The Applicant

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A singular debut from an exciting new voice, this novel explores with sharp wit and brevity the experiences of an immigrant, woman, and emerging writer. In 2017, Leyla, a Turkish woman in her twenties living in Berlin, finds herself scrubbing toilets at an Alice in Wonderland-themed hostel after failing her thesis, losing her student visa, and engaging in a Kafkaesque legal battle against her German university. As she becomes increasingly detached from her writerly ambitions, close friendships, and a sense of home, Leyla seeks solace in Berlin's nightlife, though with little success. Just as her visa situation becomes dire, she meets a conservative Swedish tourist and, despite her political beliefs, begins to fall for him. Faced with a choice between an IKEA life with the Volvo salesman or returning to her enmeshed family in Turkey, where her father's ghost looms, Leyla grapples with her uncertain future. While awaiting the court's decision, she reflects on her unresolved past and challenging present in her diary. Leyla emerges as a compelling character, embodying the struggles of working-class immigrants seeking safety, self-expression, and happiness. This extraordinary work offers a darkly humorous dissection of life lived between borders and identities.