Co. Roman einer Co-Abhängigkeit

In the organizer's words:

READING

An encounter on a bridge. A recognition, a love. The decision for a life together - regardless of the drug that accompanies him and thus now also determines her everyday life. She becomes entangled in his addiction, begins to revolve around him like he revolves around the drug: a silent center, a third instance. She flees the violence again and again, but always returns home - until one day she no longer does.

"Co" tells of compassion and creeping self-sabotage. About the dynamics of addiction, a disease from which no one is safe. About what it means to live a co-dependent life. "Co" also tells of self-empowerment and the journey of a woman who finds the strength to break free: her chance to survive. How she begins to search for her own life - and becomes more independent with each phase.

"When reading this novel, you often think: Why doesn't she leave? This novel identifies neither culprits nor victims. Rather, it is about the complexity of such a psychological relationship."

Rina Schmeller, born in 1986, studied Literary Writing in Leipzig and General and Comparative Literature in Berlin; received a residency scholarship and was part of the Author's Workshop Prose 2020 of the Literary Colloquium Berlin.

Admission: by self-assessment