Christa Winsloe (1888–1944)

"You must not love me so much...that's what one has to conquer, what one has to kill", 18 April 2014

This review is from: The Child Manuela: Novel of "Madchen in Uniform" (Virago Lesbian Landmarks) (Paperback)
Set just before World War I, this is a beautifully written book, following Manuela von Meinhardis through her sunny childhood with her beloved mother and Prussian cavalry officer father. As she grows older, she begins to develop romantic feelings for a woman she has met.... (spoiler show more alert)
The second half of the novel is about Manuela's time at a harsh girls' boarding school. In the bleak surroundings, Manuela looks to the only pleasant member of staff, Fraulein von Bernberg, for affection.
The true sadness comes when the reader compares the first sentence - "Manuela was a longed-for child" - with the ending. Makes one consider the interplay of societal restrictions, dysfunctional family and one's own personality on turning a happy infant into a wretched teenager. show less