Given the hundreds of reviews that have already been posted, I'll spare the synopsis. Suffice it to say that this is one of the best books I've read in a long time, in English or in German. I just loved it! While the overall topic was far from original, Herrndorf pulled off an extraordinary rendition of an old theme. The irreverent language, the cocky cynicism, the melancholy undertones. I really connected with both Tschick and Maik (and Isa for that matter). This was one of those rare books where you feel you've lost a friend when the story comes to an end. I'm ready to read it again! Loser. Outcast. Loner. Dork. All of those things could describe Mike Klingenberg during his seventh grade year at Hagecius High School in Berlin. His mom is in a rehab center, his dad goes on regular “business trips” with his very young secretary and Mike, like most boys his age, spends much of his time devising ways to get the girl of his dreams, Tatjana, to notice him. Or anyone to notice him, for that matter. Enter Andrej Tschichatschow, or Tschick, a Russian immigrant from the wrong side of the tracks, who shakes up Mike’s safe little world with a stolen car, and a dream to drive off into the Walachei. Wolfgang Herrndorf’s coming-of-age novel “Why We Took the Car” is a story of that summer, the one that we all had. The one that changed everything.The novel opens with Mike, covered in blood and dirt, in a police station, waiting to be arrested and sent to jail for life. How did he end up like this? Where are his parents? Who is Tschick? All questions are answered in good time through Mike’s clinical, often unintentionally funny 14-year-old voice.First, Mike takes us back to the events leading up to his getaway attempt. In truly cringe-worthy detail, Mike describes his interactions with his classmates in Berlin, where he not only has no friends, he is actively avoided. He narrates the story of his one and only nickname, Psycho, which he was awarded in 6th grade after reading a personal essay aloud in class. This, he says, was before his classmates realized how truly dull he really was. There are two reasons that a person would not have a nickname, Mike says while reflecting on the experience. Either you have no friends, or you are supremely boring. Mike, unfortunately, falls into both categories. When Tschick comes on the scene in 7th grade, he takes over Mike’s spot at the bottom rung of the social ladder. Drinking, stealing, playing hooky, the 15-year-old Russian immigrant is everything Mike’s parents don’t want him to be. Classmates avoid Tschick like the plague, and even teachers are annoyed by his thick accent and seemingly constant odor of alcohol. Naturally, Tschick isn’t invited to the annual end-of-year bash hosted by none other than Tatjana. Unfortunately, neither is Mike. When Tschick shows up at his house on the day of the party in a stolen car, Mike is ready to do something crazy. Together, they embark on a road trip for the ages.“Why We Took the Car” is a story about friendship and love and how it feels to be invisible. Herrndorf perfectly encapsulates the excruciating humiliation of rejection, and the no-consequences feeling of youth. The story also touches on deeper issues, like immigration, language, and social class, while maintaining a lighthearted, fast-paced feel in the voice of a character you can’t help but root for. Yes they stole a car. Yes, they are dodging the police. But can you really blame them?The heart and soul of the novel will certainly speak to a younger generation of Americans that feels underappreciated or invisible and lost in their routine. It will also give adults a feeling of nostalgia and remind us of our own search for the Walachei. The bright, colorful descriptions coupled with Herrndorf’s sharp prose paint a believable picture of an awkward kid who, even after messing up so thoroughly, has no regrets. Mike is a kid that we can all relate to.(Book Review by Lauren Rogers, Press Officer at the German Embassy Washington.)
What do You think about Adeus, Berlim (2013)?
Ein wundervolles Buch zum lachen, weinen und nachdenken. Ein ganz besonderer Roadtrip!
—maynor2005
Such an amazing and funny book. Highly recommended.
—Ncsiwolf
