First published 2026
Lajos von Lázár stands apart from his aristocratic Hungarian family with his pale blue eyes and translucent skin. The youngest child and only son, he feels isolated among his relatives as they move between their rural summer estate called Waldschloss and their grand city castle. The estate sits surrounded by dark, threatening woods that seem pulled from fairy tales. Only his uncle understands Lajos, though others dismiss the older man's supernatural insights as madness. Across multiple generations, the Lázár family destroys itself through unchecked desires and repeating patterns of trauma. Yet between the darker periods, moments of profound love and hope emerge. This gothic family chronicle spans decades of Hungarian aristocratic life, weaving magical elements into a story rooted in real family history. The novel explores how trauma echoes through generations while examining the tension between belonging and alienation within family bonds.
Genres: literary-fiction, historical-fiction, magical-realism, gothic
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, emotional, intimate
Tropes: alienation, belonging, family-bonds
Setting: Hungary, Waldschloss
Period: 20th-century
272 pages · Hardcover · S&S/Summit Books