The Flow of the Ages

The opening volume of a grand historical trilogy by Ulrike Renk

The year is 1551. Elze grows up as a serf along with her siblings on the large Kalmule estate. Her daily life consists of heavy labor in the fields, but that changes radically when she is required to leave her family and begin compulsory duty as a scullery maid in the city of Münster. One day, however, she is swapped with a maid serving the Lords of Oer and is forced to live in the moated castle of Kakesbeck, which is under a curse. Here, she also crosses paths again with the miller's son, Jacob – although he is surrounded by mysterious rumors. Should she believe them? And will Elze now play a role in the ancient prophecy about breaking the curse on the von Oer lineage?

The opening volume of a historical series by Ulrike Renk. Set against the backdrop of the Eighty Years’ War and the Thirty Years' War

This trilogy is based on the history of the SPIEGEL bestselling author's own family