Is my identity solely due to slow poisoning? ... Could it be possible that I am not the person I believe I am? ... Are my sorrows caused by simple chemical reasons? Does the chemistry in my body dictate my feelings? Bit by bit, I start distinguishing between a bad appearance that tends to improve and one that leads towards the end. Unfortunately, I cannot judge my own appearance. I am blind to the mirror.

A man living with a diseased liver waits for someone to die to receive their liver and gain a chance at living a normal life. From his hospital bed, he follows fatal car accidents, crimes, and war victims, dreaming and waiting: for a great escape, his lover, those he loves, his childhood, a man who committed suicide, another he killed, his white spaceship, his doctor, the nurses, and his new liver. The narrative compels you to flip through the pages at a frantic pace. This novel reflects on life and its purpose, intersecting with Kafka at times through its transformation themes and rivaling Marquez with its detailing of overlooked life aspects that, despite their simplicity, often form the essence of 'life.' It goes beyond a mere novel; it's an embodiment of life itself, presented by a leading German author of his generation with a fluid style. The translator, an awardee of the 2014 Goethe-Institut literary translation prize, skillfully carried it over from German with accuracy, honesty, and passion.