Emmas Reise

The novel takes place in 1650, just after the end of the Thirty Years' War. Hamburg has been spared the ravages of war and is a safe harbor, but the European hinterland is still marked by instability and bandit groups. Emma van Haaren receives an invitation from her grandmother in Amsterdam, who wants to meet her deceased son's granddaughter and divide the inheritance. Despite the dangers of such a journey in post-war times, Emma insists on setting off, and the carriage is carefully prepared.

But in Wildeshauser Geest, the carriage is attacked by armed attackers. Emma's companion is killed, and at the last moment she manages to escape with the man's son, little Valentin. Suddenly she finds herself alone, without resources, responsible for both herself and the boy. The two set off on foot towards Amsterdam through desolate regions, overcoming hunger, thirst, difficult-to-pass swamps, and dark forests.

Emma soon realizes that the attack was not the work of ordinary highwaymen — unknown riders were following them, and the attack clearly has something to do with her. Valentin carries a secret that he himself does not fully understand. Along the way, they encounter both friends and enemies, and Emma, ​​the previously withdrawn and sheltered daughter, gradually matures into a determined heroine. The novel is given a special charm by excerpts from the perspective of a young wolf who secretly follows them, introducing a slight mystical tone into the otherwise realistic historical fresco.