The Notebook Trilogy - Ágota Kristóf

 

Yet another Hungarian book (well, a trilogy) and one that for two thirds was absolutely mind-blowing. 

The first book, with the twins' penchant for self-discipline, their unique view of the world and their twisted ethic, was an absolute work of art finishing with the most dramatic couple of lines I've read in a long, long time when one of them crosses the border. 

The second book was softer, but revealed unexpected elements of depth in the character of one of the twins, and also acted as a very interesting depiction of an unnamed country (well, Hungary) during the Cold War. 

But the revelation of the lie in the third book, instead of adding a further element of intrigue, it unfortunately made me lose interest in the trilogy, and actually left me rather disappointed after having been so enthralled by what I believed were the true elements of the first two books. 

Embers - Sándor Márai

 

After reading The Door I felt that I should read another Hungarian book in the hope of striking gold again. 

What I struck, ultimately, wasn't gold, at least not for me. Yet, it was a pleasant read about friendship and love in front of a dying fire (and/or in front of a dying empire, despite the fact that by the book's publication Austria-Hungary had been dissolved for more than 20 years). 

It is one of those books whose plot I can't remember, but I do remember the sensations it evoked. Still, as far as authors covering (and celebrating) the decadence of a former glorious central European empire go, Joseph Roth wins, hands down. 

The Door - Magda Szabó

 

I was really grasping at straws as most of my e-libraries didn't seem to have anything particularly appealing on offer. Then my daughter's Hungarian BFF came over for a playdate and that made me realize that, other than The Paul Street Boys, I had never never a single Hungarian book, so I chanced upon this novel. 

The start was a bit of a slog, with the focus on female companionship and bickering not being something I found engaging, but then I got into the novel ("getting into a novel" - what an awful turn of phrase...) and I was left in awe of what I think can be considered a small masterpiece. 

Szabó's book is one of small secrets that are justifiably oh-so-important to her characters. It is one of love between people who at first glance have very little in common. And crucially is one in which the reader (or at least, that was the case for me) finds him/herself justifying most of the narrator's decisions and actions, while eventually accepting also Emerenc's viewpoint and, at the end of the day, wishing s/he was more like the cantankerous cleaning lady who appears to singlehandedly hold a small community together. 

Darkness at Noon – Arthur Koestler

Another book that I just wish my students would read: because it’s beautifully written, because it’s true, because it was published during the Second World War. Luckily, my students prefer reading The Hunger Games (when they read).

Darkness at Noon was defined by my boss’s boss as “not exactly a bundle of joy”. Rarely has a definition been more fitting. But it’s not just that, it’s also a great book. Despite a fairly good awareness of the history of the purges, the novel is still surprising: the way in which the contrasts between old and new party members, and between the upper echelons and the rank and file of the party are portrayed is absolutely astounding for the insightfulness. 

The hearings make the reader want to scream for help. And the fact that even characters like Ivanov cannot be sure of their own position within the party is an eerily frightening reflection of one of the darkest pages in 20^th century history.

The Paul Street Boys - Ferenc Molnár

The beauty, and the simplicity of this book... I read it when I was 15 (4 years too old, sadly) and was fascinated by pretty much anyone named Ernest, Ernesto, or Ernő (be it Shackleton, Hemingway, Guevara, or Nemecsek).

I loved the novel because my generation, at least in a small town in the Italian North-West, could still play like The Paul Street Boys. The code of honour of their gang very much applied to that silently established between me and my friends at the time. And, years later, I really wish we had the maturity and wisdom to protect smaller kids like János Boka does.

And probably the fact that, years later, I finally went to Budapest and found it possibly the most charming city I have ever visited, surely added to my love for the novel.