Louise K. Böhm & Franziska Gänsler: 2 Autorinnen, 1 Bühne

Summer with Manulit at the Orangerie Theater!

2 authors, 2 novels, 1 stage: Louise K. Böhm and Franziska Gänsler 

The event will feature a discussion, drinks, and a summery finale at the Orangerie Theater in Cologne

Louise K. Böhm reads from her debut novel KASKADEN (Penguin Literatur 2026) 

Franziska Gänsler will read from her third novel, ORCA (Kein&Aber 2026)

Doors open at 6:30 p.m., start time: 7:30 p.m.

Moderator: Sophia Bahl

KASKADEN If Jojo could simply erase her background, she would. Although she has left the grayness of the suburbs far behind, she’s still constantly afraid at college that someone might find out she doesn’t belong here. Only her work in the lab gives her a sense of stability. When Jakob enters her life, Jojo finds a new sense of ease. But then she receives a sign of life from her former best friend, and suddenly it’s all back: the years with Yara, with whom she spent more time than with her own parents. The one who always had a comeback ready for every remark. And who disappeared from one day to the next, even though they’d planned to break out of the suburbs together.

With wisdom and yet a feather-light touch, Louise K. Böhm tells the story of a deep friendship. An electrifying novel about origins and belonging—featuring two heroines you’ll never forget.

A great new storytelling talent waiting to be discovered: Louise K. Böhm’s debut explores friendship and heritage in a way you’ve never read before.

Louise K. Böhm, born in Berlin in 2000, studied literary writing, cultural journalism, and cultural policy in Hildesheim after completing her first degree in media studies, before her career took her into the music industry and her personal life led her to Hamburg. Her writing appears in various literary magazines and anthologies. On social media, under the handle @louschreibt_, she shares book recommendations, offers glimpses into her daily life as an author, and sheds light on classism in the cultural industry. “Kaskaden” is her first novel.

ORCA Thesupermarket’s meat counter by day, silence by night: that’s what Cora’s life looks like. Until her childhood friend Olympia is arrested and everything comes flooding back. The summer they reunited, when everything was buzzing inside her—the lake water still on her skin, the glitter on her cap, her decorated fingernails. The long days in the big, empty house with Olympia, who helps Cora see herself for who she really is. And how quickly she no longer has Olympia all to herself after the illegal party where they cross a line for the first time—after which Olympia spends so much time with Ariel and her activist group. While Cora tries to keep up at school and with Olympia, a radical idea takes hold of her—and Cora becomes entangled in a web of lies from which there seems to be no escape.

Franziska Gänsler’s debut novel*Ewig Sommer* was published in 2022. It has been translated into various languages, adapted for the stage, and awarded several prizes. In 2025, the English-language edition was a *New York Times* Editor’s Pick. Following *Wie Inseln im Licht* (2024), *Orca* is her third novel. Franziska Gänsler lives in Augsburg and Berlin.

We’ve reserved free “Soli” tickets. To get one, please email us at bahl@manulit.de 

We look forward to seeing you there!