Julia von Lucadou (Germany)

Born in Heidelberg in 1982, Julia von Lucadou entered the literary world from the film industry, where she was active in both film and television. In her dystopian debut novel “Hochhauspringerin” (“The High-Rise Diver”), published in 2018, she paints a picture of a surveillance and welfare society oriented towards perfection and optimal performance. In her subsequent novel “Tick Tack,” published in 2022, Lucadou critically examines several manifestations typical of contemporary society from the perspective of the social media generation, describing the radicalisation of young people on the internet.

At the heart of the novel “The High-Rise Diver” are two women: Riva, a world-class top athlete and darling of millions, who suddenly quits training, and her “therapist,” a business psychologist and data analyst named Hitomi, whose task is to persuade Riva to train and compete again. Hitomi monitors Riva through a dozen camera lenses and microphones, herself being monitored by her superiors. The events of the novel unfold in a city-state with gleaming skyscrapers made of glass and metal, which could be located in any part of the world. “Glamour and Credits and Fame” are the currencies of this society, deprivation of which means expulsion from the metropolis and ending up in the neglected periphery.

In Julia von Lucadou’s novel, there are more elements of contemporary society than one would like to see – the writer has merely added colours and directed thoughts towards the future. Essentially, she poses the question: in what kind of world do we want to live? Speaking of influences, the writer whom Lucadou admires is Margaret Atwood.

An excerpt from the novel “The High-Rise Diver” with an afterword by Jaak Tomberg was published in the March issue of the magazine Akadeemia.