Set in Hungary in the first years of the 20th
century, this is an epic of love, honour and duty that captures the mood of the
junior partner in Austria-Hungarian dual monarchy under the Hapsburgs.
The narrative is driven through the lives of
two aristocratic cousins, Balint Abady and Laszlo Gyeroffy. As the book opens
they are on their way (separately) to a sumptuous ball at the stately home of a
relative. It will not be the last ball described and there will be no shortage
of relatives either.
Both men are young and ambitious. Abady is
interested in politics and is returning from a spell in the diplomatic service
in Vienna to help run the family estate, and to stand for the national parliament
in Budapest. Gyeroffy is a talented musician, a popular performer at parties,
and keen to compose great works.
But they are subject to distractions of
their social whirl – mainly in the form of attractive young princesses,
countesses and heiresses.
Thus Abady is drawn, dangerously, to a
childhood friend, now an attractive woman, for whom his feelings have deepened;
but Adrienne Miloth is now married to the coldly unstable Pal Uzdy. Her
perceived unavailability drives him back towards an old flame, the lovely, and
also married, Dinora Abanyi.
Meanwhile Gyeroffy is smitten with Klara
Kollanich, who is young, pretty, rich and single. Three thing stand in his way
of a successful courtship: her Mama has her earmarked for a better match; he is
targeted as a lover by the older but alluring Countess Beredy; and he is falling
under the spell of the gaming tables.
Banffy unfolds events in unhurried fashion,
interspersing the action with lyric descriptions of the Transylvanian landscape
and architecture, but all the time building anticipation for the final climactic
episodes. Except that they are not the end of the story, for this is just
volume one of the Transylvanian trilogy.
Although likened to Trollope’s political
novels, this, though equally readable, has more gravitas and passion (some
tastefully explicit).
Very enjoyable and those loose ends dangle
tantalisingly, pointing the way to volume two.
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