First published 1997
Penelope Fitzgerald presents two separate stories in this collection. The first follows the German Romantic poet Novalis in late 18th-century Prussia as he falls passionately in love with twelve-year-old Sophie von Kühn. Fritz von Hardenberg, as Novalis was known, pursues his devotion to the young girl despite family objections and social expectations. When Sophie becomes ill, Fritz faces the collision between his idealistic vision of love and harsh reality. The second story shifts to 1959 Florence, where Christine Neale runs a struggling English bookshop. She battles against local bureaucracy, unreliable suppliers, and her own inexperience while trying to serve the expatriate community. Christine must decide whether to fight for her failing business or abandon her dream. Both stories examine the gap between aspiration and achievement, showing characters who refuse to surrender their hopes even when circumstances work against them.
Genres: fiction, romance, literary-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, 19th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Florence, Germany, Italy, Prussia
Period: 18th-century, 1959
123 pages · Paperback · QPB