'A Thorny Path' is an enthralling novel by Georg Ebers. The story begins in the workshop of Heron, the gem-cutter, where he is working on a delicate piece, when his daughter Melissa interrupts him. Melissa eagerly awaits the arrival of her brother Alexander and his friend, Philip. Heron's studio is simple yet clean, with tools, shells, onyx and agates laid out on a table. When Alexander finally arrives, his father's misanthropic nature is immediately evident, but he greets him nonetheless.