The strongest personality in Magda Szab贸鈥檚 1987 novel (reissued by NYRB Classics this year) is the housekeeper Emerence. Narrated by a prominent writer also named Magda, this Hungarian novel is in many ways a love letter to the maid, whose willpower dominates the book. While Magda might have the privilege and prestige, Emerence has a fiery spirit that money can鈥檛 buy. Her singular personality is the heart of this book.
