This novel is a fascinating look at relationships, family, expectations, generational differences, aging, and the huge changes in Hungary after WW2. First published in 1963.

Iza's parents came of age before WW2. They have lived in their family home in a small town for a long time. They are very frugal--they needed to be--and the house is a bit rundown and very out of date. Iza appreciates what they did for her, she is now a doctor. Divorced, but successful. She moves to Budapest and after her father's death, she and her mother sell the house and move her mother to Budapest. Ettie does not get what she expects--she loses her community and accidentally makes friends with a prostitute. Iza has a housekeeper, so Ettie does not need to cook, or clean, or do much of anything. But her stuff also did not come to the city, it being old and musty and unneeded in Iza's existing modern apartment. ( )

The gap between mother and daughter. Young and old. Elderly widow and young love. Tender and heartbreaking. Beautiful on the whole. ( )

ספר הונגרי נוגע ללב. הגיבורה, רופאה הונגריה בשם איזה. פרפקציוניסטית, מושלמת, חסרת רגשות, חסרת זמן, תמיד עסוקה. מעבדת במהלך הסיפור הדי מורכב את אביה, את בעלה, את אמה, ואת בעלה השני לעתיד. מטריד מאוד בהתחשב בעובדה שהיא מזכירה לי אותי במידה מטרידה. הספר לא חסר מגרעות אבל בסך הכל הוא סוחף, נוגע ללב ואולי גם חשוב. ( )

Ho capito l'essenza del libro nelle ultime pagine, mi sfuggiva. Ma nonostante questo ho seguito le vicende di Iza, della vecchia madre, del vecchio padre, di Antal con grande coinvolgimento. Per questo motivo questa mia recensione potrebbe essere spoiler, sappiatelo.

Una naturalezza e semplicità nel descrivere un fattore umano assolutamente nascosto: l'incapacità di donarsi agli altri, l'assenza di empatia, l'egoismo assoluto di una donna meravigliosamente altruista, retta, buona, intelligente, adorata e devota figlia.
Una perfezione di donna che manca di quell'indispensabile afflato di umana comprensione del prossimo che nel tempo allontanerà da lei, sia per morte che per vita, chiunque l'abbia tanto amata.

( )

Such interesting characters, developed slowly through the book. The relationship between the widowed mother and adult daughter is so well-drawn—it’s a bit painful watching them both trying to do their best, which invariably is not the best for the other.
It’s set against a backdrop of conflicts—pre- and post WWII, village and city, old and young, crumbling empire (the peasants here) and communism—which never gets old for me. Looking forward to reading more of Szabo! ( )