Franziska (Pushkin Collection)

Following the death of her mother, Franziska turns away from love and follows a grimly determined path to achieve a career as a concert pianist. Her determination takes her from her humble home in a small Czech town to an unconventional life in Prague, and eventually draws to a destructive climax in pre-war Berlin. Franziska is a fascinating exploration of character, an alluring treatment of the power of music and of a woman's obsession. Ernst Weiss' second novel was published in1914 and was highly regarded by Franz Kafka, with whom Weiss was in regular contact.