A book cover with the title of the blue flower.

The Blue Flower, Penelope Fitzgerald, 1995

Fitzgerald began writing novels in her fifties and won the Booker Prize and was short listed twice more.  This unusual tale takes place in the late 18th C in Germany where Fritz, who will become the national philosopher and poet Novalis, falls in love with 13 year old Sophie. The story of their families is summarized in an epilogue where everyone dies, mostly of TB.  Wonderful detailed picture of an age.