Christine of the hills

In Short

Set against the rugged coast of Dalmatia and the urban sophistication of Vienna, this novel follows Christine, a wild girl of the hills, as she is uprooted from her island home and thrust into a world of complex adult attachments. Through the eyes of an old mentor, Andrea, we observe a life marked by hardship, rapid ascent, and the heavy cost of social evolution. It is a story of how a sheltered, "primitive" spirit copes with the cruelty of men and the relentless demands of a life she never asked for.

The Story

The story begins on the islands of the Adriatic, where the narrator, Andrea, seeks out Christine, a girl living in squalor after the death of her guardian. Andrea finds her in a state of neglect, yet possesses a strange, innate grace. Christine is soon swept away by a young man named Ugo Klun, whom she marries hastily to escape the threat of being sent to a convent. Their union is brief and fraught with danger; Ugo is a fugitive, and the couple flees to the mountains, where illness and the constant threat of soldiers force them to separate.

Christine is eventually rescued by Count Paul Zaloski, a stern, reclusive nobleman living in a desolate château in Jajce. Under his protection, Christine sheds her ragged past. She learns German, develops her talent for the violin, and blooms into a refined woman. The Count, once a cold misanthrope, finds himself profoundly attached to the girl, and she in turn grows to love him as a father, perhaps even more. However, the shadow of her past remains. Ugo Klun, having survived, continues to haunt her life, threatening her stability and her relationship with the Count.

As Christine’s fame as a musician grows, she moves to Vienna. Here, the narrative turns darker. She is caught between her lingering ties to the past and a burgeoning, though complicated, affection for a young hussar named Zol. The atmosphere of success is tainted by the cruelty of Ugo, whose presence acts as a psychological shackle. The climax arrives in Vienna, where Ugo is finally removed from the picture through a violent act. The novel concludes with a return to the islands. Christine settles into a new, quiet existence on an island pavilion built by Zol, who eventually marries her. While she finds a measure of peace and material comfort in this "new dream," the narrative leaves open the question of whether she has truly escaped the ghosts of her history or merely found a different way to endure them.

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins Andrea, an old acquaintance of the girl, sails the Adriatic to find Christine, whom he recalls as a wild child of the woods. He encounters a village that views her with suspicion and disdain, forcing him to track her down as if she were a beast of the mountains.

The flight from Zlarin Fearing forced relocation to a convent, Christine elopes with Ugo Klun, a young man who promises her a future in Vienna. Their journey is quickly interrupted by the harsh reality of mountain life, where fever and the pursuit of authorities tear their plans apart.

The white room Rescued by Count Paul Zaloski, Christine is brought to his fortress-like home in Jajce. Surrounded by gold, mirrors, and remnants of a life of luxury she never knew, she is transformed through education and the Count’s complex, burgeoning affection.

The shadow in Vienna Christine’s musical talent elevates her into the high society of the capital, yet she remains a prisoner to her past. Ugo Klun’s persistent threats and the intervention of the young hussar, Zol, push the story toward its violent, inevitable conclusion.

A return to the hills The turmoil of Vienna fades as Christine retreats to the islands. In a final, reflective sequence, she finds stability in a new life, though the narrator remains uncertain of the depth of her true contentment.

The People

Christine is the center of gravity; she possesses an instinctive ability to adapt, yet she is perpetually acted upon by others. She seeks belonging but is often relegated to the status of a prize or a burden. Count Paul Zaloski is a man of violent temper and deep, suppressed loneliness. He desires to protect Christine, yet his possessive nature and social standing create a barrier to the genuine companionship he craves. Andrea acts as the narrative’s moral compass and witness. He is an old man who views himself as a protective father figure, though his own motivations are often clouded by his need to feel useful and necessary. Ugo Klun represents the destructive force of the past. He is a weak, cruel man who views Christine only as a means to his own survival or leverage. Finally, Zol is the young, impulsive soldier who ultimately provides Christine with the sanctuary of a new life, though his role is one of service rather than true equality.

In Its Own Voice

The narrator reflects on the precarious nature of Christine’s future and the uncertainty of her path forward.

“‘For,’ said I, ‘that man will either pluck a thorn for his pillow or take treasure to his house--yet which of these he is to do the God above us alone can tell.’”

Christine’s internal struggle as she is thrust into a city that overwhelms her senses and sensibilities.

“‘Oh, my God, my God! I have lived my life,’ she sobbed, while she buried her burning face in her furs, and the hum of the city’s life rang deafeningly in her ears.”

What It's Really About

At its core, this is a study of the "civilizing" process and the inherent loss that accompanies it. It asks whether a person can truly reinvent themselves, or if they are permanently defined by the environment of their youth. The book examines the vulnerability of women in a social order dominated by men, where "protection" and "possession" are often indistinguishable. Through the lens of the Adriatic islands versus the city of Vienna, the narrative explores the tension between primitive, instinctual freedom and the stifling, performative nature of high society. Ultimately, it questions the price of happiness, suggesting that peace—if it can be found at all—requires a deliberate turning away from the trauma of the past.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy atmospheric, nineteenth-century prose that moves between the rugged wilderness and the claustrophobic grandeur of European cities will find much to admire here. The book captures a specific, vanished world of Dalmatian islands and imperial Austrian politics with a sense of place that remains vivid. It feels like a long-lost fable, told by an old man who is both deeply invested in his subject and somewhat unreliable in his self-assessment.

However, modern readers should be prepared for the period-specific attitudes regarding gender, class, and the "primitive" nature of the islanders, which are presented through the biased, sometimes patronizing, voice of the narrator. The pacing can be uneven, shifting from slow, descriptive passages of island life to sudden, dramatic outbursts of violence in the city. The book is not a fast-paced thriller, but rather a slow-burning character study. You will likely walk away from it thinking about the nature of memory and how we, like Christine, often try to hide our earliest selves behind the polished surfaces of our later, more successful lives. It is a quiet, contemplative read that rewards those willing to sit with the ambiguity of its ending.