It is really interesting, but unfortunately I can't rec it to Mildred for German practice because the author does a great job ventriquolizing Rokoko German in the 18th Century sections. That's too tough. (The 19th century sections would be copable, though they do have some chilling sections where two doctors - Müller isn't one of them, but his boss Gudden is - talk about vivisections on animals. (At which point, I guess, a great many readers will wonder who's the crazy one, Ludwig with his Wagner fandom and admittedly out of control money spending, or these guys.)