Rostock, Germany, 1996. Katharina Stern, a busy school principal at a rural school in the former German Democratic Republic, finds herself reevaluating the past and life itself when her son suffers a mysterious collapse. As her family slowly comes to terms with Felix's brain tumor, Katharina recalls the days of living in 'the Golden Cage' of the GDR, the events that triggered her dawning realization that not all was as idyllic as it seemed to be, and the sudden, harsh changes that took place when the Berlin Wall fell. This is a deeply personal and philosophical look at the history of East Germany, and the meaning of personal freedom and our own ideals. An exciting and touching novel about life's irritations here and now, which stimulates the reader's inner reflection