Maja Haderlap tells the story of a girl, a family, and at the same time the story of a people, the Slovenes in Carinthia. The author vividly evokes the scents of summer, the cooking skills of the grandmother, the arguments of the parents, and the quirks of the neighbors. It narrates the daily struggle of a growing girl to understand her family and the people around her. Although the war is over, it remains ever-present in the minds of the Slovenian minority to which the family belongs. The memories of that terrible time are as much a part of life for the people as God. Maja Haderlap has received numerous awards for her debut novel.