How a last name can be carried around for generations

Book review for Prof. Wilfried Köpcke
Kultur Hochschule Hannover
Archipel Inger-Maria Mahlke
Originally written on 29.01.2019

It is 2015 and the 95 year old Julio Baute sits in front of his television while he is watching the Tour du France. When he was younger he used to ride his bike, but right now he lives in a retirement home. Owned by nuns. Two Frenchman’s and one Dutch biker are slowly reaching the finish, which is still 47 kilometers away. From this moment Inger-Maria Mahlke goes back in time. The story goes all the way back 1919 where Augusto Baute kisses the exact same Julio on his forehead. At that moment Julio is just a few days old. Mahlke wrote her prize winning book, which she actually wanted to name ‘Latitude 28,3’, in non-chronological order.

The 42-year-old writer started her writing career with the in 2010 published novel Silberfischchen.Where that book received the first ‘Klaus-Michael-Preis’, Archipel brought her writing career to a completely new level with the ‘Deutschen Buchpreis’. The book takes place in the relatively sunny Tenerife. La Laguna to be more precise. It is the place where Mahlke used to spent quite some time during her life. That is undeniably the reason what makes the Island feel so tangible while reading the book.

Two different families seem to fleet through the book. Each with their own generations. They are however not just two common families. They are the Bernadottes and the Bautes. Known to have been connected to the higher placed persons. One of those being Franco. The man who forced his regime on the habitants of the Island.

The story rather quickly reveals what the burden of a last name can be. Namely heavy. For instance Felipe Bernadotte. His grandfather used to be one of the propaganda makers of Franco’s regime. Even though he did stand up to them when he was younger, which did not make is life easier, he now cannot seem to cope with the support his family once gave to the regime. Felipe is however not the only one having a rough time. His wife as well as his daughter have their own fascinating issues.

When looking for a real thread through the entire book, it seems that there is only one and that is the old Julio Baute. It all starts and ends with him. During his life span generation conflicts arise, families stand up to one another during politically complicated times and with each chapter it becomes more clear how regimes and wars effected the world outside as well as the world inside of a home.

The fact that Mahlke wrote Archipel in a non-chronical order might be considered the strength as well as the weakness of the book. The storyline often makes pretty big leaps, which sometimes makes it difficult to grasp how certain characters are connected to one another. Additionally, by using a non-chronological order Mahlke already puts many cards on the table. Especially concerning how certain people will end up, which definitely diminishes the suspense of the storylines.

Another interesting subject to highlight is the enormous amount of details Inger-Maria puts into the book. Not only historically, but also in the smaller things. From how the housekeeper Merche tends to always wear black clothes. No matter what the circumstances are. How the clouds gather themselves above the lake to what stand on the table once someone gets buried; “Brandy, pear juice, red wine, glasses, on the other empanadas, napkins, olives and toothpicks, diced white cheese, aniseed and tracheas, stuffed with sweet potato”. Even though details often tend to enrich stories. Mahlke actually could have taken it down a notch, since it makes some parts of the book quite wearisome.

However, political and social issues seem to be Mahlkes strong suit. Se seemingly effortless touches some of the heavier themes. Pregnancy and drug use as well as affaires pop up in the story, without pushing a certain agenda. Additionally, she wrote the book filled with historical accuracy. Which is definitely praiseworthy considering the span of time she covers with her story. Moreover, political and social issues seem to be Mahlkes strong suit. She seemingly effortless touches some of the heavier teams. Pregnancy. drug use, affaires as well as the aftermath of the colonization casually slip through the chapters. She knows how to perfectly combine those with the normal life issues such as quitting studying and falling in love. Additionally, she wrote the book full with historical accuracy. Which is praiseworthy considering the span of time she covers with the story.

The tangibility of the Island is undeniably due to the fact that Inger-Maria Mahlke used to life on the Island for quite some time. The descriptions of the life and environment are lively and atmospherically and bring you along in the lives of the Bautes and Bernadottes.

It is understandable that Inger-Maria Mahlke won the Deutscher Buchpreis. Her incredibly detailed book might be hard to grasp at certain points, but it does display the historical and relatable events in a magnificent manner.

Inger-Maria Mahlke, Archipel, Rowohlt, €20,00