Fickle Fortune

"Fickle Fortune" by E. Werner is a story that explores how social class and youthful challenges impact two cousins, Count Edmund von Ettersberg and Oswald von Ettersberg. They are trying to figure out their lives while dealing with family expectations and what society expects of them. The cousins have very different personalities, which suggests the story will also look at themes like wanting success, being loyal, and finding out who you are. The story starts with Edmund and Oswald traveling in winter when their carriage gets stuck in a snowstorm. They meet a lively young woman, Fräulein Rüstow, and her friend. As the cousins talk with the young lady, their different personalities come out; Edmund is easygoing, while Oswald is more serious. These first meetings show how complicated their relationships will become, especially with family issues and a lawsuit about who gets what inheritance, making the story exciting right from the start.