Péter Simon (novel)

The main theme of the novel Peter Simon is the inner and physical journey of a deacon in the land of sin, forgiveness and human redemption, where the reality of the 2015 refugee crisis meets a deep philosophical and spiritual crisis. The “confessional novel” built on a frame structure tests the boundaries of guilt, absolution and human identity. The story begins with a shocking paternal confession: after a long estrangement, a father confesses to his long-lost son, Simon, about his past infidelity and the existence of a half-brother born in secret. This revelation throws Simon out of his usual world. Following the news, Deacon Simon embarks on a dreamlike, physical and mental journey. Space and time blur: he wanders through icy trains, dim corridors, misty winter landscapes, and figures speaking foreign languages. During his journey, Simon encounters figures who appear almost as metaphors or spiritual ideas – including a figure who questions his relationship with free will and the Creator, and a blind woman whose mysterious apartment reveals deeper layers of existence. The dreamlike wandering is grounded by the very real scenery of the 2015 (Budapest) refugee crisis. The sight of homeless people trapped in the Keleti railway station underpass brings to life in Simon the Jesus imperative: to feed the hungry, to welcome the homeless, and to care for the sick. The story confronts the protagonist – and the reader – with the fact that there is no sharp boundary between individual suffering and collective human tragedy. At the climax of the novel, in the middle of a demonstration, Simon steps out before the audience and makes a public, sweeping confession: he admits that he assisted in the death (euthanasia) of his long-suffering, incurably ill wife. With this step, Simon, who has reached the age of Christ, seeks absolution not only according to the law, but also according to his own conscience. In the course of the story, the protagonist’s identity breaks down, and behind the mere name/role, the deeper, near-divine essence of human existence comes to the surface. The novel is connected to the current of Dostoevsky’s psychological writings, the parables of Christ and modern, existential Hungarian literature. Its tone is atmospheric, serious, melancholic and deeply spiritual.

Európa Publisher, Budapest, 2016

Critic on Fidelio: https://fidelio.hu/konyv/mikor-megerkezik-a-fejbe-a-feny-elfogynak-a-szavak-szollosi-matyas-uj-regenyerol-144100.html

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42401987-simon-p-ter