Embers
Book description
'Wonderful. Immensely moving' Daily Telegraph
As darkness settles on a forgotten castle at the foot of the Carpathian mountains, two men sit down to a final meal together. They have not seen one another in forty-one years. At their last meeting, in the company of a beautiful woman, an unspoken…
Why read it?
2 authors picked Embers as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
This extraordinary novel by the Hungarian writer, Marai, was written in 1942. It reveals a friendship between two men who met when they were schoolboys. One, Henri, is from a privileged noble family, the other, Conrad, from a disadvantaged background, but they attend the same military academy together. One day Conrad disappears and Henri is left to wonder what happened to him. The book starts as Henri learns Conrad is about to return after 40 years of absence. The narrative is utterly compelling and the characters and their relationship are fascinating. It is one of those books that you can’t…
From Patti's list on the wonders and challenges of friendship.
This is an extremely thoughtful story about friendship, exile, and values—a kind of book that you cannot put down but need to pause as you read to absorb its wisdom. The story is about two friends, who grow up together almost like brothers, but grow apart as one settles in exile.
From Nazila's list on the feeling of having your identity taken from you.
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