Lou Salome, a stunning young Russian woman, is in search of an authentic life. To be true to herself, the twenty-one-year-old will not have sex or marry, refusing to become dependent on a lover or husband. Today her decision sounds reasonable, but in 1882 in Imperial Germany, women sacrificed their own ambitions for the good of husband, family and fatherland. In this historical novel the misogynist, Friedrich Nietzsche, is set on marrying his "soul twin" Lou. He schemes how to steal her from his competitor and best friend, Paul Ree. All the while, these dysfunctional characters struggle to...