On Tangled Paths

Name: On Tangled Paths
Brand: Faber Factory
Price: 31.99 AUD
Availability: PreOrder

By: Theodor Fontane, Peter James Bowman (Translator)

Write A Review

Paperback | 24 February 2026

At a Glance

Paperback
208 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
19.8 x 12.9 x 1.8

Paperback

$31.99

or 4 interest-free payments of $8.00 with

or

Available: 24th February 2026

Preorder. Will ship when available.

Full of tender irony and vivid evocations of a quickly expanding Berlin and its bucolic surroundings, this small masterpiece gives us a love story poised between the strict social codes of the 19th century and the sometimes bewildering freedoms of the 20th.

Lene is an orphaned seamstress; Botho is a nobleman and an officer in one of the Prussian army's most glittering regiments. But whatever their differences of class and education, their hearts are equal to each other. Over the course of a summer in 1870s Berlin, they enjoy a clear-eyed, tender love affair, in spite of the judgements and warnings of those around them.

The end comes all too soon, and Botho marries a wealthy cousin. When, years later, Lene too has an opportunity to marry, her ex-lover must choose between holding on to regret or letting go of the past - along with the possibility of getting Lene herself back.

Industry Reviews

'On Tangled Paths has the flawless logic and beautiful design of the novella at its best' - Paul Binding

'There is an undertow of sadness to this novel, yet to read it is a joy, for its humanity, subtlety and visual immediacy' - Ruth Pavey

'Theodor Fontanes first true masterpiece; it has a perfect beginning, a perfect ending, and no superfluous sentence in between' - Henry Garland

'A tender and wistful love story... [Peter James Bowmans] translation is excellent' - Martin Swales

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $79.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.