To Norwegians in the near future who blame Hitler on Wagner and the oppression of women on *The Taming of the Shrew*, Søren’s love for high culture looks a lot like “hate. ” Despite being morbidly oversensitive and gay, Søren has trouble fitting into a world that celebrates nothing more than equality. When his school bans even George Eliot for being a dead white male, Søren must decide whether to retreat further into his imagination or literally fight back. Or both. In the spirit of *The Magic Mountain* with more magic or *Matilda* with less, *The Brown Butterfly* explores ideological conflict from an innocent point of view, combining erudition with nostalgia to provide a glimpse of conservative heaven and escape from liberalism’s hell.