Overview

• Die Assistentin reaches bookstores this week as the screen version of 22 Bahnen rolls out in cinemas on Thursday following its world premiere.
• Critics say the film hews closely to the bestselling novel, favoring fidelity over reinterpretation to satisfy readers.
• Laura Tonke earns strong notices for portraying the volatile, alcoholic mother with precision and restraint.
• Reviewers flag a recurring weakness in the character Viktor, viewed as a clichéd romantic figure that the film does not deepen.
• Wahl’s debut sold about one million copies and spent over 30 weeks in Spiegel’s Top 20, while her new book again missed the German Book Prize longlist.