"A leányvári boszorkány: Regény" by Károly Lovik is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story appears to center around the life of Judex Mátyás, a nobleman and pawnbroker in the town of Selmecbánya, who is grappling with the challenges of raising his two daughters, Helén and Málika, amidst societal expectations and personal aspirations. As peculiar circumstances unfold—including an unusual incident involving a horse pawn—it is evident that the novel
weaves themes of love, family dynamics, and local customs into its narrative. At the start of the novel, we are introduced to Judex Mátyás as he interacts with a young academic named Hertelendi Tamás, who unexpectedly arrives at his pawnbroker's establishment with a horse. Judex initially resists the idea of a horse being pawned, but is quickly drawn into a humorous conversation where his character and the dynamic of the pawnbroking business are explored. We learn about Judex's two daughters—Helén, who is gentle and dreamy, and Málika, the clever and spirited one, nicknamed the "leányvári boszorkány" or "the witch of Leányvár." The opening effectively sets the tone for a tale that balances whimsical scenarios with deeper themes of familial responsibility and the societal expectations of women, building anticipation for how these characters will navigate their predicaments. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
E-text prepared by Albert László from page images digitized by the Google Books Library Project (https://books.google.com) and generously made available by HathiTrust Digital Library (https://www.hathitrust.org/)
Reading Level
Reading ease score: 66.0 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.
