Review of Lázár by Nelio Biedermann

Another debut in translation, Lázár is the mightily impressive first novel by 22-year-old Swiss author, Nelio Biedermann, translated by Jamie Bulloch. Inspired by Biedermann’s own ancestors, this is a sweeping family-saga that charts the decline of Hungarian nobility from the start of the twentieth century to the Hungarian National Uprising of 1956. We follow the Lázár family through grand lives of affairs, wars, revolutions, tragedy and strife but even amidst the dark, gothic and otherworldly forest that surrounds their home, there is light and hope inbetween.

Lázár reads like a classic with astonishingly beautiful prose right from the opening line but yet, it is modern enough and paced quickly in under 300 pages so it doesn’t intimidate the reader. I love multi-generational stories like this which shine a light on historical events through the lens of one family’s life and Biedermann does that expertly here with the tone of a seasoned writer. I learned the history of a nation whilst being enthralled by the rich descriptions of each character (even if did get a little lost in who was who at times) as they fell prey to their desires and had their hopes cruelly dashed. It was such a joy to read, a true linguaphile’s novel. If you’re hungry for great storytelling, this will feed you well. And if you don’t believe me, it comes highly recommended by Patti Smith, an artist and writer whom I adore and who is never wrong in matters of taste. She called Biedermann a ‘gifted young writer’ and I wholeheartedly agree. I will be waiting eagerly for more after this debut.

Published on 26.03.2026 by Quercus

Reviewed by Abi

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