While most of the narrative follows Mihály’s quest to come to terms with his past, we do get fleeting glimpses of Erzsi’s new life. I don’t think it is a plot spoiler to say the marriage is effectively over, but it is how both parties deal with the outfall that makes up the bulk of the novel. Things go from bad to worse when he gets on the wrong train, having disembarked for coffee en route from Florence to Rome, leaving Erzsi behind. Then, when he meets an old school friend, who is appallingly rude about Erzsi to her face, he gets lost in a world of nostalgia that only serves to strain their relationship further. For a start, Mihály, keen to explore the city’s secret alleyways, stays out all night, without telling his new wife. By all accounts they should be madly in love, yet the cracks are beginning to show when they go on their honeymoon to Venice. It deals with a Hungarian couple, Mihály and Erzsi, who get married following a one-year affair in which Erzsi leaves her husband. Sadly, Venice only plays a minor role in the story, much of which is set in other parts of Italy, including Perugia, Florence and Rome. So I was delighted when it was chosen as the July read for the book group to which I belong. At the time I was looking for novels set in Venice, and this one seemed to fit the bill perfectly.

Translated from the Hungarian by Len Rix.Īntal Szerb’s Journey by Moonlight has been on my wishlist since November 2007 when I spotted it in my local Waterstone’s.

O元032583W Page-progression lr Page_number_confidence 94.88 Pages 334 Ppi 300 Related-external-id urn:isbn:1901285502 Access-restricted-item true Addeddate 17:52:44.971838 Bookplateleaf 0004 Boxid IA1152723 City London Donor

Journey by moonlight by antal szerb