In the coming weeks, the individual episodes of the novel The Labyrinth of Charlotte Reimann by Mira Steffan with illustrations by Corinna Heumann will appear at intervals.

Utopia in the multiverse of human relations

In the labyrinth of Charlotte Reimann, Mira Steffan outlines a young woman’s life plan in Germany to combine her professional development with starting her own family. Charlotte Reimann’s utopia of the good life is characterized by the idea that trusting manners can be lived beyond family relationships as a matter of course in a thoroughly economized society, even in the professional sphere.

Equality

Emancipation and equality have still not arrived everywhere in our society. Not among men, and to Charlotte’s regret not among many women either. But she also lacks this self-image of equality.

Change

Charlotte Reimann, 40 years old, well educated, once on her way to becoming a board member, voluntarily gave up her professional advancement to start a family. And that was well before she even became pregnant. She didn’t even take up the position on the board, citing her desire to have a family. Twelve years later, she is dissatisfied with herself, her life, her situation and doubts her marriage. When Charlotte, at the urging of her friend Susanne, starts working again, she struggles with the dominant male behavior, the hierarchical structures, the lie about the compatibility of family and career, with her marriage as well as with what is socially accepted and what she herself wants. She dithers, struggles, gets lost, takes two steps forward and one back. But she is moving forward. After all, change takes time. This is where The Labyrinth of Charlotte Reimann begins.