Daniela Dangl - 'Luminous Shadows' (Literature Edition NÖ)

In the collection of stories "Lichte Schatten" by Daniela Dangl, the northern Waldviertel becomes an anchor point from which the stories of its protagonists unfold, whose lives bear the colors and whose language has the tone characteristic of this region. The deep roots in the area are evident in the biographies of the narrating voices, which can be both a source of support and a prison. Thus, the silence of the homeland becomes loud, the absurd emerges from the accepted, and seemingly unchangeable truths reveal their malleability in retrospect.

Daniela Dangl succeeds in painting a multifaceted portrait of the northern Waldviertel and takes us deep into the time of her own childhood in 21 stories—sometimes contemplative, sometimes humorous—when the rules and conventions of a bygone world prevailed.

Born and raised in the Waldviertel in 1974, Daniela Dangl completed her studies in German philology and history in Vienna and teaches at the vocational school center in Horn. She lives with her family in northern Lower Austria and publishes short stories and dialect poetry. In her texts, she writes about relationships, poses questions to her ancestors, and addresses the silence of her homeland. Her works have appeared in various literary magazines and anthologies. "Lichte Schatten" is her first independent publication.