About this book
A mester by Miklós Surányi thrusts listeners into the world of Dömötör János, a celebrated sculptor whose colossal reputation conceals delicate contradictions. Surányi’s prose paints the artist in lush, ironic detail: a heroic physique, a classical villa in Budapest, prized medals and a directorship at the master school — yet an uneasy relationship with bureaucracy, critics and the official art world.
Set in early 20th-century Budapest, this literary fiction in Hungarian explores themes of artistic integrity, social prestige, and the strange gap between public honor and private temperament. Surányi balances affectionate character study with sharp social observation, satirizing the institutions that crown and constrain creative life. The novel’s language blends grand, evocative description with wry understatement, offering a period portrait of artists, patrons and the cultural establishment after the upheavals of a changing Europe.
Ideal for listeners who enjoy character-driven literary fiction, historical social satire, and richly textured narration, A mester is a rewarding pick for fans of Central European literature and anyone curious about the tensions between genius and recognition. The audiobook brings Surányi’s vivid phrases and subtle wit to life for those who appreciate intelligent, atmospheric storytelling.
