In The East by Maria Pia Oelker

A child growing up, losing his father right after meeting him, the support and love of a half-brother taking care of him while facing hardships and people's judgments. The journey of a child becoming a man, wishing to spread his wings towards the East.

A desire to get to know the East, to discover the mystifying country of the rising moon, to take off in an attempt to discover new worlds: this is the dream the protagonist is chasing, without ever giving up while facing the greatest hardships. It is a story of a wonderful friendship, which is tainted by fright, desolation and conflict, yet triumphant in the end over everything. In the eighteenth century, while Europe is filled with new ideas that will lead to the great revolutions, in a castle that seems to belong to a fairy tale, but is more like a golden prison, the lives of three brothers are intertwined. Their personal stories are permeated with disappointment and refused affection. Despite all this, they find in their friendship the strength and courage to follow their dreams. The path to maturity is long and difficult, but during their journey, they discover that nobody is really a prisoner of one's history, that freedom can be seized, even if there is a high price to pay, and that love is stronger than any law. Beyond the accurate historic setting, the story transcends time and applies to everyone.