Sierra Clara
In the deep Alpine south of Germany in the 1990s, a mother and daughter of different ethnicities navigate a world shaped by patriarchal culture. Where traditional patterns of humiliation are designed to control them, they move mountains and carve out their own path.
“This book touched me deep inside my soul. The pages flew by far too quickly.” (Amazon Review)
English edition coming soon.
Clara grows up in the south of Germany near the Alpine foothills, where she is the only non-white person far and wide. Everyone looks critically at her vibrant, blonde mother, who brought her here without a father. What is she hiding? How did she end up with this child?
As a young woman Clara works as a flight attendant. Her restless travels become a quest to liberate herself from her mother’s obscure past. When she finally confronts her father, the shadows lift, and Clara realizes that he is entangled in the same web of global white male power that once had trapped her mother. Discovering that freedom always lies within ourselves, her fear of rejection resolves.
German edition: paperback, 348 pages
ISBN 978-3-98595-105-5
12,99 Euro
“A poignant novel about growing up in a society marked by prejudice and exclusion. While the story begins in 1984, the theme is now more relevant than ever. A must-read!”
Sameya Moro, Sensitive Reader, 18
As a child, Clara longs to soar through the sky and cross the most distant Alpine horizon.
She wants to immerse herself in a colorful sea of people and break free from the limitations imposed on her by her skin color. Meanwhile, her blonde and vibrant mother Sabine yearns for an idyllic piece of land where she can set down roots.
When Clara is six years old, her mother moves with her from Munich to the deep southern German province. Sabine leaves behind a draining existence as a receptionist in a large business hotel, navigating a milieu where women are kept dependent and used as bait. Her hopes to escape the disapproving glances of society by leaving the big city remain unfulfilled.
When Clara grows into a woman, she experiences firsthand the humiliations that her mom has to endure. Fortunately, her boyfriend Benedikt teaches her to embrace her body and sexuality as something treasurable. But the time comes when Clara must follow her inner calling and leave behind all those she loves.
For years, the airspace is the only place where Clara feels at home. The ambiguity in the story of her origin and the shadow of shame that looms over it leave her restless. Only one person can shed light on it all. In the encounter with her father lies Clara's deepest longing and her greatest fear. What if he rejects her?
“A magnificent novel that convincingly depicts how women are squeezed into society’s expectations. The sharp insight into emotions and the wonderfully precise language truly impressed me. At times, it is so accurate that it hurts.”
Anne Paulsen, Editor
“Through the vivid description of character and the visually powerful setting, Karin Eger has breathed an abundance of life into the story, creating a plot that inspires reflection and lingers long after. I wholeheartedly encourage you to read it if you’re in the mood for more than just a light family story. I give this well-crafted novel 5 out of 5 mountain peaks!”
Tanja Klingenberg on Goodreads
“A wonderful book! Clara is one of my favourite heroines!”
Marion Voigt, Literary Agent & Author
“I’m fascinated by the figurative writing style. It presents the characters so vividly that you think you know them personally. In one way or another you probably do. A novel in which a nostalgia resonates that seems to arise from one’s own childhood.”
Christine, Reader