{"product_id":"abigail-isbn-9781681374031","title":"Abigail","description":"\u003cb\u003eFrom the author of \u003ci\u003eThe Door\u003c\/i\u003e, a beloved coming-of-age tale set in WWII-era Hungary.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003ci\u003eAbigail\u003c\/i\u003e,  the story of a headstrong teenager growing up  during World War II, is  the most beloved of Magda Szabó’s books in her  native Hungary. Gina is  the only child of a general, a widower who has  long been happy to spoil  his bright and willful daughter. Gina is  devastated when the general  tells her that he must go away on a mission  and that he will be sending  her to boarding school in the country. She  is even more aghast at the  grim religious institution to which she soon  finds herself consigned.  She fights with her fellow students, she rebels  against her teachers,  finds herself completely ostracized, and runs  away. Caught and brought  back, there is nothing for Gina to do except  entrust her fate to the  legendary Abigail, as the classical statue of a  woman with an urn that  stands on the school’s grounds has come to be  called. If you’re in  trouble, it’s said, leave a message with Abigail  and help will be on  the way. And for Gina, who is in much deeper trouble  than she could  possibly suspect, a life-changing adventure is only  beginning. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere  is something of Jane Austen in this story of the  deceptiveness of  appearances; fans of J.K. Rowling are sure to enjoy  Szabó’s picture of  irreverent students, eccentric teachers, and  boarding-school life.  Above all, however, \u003ci\u003eAbigail\u003c\/i\u003e is a thrilling tale of suspense.\"The English edition of \u003ci\u003eAbigail\u003c\/i\u003e 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, \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“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, \u003ci\u003eThe Wall Street Journal\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“[I]n Len Rix's superb translation, \u003ci\u003eAbigail\u003c\/i\u003e 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 \u003ci\u003e\u003ci\u003eFresh Air\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“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 \u003ci\u003eThe Door\u003c\/i\u003e with action more akin to \u003ci\u003eHarry Potter\u003c\/i\u003e. Gina is one of Szabó‘s finest creations.” —\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e, starred review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Sequestered at a boarding school during World War II, a rebellious teenager confronts secrets, lies, and danger. . . . Urgent moral questions underlie a captivating mystery.\" —\u003ci\u003eKirkus \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eMagda Szabó \u003c\/b\u003e(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 \u003ci\u003eThe Door\u003c\/i\u003e. The NYRB Classics edition of \u003ci\u003eThe Door \u003c\/i\u003ewas selected as one of the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e 10 Best Books of 2015. NYRB Classics also publishes her novels \u003ci\u003eIza’s Ballad\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eKatalin Street\u003c\/i\u003e. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLen Rix\u003c\/b\u003e 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 \u003ci\u003eThe Door\u003c\/i\u003e.","brand":"NYRB Classics","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46300603351269,"sku":"NP9781681374031","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781681374031.jpg?v=1767720962","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/abigail-isbn-9781681374031","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}