The Door

A haunting Hungarian novel about power, trust, and the emotional lives of women.

The narrator, a writer, hires an older woman named Emerence as her housekeeper—only to find herself in a deep, difficult relationship defined by secrecy and devotion. Over time, Emerence’s enigmatic past unravels with devastating consequences.

Szabó’s novel is about generational trauma, the legacy of war, and the profound intimacy that can exist outside romantic bonds. Quietly devastating.