I've always loved reading books that were immensely popular in their time and have fallen through time; there's always - at least - the readability that hooked a previous generation and a fascination about what earlier readers found to engage them that has fallen out of favour. This one does have a bit of the Chalet School for grown ups about it - the romanticism of the gypsy tyrolean lifestyle and of art, early death; though it is the sort of book that would have been banned at that institution. For today's readers there are uncomfortable elements - the older man/underage girl, casual antisemitism, and views about the role of women generally as romantic object are difficult. However the idea of the passionately talented artist and the passionate but unachievable love is still something that resonates with many millions of readers in its modern reworking. Bohemianism, however, is perhaps uniquely of its time...

http://www.lonelymountain.net/books/o... ( )