Nothing can ruin such a human novel, except by pulling away the mysteries that are at the heart of the book, especially the identity of Abigail. The article then focuses on the description of the plot, then closes with: “Abigail is both heart-wrenching and captivating at the same time, and this effect is only enhanced by the fact that we see events through Gina’s young simplicity and immature gaze. The novel holds its secrets through long pages, and the result of this magic trick is tight suspense.” Len Rix’s translation is skillful, but Szabó’s frank, conversational prose is overshadowed by the twisting plot. The recommendation piece in The New York Times, with a slightly far-reaching title “A statue protects students from the Nazis,” says that “the English edition of Abigail was long overdue. The article was published after the translation of the book came out on Januby Len Rix, who also worked on the British edition of ‘The Door’ in 2005, and translated Antal Szerb’s oeuvre into English as well. According to The New York Times, ‘Abigail’ is even more popular than ‘The Door,’ published in 1987, which is the author’s best-known work abroad. Magda Szabó’s famous book was first published in 1970, and since then, has become one of the most popular books in the country, even adapted for the small screen as a television series, and the stage as a musical. The English edition of Hungarian writer Magda Szabó’s novel ‘Abigail’ (Abigél) was published last week, and according to Hungarian cultural website Fidelio, even The New York Times has written a recommendation for the book, which was previously compared to the likes of Jane Austen and J.K.

Abigél by Magda Szabó