitious "psychogeography of the self" that both disrupts and elevates the 21st century vision of the novel.
Our narrator is held in complete darkness and isolation. His endless thoughts are turned into the book we are reading-Schattenfroh-directed by none other than the narrator's mysterious jailer by the same name. Undulating through explorations of Renaissance art, the German reformation, time-defying esoterica, the printing process in the 16th century, Kabbalistic mysticism, and beyond, Schattenfroh is a remarkable book that, in turn, asks the remarkable of its readers.
Interruptions, breaks, and annotations both buoy and deceive, and endless historical references, literary allusions, and wordplay construct a baroque, encyclopedic quest. Schattenfroh's publication in English marks a seminal moment in the history of the literary form.
“Schattenfroh is a deep and mighty book that forces the reader to not only think of the word 'metaphysics,' but to feel with their own skin its fearsome presence in our world.” —Vladimir Sorokin
“What competition can we talk about when dealing with perhaps the greatest German-language novel of the 21st century up to now? This in equal measure baroque and surrealist explosion of a novel belongs to the pantheon of the best works of world literature published in the past two decades.”—The Untranslated
“The novel Schattenfroh is without a doubt one of the most interesting experiments in German-language literature in recent years. … Schattenfroh is a prose work which goes far, far beyond the affairs of the current literary scene.”—Andreas Puff-Trojan, SWR2 Archivradio
“Depending on how you look at it, it is a genius, insane, dark or ridiculous book before which one can only helplessly surrender.”—Andrea Köhler, Die Zeit
"A novel of titanic ambition, Schattenfroh draws on the esoteric, overlooked corners of human history to trace the thoughts of one man wrestling with existence. Elegant in its thematic layerings, massive in scope, and replete with baffling linguistic skill, this is a literary landmark." —Starred Review, Foreword Reviews
Michael Lentz is an award-winning German author, musician, and performer of experimental texts and sound poetry. Schattenfroh is his first book to be translated into English. He currently lives in Berlin.
Max Lawton is a translator, novelist, and musician. He has translated many books by Vladimir Sorokin, including Blue Lard (NYRB Classics), Their Four Hearts, and Dispatches from the District Committee (both from Dalkey Archive Press).
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