A review by susanneb01
Adler und Engel by Juli Zeh

2.0

This book won the Deutsche Bücherpreis, but I couldn’t get into it. The novel tells about Max, an accidental human rights attorney, kind of a loser and loner who falls for Jessie, a drug addict who one night supposedly commits suicide. This propels Max further into a phase of neglect and major use of cocaine. Clara, a radio journalist and PhD candidate tries to make sense of his story, and together they uncover Jessie‘s involvement in Balkan political mafia business. Love and crime can certainly make for a thrilling read, but I found the plot too messy, too unrealistic and most of the characters unbelievable.