The novel by the modern German writer Ralph Rothman can be attributed to the traditional genre of realistic prose, which describes the everyday life of miners in a village in the Ruhr region in the second half of the twentieth century, as well as the dramatic events that took place underground, in the depths of the mine. The plot action unfolds along the course of the family life of one of the miners. His teenage son is an eyewitness to the adultery committed by his father. This prompts the boy to repent for his father's sins to the priest. The image of a pure, naive teenager, in whose soul a “young light” is born, is akin in spirit to Russian classical literature and will certainly awaken the sympathy of the Russian reader for him. And episodes related to a coal mine will arouse genuine interest, especially among people associated with the mining business.