Leh-Wei Liao Lands on Deutscher Buchpreis Longlist With Debut Novel Glaszeit
Leh-Wei Liao, a physician who transitioned to visual arts, has earned a spot on the 2026 Deutscher Buchpreis longlist for her debut novel Glaszeit, published in August by Luchterhand Literaturverlag, fr.de reported. The book explores a fractured mother-daughter relationship set between Cologne and Taipei, addressing identity, queer love, regressed or regretted motherhood, and geopolitical tensions surrounding Taiwan.
From Clinical Medicine to Fine Art Studies in Kassel
Liao pursued a degree in medicine, worked as a physician, and subsequently completed an art degree in Kassel. While the protagonist of Glaszeit is also a doctor, Liao notes that the character’s biography differs from her own, though she drew upon her clinical experience to capture the professional detachment required during existential crises. The transition from medicine to full-time art took five years of deliberation, followed by three additional years working clinical night shifts before she made the permanent shift to creative writing and visual arts.
Exploring Regretting Motherhood Through Fiction
The creative process for the novel began with research into the phenomenon of “regretting Motherhood,” involving interviews and literature on women who regret having children. This research birthed the character March, or M., a radical female artist. Liao ultimately shifted the narrative focus to M.’s daughter, Novana, to explore greater emotional ambiguity and nuance.
Weaving Geopolitical Realities and Personal Identity
The novel incorporates current geopolitical elements, utilizing specific news fragments to anchor the story in the present rather than striving for timelessness. Setting a portion of the narrative in Taiwan draws on Liao’s personal heritage and the region’s ongoing political pressures from China, reflecting themes of fragility and identity. Alongside these heavy topics, the book includes a central love story to emphasize human connection. Liao is currently at work on a new book project centered broadly on art.