Christopher and Columbus

"Christopher and Columbus" by Elizabeth Von Arnim is a novel written during the early 20th century. The story follows twin sisters Anna-Rose and Anna-Felicitas, who are refugees navigating the tumultuous seas of war and identity as they journey from Europe to America. They are portrayed as characters caught between worlds, as they grapple with their mixed heritage and the loss of their mother, seeking their place in a new land. The opening of the novel establishes a poignant and whimsical tone as the twins, with their rich inner worlds and vivid imaginations, take on the personalities of Christopher Columbus and his crew. They are aboard the American liner St. Luke, leaving behind a gray, rainy England, feeling vulnerable and uncertain about the future. Both characters introduce their distinctive personalities: Anna-Rose is fiercely protective and vivacious, while Anna-Felicitas has a dreamy disposition that often leads her into contemplations about life. Through their dialogue and interactions, we see a blend of humor and melancholy as they cope with their new reality, the shadows of their past, and their hopes for America. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Elizabeth von Arnim, born Mary Annette Beauchamp, was an English novelist. Born in Australia, she married a German aristocrat, and her earliest works are set in Germany. Her first marriage made her Countess von Arnim-Schlagenthin and her second Elizabeth Russell, Countess Russell. After her first husband's death, she had a three-year affair with the writer H. G. Wells, then later married Frank Russell, elder brother of the Nobel prize-winner and philosopher Bertrand Russell. She was a cousin of the New Zealand-born writer Katherine Mansfield. Though known in early life as May, her first book introduced her to readers as Elizabeth, which she eventually became to friends and finally to family. Her writings are ascribed to Elizabeth von Arnim. She used the pseudonym Alice Cholmondeley for only one novel, Christine, published in 1917.