"It's written so captivatingly and originally that while reading, you constantly think: This is how beautiful the German language would sound if it had been developed by Hungarians." Alexander Solloch, NDR Kultur
"Muri Darida tells the story in powerful images of what has been inscribed within us, transforming it into breath, life, liberation—and igniting a fire that sets language ablaze." Yael Inokai
Every thought, every sentence, every chapter is meticulously and scenically constructed; the language is clear, direct, and gripping. A compelling debut. — Avan Weiss, Missy Magazine
Full of humor, anger, and at the same time a tender, kissable quality that won't let you go. — Irem Özkalgay, Harper's Bazaar
"A linguistically powerful and delicate debut. That Muri Darida has much to say and a talent for storytelling is undeniable. A captivating and worthwhile read." Teresa Preis, Buchkultur
Muri Darida tells the story, in the most beautiful words and colors, of a person who must simultaneously rediscover and reinvent themselves. A bit like a snake shedding its skin. — Lydia Herms, Deutschlandfunk Nova
Like the mesmerizing gaze of a snake, ›King Cobra‹ develops a pull and intensity that is hard to resist. A fever dream in the best sense. —Eva Burmeister, Kreuzer
Longlisted for the Deutscher Buchpreis 2026
Winner of the Robert Walser Prize 2026
An original, vibrant queer novel, fast-paced and full of youthful exuberance—and therefore so authentic. — Karin Waldner-Petutschnig, Kleine Zeitung, Lesezeichen Newsletter
Lazi is sitting in a train to Budapest with only one aim: to find the rifle belonging to their grandfather, András, who fled to Germany during the Hungarian uprising in 1956. Waiting for Lazi in the old Hungarian village are unpredictable aunties, innumerable shots of schnaps and their distant cousin Zsófi, who teaches Lazi how to shoot. Only Mónika, their mother’s sister, understands what Lazi’s altered body means; only she suspects the real reason for Lazi’s return: to seek revenge, to find justice. In their search for the origins of the violence in their family’s history, Lazi unravels a knot of shame and silence. With a mix of humour, tenderness and anger, ‘King Cobra’ tells a powerful tale of overcoming silence.
»Using powerful images, Muri Darida describes what has become engraved in our minds, turning it into breath, life, liberation – and hereby ignites a fire, which makes the language glow.« – Yael Inokai
- A pressing and liberating debut, personal and political
- Awarded the Robert Walser Prize 2026 – an excerpt of this novel also won Muri Darida the Open Mike Audience Award
- For readers of Kim de l’Horizon, Elif Shafak and Jonathan Safran Foer
»Some are fleeing from home; others are fleeing towards it. Some are doing both at the same time.«