On getting off to a flying start and pretending
to be

If you’ve set foot in a bookshop or glanced at the arts and culture section of your favourite newspaper over the past four years, you’ve probably come across the author Caroline Wahl. In 2023, the now 31-year-old’s rise to fame began with her debut novel "22 Bahnen", which promptly became a bestseller and was adapted for the screen. The sequel, "Windstärke 17", was published the following year, followed by "Die Assistentin" in 2025.

Her rise to become one of the most significant voices in contemporary German literature: exemplary. And this despite (or perhaps precisely because?) she repeatedly causes a stir. For instance, because she likes, buys and drives fast cars. She is soon even set to become the new brand ambassador for Mercedes-Benz – joining the ranks of global stars such as Roger Federer and Brad Pitt. But also because she is openly ambitious and reacts with disappointment when a literary prize does not go to her. Or because the author, who comes from a middle-class background, likes to tackle themes such as poverty and precarious family circumstances in her novels.