Magda Szabó (1917–2007) is considered one of Hungary's
greatest novelists. Her prose, dramas, essays, and poetry have been
published in forty-two countries and in 2003 she was awarded the
Prix Femina Étranger for The Door. The NYRB Classics edition of The
Door was selected as one of the New York Times 10 Best Books of
2015. NYRB Classics also publishes her novels Iza’s Ballad and
Katalin Street.
Len Rix is a poet, critic, and former literature professor.
In 2006, he was awarded the Oxford-Weidenfeld Translation Prize for
his translation of Magda Szabó’s The Door.
"The English edition of Abigail is as welcome as it is overdue. Len
Rix’s translation is deft, but Szabó’s frank, conversational prose
takes a back seat to her sinuous plotting: The novel unspools its
secrets over many pages, and the resulting tour de force is taut
with suspense. . . . Nothing could ruin a book so humane—but
to resolve the novel’s central mysteries, especially the enigma of
Abigail’s identity, would be to diminish some of its
breathless urgency. To learn the truth, you must consult
Abigail herself." —Becca Rothfeld, The New York Times Book
Review
“A tense, intimate narrative that brilliantly depicts youthful
innocence ensnared by lethal menace . . . Szabó the magician
reveals, for an instant, time, history and human folly, all
glimpsed through a child’s clear eyes.” —Anna Mundow, The Wall
Street Journal
“[I]n Len Rix's superb translation, Abigail is a
delightful page-turner. There's an air of enchantment about the
school—the book takes its title from a statue that supposedly
grants the students' wishes—and Gina begins to have adventures—some
quite funny, others that bring tears to your eyes.” —John Powers,
NPR’s Fresh Air
“This infectious coming-of-age novel from Szabó, released in 1970
and translated into English for the first time, is a rollicking
delight. Gina Vitay, the headstrong, spoiled lead, is
reminiscent of Jane Austen’s Emma. . . . Szabó pairs the
psychological insights reader will recognize from her
novel The Door with action more akin to Harry Potter.
Gina is one of Szabó‘s finest creations.” —Publishers Weekly,
starred review
"Sequestered at a boarding school during World War II, a rebellious
teenager confronts secrets, lies, and danger. . . . Urgent moral
questions underlie a captivating mystery." —Kirkus
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