I stumbled upon Bernhard Kellermann's Yester und Li almost by accident, and I'm so glad I did. It's a novel that feels surprisingly modern in its concerns, even though it was published over a century ago.

The Story

The plot is deceptively simple. In pre-World War I Germany, a talented engineer named Yester meets and falls deeply in love with Li, a Chinese woman. Their connection is immediate and profound. But their world is not ready for them. From subtle social slights to outright hostility, their relationship is met with resistance at every turn. The story follows their struggle to build a life together against a tide of racial prejudice and cultural misunderstanding. It's less about grand, dramatic events and more about the daily erosion of hope—the whispered comments, the closed doors, the constant pressure to conform. The central question becomes: can a love that feels so right survive in a world that insists it's wrong?

Why You Should Read It

What grabbed me wasn't just the historical setting, but how personal it felt. Kellermann doesn't write Yester and Li as symbols; they feel like real people. Yester's internal battle is painfully relatable—the clash between his heart and the relentless voice of society. Li's dignified resilience in the face of exclusion is quietly powerful. The book's strength is in its restraint. It shows the cost of prejudice not through violence, but through stolen moments and silenced dreams. It made me think about the unseen walls we build and the human connections they block. It's a story about longing in its purest form—the ache for something just out of reach.

Final Verdict

This book is perfect for readers who love character-driven historical fiction that focuses on social issues. If you enjoyed the emotional tension of novels like The Remains of the Day or the exploration of societal barriers in stories about unconventional relationships, you'll find a lot to love here. It's not a fast-paced adventure; it's a slow, thoughtful, and ultimately heartbreaking portrait of a love that couldn't breathe the air of its time. A truly memorable and poignant read.