OVERHEARD

A young man reckons with the lives of his friends and neighbors.

Kurt Endlicher is a young Viennese adult-education teacher living on his own for the first time. As the book begins, he has just moved into his aunt’s old apartment, where he initially clashes with one of his neighbors, Paul. “I had ended up living next to the most vulgar person in the world,” Kurt observes—but soon, the tension that exists between Kurt and his neighbor gives way to an often moving friendship. Kurt’s connection to his oldest friend, Frederik, and Frederik’s girlfriend, Yasmina, supply much of the book’s tension. Both Frederik and Yasmina work in medicine, leading to some wry observations: “We never interact with reasonable people whose butts are covered,” Yasmina says. Eventually, the couple separates after Frederik tells her, “You’re not an Arab Rosa Luxemburg but just a pretentious snob from the Eighteenth District.” In the aftermath of that quarrel, Frederik moves in with Kurt. Frederik then asks Kurt to keep tabs on Yasmina; Kurt in turn enlists the help of one of his students, Ferhat, to whom he is attracted. This novel has the components of a comedy of manners, but there are more serious concerns taking place in the background as well—including the 2014 fall of Mosul and broader questions of immigration, assimilation, and isolationism. Schmidt’s translation keeps things moving at a brisk pace and conveys the big ideas, subtle comedy, and moments of sadness that punctuate this book. And Kurt’s own idiosyncrasies—including hypochondria and depression—make him a memorable narrator.

A compelling chronicle of 21st-century Viennese life.