On Tangled Paths

'You love me and you're true to me - at least my love makes me childish and vain enough to imagine it. But fly away you will, I can see that very clearly. You'll have to.' Lene is a beautiful, orphaned young seamstress, and Botho is a handsome, aristocratic cavalry officer. They are in love, yet know they have only a short time together as society deems their relationship impossible and refuses to acknowledge the seriousness of their feelings. But while Botho appears to have a glittering life ahead of him, the love he feels may yet be his undoing. Published in 1887, On Tangled Paths caused a scandal on publication with its portrayal of a sexual affair across the classes, and is a taut, flawless masterpiece. In Peter James Bowman's afterword to his lyrical translation, he explores Fontane's literary career, his political outlook and how the novel treats love in all its forms. Translated and with an afterword by Peter James Bowman