THE WHODUNIT WANDERER, DR. MANJIRI PRABHU*
Extract – Legend of the Snow Queen
The broad pathway, bordered by mounds of snow, wound uphill through towering, snow-laden pines. Open horse-drawn carriages clip-clopped past strolling visitors, with gleaming, sturdy horses stamping their hooves in the cold air as they made trip after trip, ferrying tourists to the castle.
Leon’s first sight of the breathtaking Neuschwanstein Palace was unforgettable. The tall, deep-blue turrets rose majestically above the limestone walls of the fairy-tale castle, a vision straight out of a magical Disney film. Perched royally on the Swan Rock, above Alpsee Lake and near the deafening waters of the 45-meter-high Pöllat Gorge, some called it “a fantasy realized in stone.” But to Leon, it was the fulfillment of a gorgeous dream—like art carved from rock, or magic dust solidified. While some may have labeled King Ludwig II a “mad king,” Leon admired the King’s astonishing creation, his visionary obsession with beauty, and his supreme devotion to art.
This scene from my destination thriller, Legend of the Snow Queen, encapsulates my own experience of seeing Neuschwanstein Castle for the first time.
But let me start at the beginning. It was a snowy winter when I visited Bernried am Sternberger, a scenic lake town near Munich. I stayed with my friend Pauline, who took me along winding roads past snow-laden trees, gilded hills, and ornate palaces for research on my thriller set in Germany. It was Christmas time, and the holiday cheer was tangible in the countryside and over the nearly frozen Starnberg Lake.
Sometimes, locations inspire stories, landscapes create mood, and historical figures shape characters. The enchanting Bavarian landscapes indeed stirred my imagination, but it was two captivating figures from German and Austrian history—King Ludwig II and Empress Elisabeth of Austria—who became the central figures of Legend of the Snow Queen.
King Ludwig II was born on August 25, 1845, and became King of Bavaria in 1864 at age 18. Known as the “mad king,” Ludwig was consumed by his passion for building opulent castles like Neuschwanstein and Linderhof. His passion nearly emptied the royal coffers, leading to his being declared mentally unstable and confined to Berg Castle. Tragically, he was found dead in Lake Starnberg on June 13, 1886.
Ludwig’s cousin, Empress Elisabeth of Austria—fondly known as “Sisi”—visited Starnberg every summer for 24 years, staying at the old Feldafing hotel, later renamed Kaiserin Elisabeth Hotel in her honor. The Empress and Ludwig often met at Berg Castle or Rose Island until his untimely death. Legend of the Snow Queen draws upon the enigmatic aura of these two figures to weave a fictional tale of intrigue.
As I stepped into the two-storied Kaiserin Elisabeth Golf Hotel, I felt transported to a world of poetic luxury. The red-cushioned sofas, cane-back chairs, laced tablecloths, stained-glass partitions, and windows with wooden paneling all looked out onto a frosty morning. Over hot tea and cheesecake, I studied photographs of Sisi at various ages. A grand Christmas tree glittered in the corner as snow fell gently outside.
Upstairs, Sisi’s room reflected her unique energy, with a metal four-poster bed, ancient wooden cupboard, and walls painted deep blue with stars. The ambiance of the hotel and especially her room became central to my novel, as did the park opposite, with tall pines and the hazy wooded Rose Island in the frozen lake. The snowy gloom added the perfect backdrop for the novel’s mysterious and romantic elements.
But when I gazed up at the silver-topped Neuschwanstein Castle, an enchanting sense of the surreal enveloped me. Winter transformed the castle into a vision of shimmering beauty. In summer, this grand palace bursts into color, inspiring countless writers, poets, and artists. I realized that “profligate indulgence” in creating such monuments sustains culture, provides art a voice, and gives livelihoods to many. Was Ludwig’s “mad” label justified? Wasn’t his dream a testament to art’s power—a vision solidified in stone?
To me, it is. Neuschwanstein is a lyrical romance with touches of the mystical—an inspiration that led to Legend of the Snow Queen and, for me as a writer, a lifelong bond with the madness of creation.
*Dr. Manjiri Prabhu is an award-winning international author, short filmmaker, and the curator & founder/director of two international festivals.
