Von Zweigbergk is at his best in concrete anecdotes

In “My Life as a Drone”, Helena von Zweigbergk summarizes her life so far. It’s a kind of financial statement with herself, 61 years old and recently separated, where she tries to figure out why she has become the way she has become. Yes, why did she become that “queen”.

“My life as a drone” is based on the present and is an autobiography without chronology, memories rather narrated in an intuitive way: about the lives of women, about writing novels, relationships with children and friends and men , the lack of a father present, about aging and the attempt to close a crowding. suitcase and understand that you look like a crazy chick instead of a funny girl. In hindsight, life is also a hodgepodge of sudden attention-grabbing memories, so I forgive Helena von Zweigbergk for the crooked path of reading, although sometimes I would have wanted a clearer direction in the text for me, which not always nods in acknowledgment to the drone. . Because I do not. Sure, I recognize myself in some things, but certainly not in all.

But the story of Helena von Zweigbergk is undoubtedly a recognition for many women: to be a prisoner in the corset of the mental woman, to always have to be the one who smiles because otherwise there will be a bad mood. The demands you make on yourself. It’s fun, sad, sad and never boring. But sometimes it is still a general parable or good advice too. Helena von Zweigbergk is at her best when she is concrete in her anecdotes and I also love the wording that the present is “a kind of kindergarten party where everyone is a princess”, because no, you are not really “Remember, you are fantastic!” everyday. Sometimes you are actually a small bird with no functional wings.