Written from a first-person perspective, it explores the life of Tilda, a student struggling to study mathematics while also caring for her 11-year-old half-sister.
[4][5] Reviewers of the novel, such as Elke Heidenreich, Christine Westermann, and Denis Scheck, affirm that the author has developed a poignant writing style, in which the fate of both sisters is authentically conveyed to the reader, without addressing the reasons for the mother’s alcoholism.
Novels such as Alina Bronsky's Scherbenpark, Angelika Klüssendorf's Das Mädchen, and Juli Zeh’s Spieltrieb served as role models for her.
[2] The novel’s style and subject especially appeal to young readers, and 22 Bahnen was discussed on the social network BookTok soon after its publication.
In May 2023, the German radio and television broadcasting corporation Norddeutscher Rundfunk selected the novel as its Book of the Month.