Growing up in 1980s East Germany, slightly rebellious Tanja tries to forge her own path, but then must find her feet as everything changes post-reunification…

Having enjoyed Oskamp’s Marzahn, Mon Amour, I enthusiastically ordered this one without really reading the blurb, so I hadn’t registered that this was A) her debut and B) not actually about swimming. More fool me.

I was expecting a rich portrait, but regrettably, this was bland, patchy and shallow - it’s not awful but the story is nothing special and nor is the writing. As for the lack of swimming, I was disappointed, but willingly concede that that’s largely my own fault for not reading the blurb properly.

That’s all I really have to say about it - if you want to read a coming-of-age story set in the final days of the GDR, more interesting options are available.