Paper boats sailing on the sea

The protagonist of this brilliant debut looks back on a lost friendship. Full of regret for his own actions, he recalls scenes from the past with Matteo, the son of Iranian immigrants. He can pinpoint exactly where he failed as a friend, where he didn't provide the necessary help. Finally, a chance find on the beach opens the protagonist's eyes. A message in a bottle from a girl who never gave up hope of a better life. Vuskovic understands how to link the personal with the political and to take a stand in a depressing way on one of the greatest tragedies of our time: the mass deaths of refugees in our oceans. A text that gets under your skin and encourages moral self-questioning.