The inheritance no one wants to know about

Leon Engler's autobiographical novel debut begins with the accidental disposal of his entire family history. What remains is a haunting question that pursues the protagonist throughout the book: can one escape an inheritance of mental illness, addiction, and abandonment?

The protagonist in the German playwright Leon Engler's acclaimed debut novel, "Botanik des Wahnsinns" (Botany of Madness), suffers from severe agathophobia. This is not agoraphobia (fear of open spaces) but a strong, irrational fear of going insane. The question arises, however, how irrational is his fear, really?

The novel is based on Engler's own history, with parents and older relatives deeply entangled in psychiatric diagnoses and treatment institutions. It delves into how one relates to upbringing conditions where care relationships became mirrored early on. It also addresses witnessing parents, despite their talents and attempts to break free, being drawn deeper and deeper into the abyss that severe mental illness brings.