With his debut "Roxy", Johann von Bülow presents a multi-layered coming-of-age novel with convincing characters.
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Roy did it to Marc from the first moment.
The self-confident way in which Roy not only defies the teachers at school, but also sees many of his classmates as little subordinates, repels Marc and fascinates him at the same time.
Having grown up in a semi-detached house in Munich in the 1980s, Marc does not have the whole world at his disposal.
Roy, whose family has more money than he can ever spend, seems a little bored with everything that's possible.
Johann von Bülow's debut is a novel about friendship
Johann von Bülow "Roxy": About the book
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With "Roxy" the actor Johann von Bülow presents a recommendable debut.
© Pantermedia/Imago/Rowohlt (montage)
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At the beginning of the novel, Marc Berger makes his way from Berlin to Munich to attend the funeral of his best friend Roy.
Right here, the topic of "death" forms a kind of counterweight to the carefree youth and the friendship that both characters had in Munich in the early 1980s.
Both have the disco "Roxy" in common, where friendship and rivalry, boasting and restraint meet.
Munich, 1980s: Marc grows up in the semi-detached house.
He wants to break out, become an actor, conquer the world.
It's already lying at the feet of his friend, the industrialist's son Roy – actually Robert.
The two dream and hope, grow together, but also into a world of glamor that meets in the classy disco "Roxy".
They celebrate existence.
But the lines between friendship and rivalry are sometimes thin.
You meet the stunning Carolin who changes everything.
blurb / Rowohlt
The disco is where the youth of the 80s meet.
The show-offs on the dance floor, the silent observers on the sidelines, so as not to attract attention but to have been there.
In between the jumps in time and Marc's trip to Munich for his friend's funeral.
Marc, who became an actor and lives in Berlin.
The parallels to Johann von Bülow are obvious.
In an interview in the
Süddeutsche Zeitung
, von Bülow said that you can learn a lot about him here.
The emotional world, the details are from him.
Authenticity is also only possible if you write about what you know.
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What is a coming of age novel
A coming-of-age novel is a literary genre that focuses on a young person's developmental story and describes their transition from adolescence to adulthood.
The focus is often on the experiences, conflicts and challenges that accompany this process.
Typically, the novel is told from the protagonist's perspective and deals with themes such as the search for identity, first love, growing up, relationships with family and friends, and confronting social norms and values.
Well-known examples of coming-of-age novels include The Sorrows of Young Werther (promotional link) by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Catcher in the Rye (promotional link) by JD Salinger.
In German, this genre is often referred to as "Bildungsroman".
If Johann von Bülow's "Roxy" is also a different story than "The Shards" by Bret Easton Ellis, both coming-of-age novels have almost the same time frame and possibilities associated with the topic of money.
A reflection on one's own youth, diving into one's own emotional world.
All of this makes up the novel and takes the reader on a journey.
Johann von Bülow "Roxy": Conclusion
It's a trip back to the 1980s and a book about friendship and rivalry.
A friendship that lasts even after death.
The complex characters are convincing and make the debut a recommendable book.
Johann von Bulow "Roxy"
2023 Rowohlt, ISBN-13 978-3-7371-0158-5
Price: hardcover €24, e-book €17.99
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Johann von Bulow
Johann von Bülow is one of the best-known German actors of his generation.
He was born in Munich in 1972 and completed his studies at the Otto Falckenberg School.
He played theater roles at important theaters such as the Bochum Schauspielhaus.
He can also be seen in numerous German and international cinema and television films and works with directors such as Oliver Hirschbiegel and François Ozon.
Roxy is his debut novel.
List of rubrics: © Pantermedia/Imago/Rowohlt (montage)