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Triptych
TRIPTYCH paints portraits of two sets of mothers and daughters: the first, caught up in the brutalities of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, and the second, in 1980s Chicago, dealing with the lingering effects of the Revolution and trail of secrets left behind.
Budapest, 1956. A national uprising against Soviet occupiers and their reign of terror is underway. Eleven-year-old Evike and her firebrand mother steal deep into battle zones in support of civilian freedom fighters, armed only with primitive weapons and desperate courage, against the heavy artillery of trained Russian troops. Taken in for interrogation by the secret police, Evike spins a story to deflect attention from her mother's revolutionary activities. This story will irrevocably alter lives and reach its tentacles, 30 years later, into the life of Ildiko Palmay.
Chicago, 1986. Ildiko, 37, a librarian and ESL teacher, is the American-born daughter of Hungarian refugees. Unsettled by her life and her romantic failures, she finds herself drawn back to her roots, first to the Hungarian neighborhood of her youth in Chicago—and eventually to the Russian-occupied city of Budapest. Along the way, she meets a magnetic man who may not be what he seems, uncovers a trail of secrets and betrayals forged in the uprising, and discovers the shocking truth about her mother's death.
Budapest, 1956. A national uprising against Soviet occupiers and their reign of terror is underway. Eleven-year-old Evike and her firebrand mother steal deep into battle zones in support of civilian freedom fighters, armed only with primitive weapons and desperate courage, against the heavy artillery of trained Russian troops. Taken in for interrogation by the secret police, Evike spins a story to deflect attention from her mother's revolutionary activities. This story will irrevocably alter lives and reach its tentacles, 30 years later, into the life of Ildiko Palmay.
Chicago, 1986. Ildiko, 37, a librarian and ESL teacher, is the American-born daughter of Hungarian refugees. Unsettled by her life and her romantic failures, she finds herself drawn back to her roots, first to the Hungarian neighborhood of her youth in Chicago—and eventually to the Russian-occupied city of Budapest. Along the way, she meets a magnetic man who may not be what he seems, uncovers a trail of secrets and betrayals forged in the uprising, and discovers the shocking truth about her mother's death.
254 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 23, 2023
Triptych by Margit Liesche is a family saga with parallel plots, set in Hungary during the Revolution of 1956, and 1980s Chicago and Hungary. The story alternates between the 1956 Uprising and 1986 Chicago.
In 1956 Budapest, 11-year-old Evike is questioned by Soviet interrogators about her freedom-fighter parents. To escape torture, she falsely accuses someone from her school. Like ripples from a rock thrown into a pond, the accusation has repercussions through the years.
In 1986 Chicago, lIdiko at 37 is haunted by her indifference as a teenager to her mother's last request. Ildiko has created an otherwise peaceful, solitary life for herself as a librarian and volunteer ESL teacher. She inherited her mother's talent for needlework, pioneering a new art form: "unstitch" handmade stitchery to restitch new and modern patterns. She's content with a married lover - until that ends.
Meeting an artist who had escaped from Hungary renews all her questions and doubts. As she becomes increasingly attracted to him, she vows to learn the truth about her mother and her mother's twin sister. Her quest leads her to Hungary (still under Soviet control in 1986).
One clue Ildiko's mother left behind was a needlework triptych. Ildiko has always assumed it depicts the fairy tale of the Twelve Dancing Princesses. But what does it really depict?
Triptych is an eye-opening story of life under a reign of terror, of courage and betrayal.
In 1956 Budapest, 11-year-old Evike is questioned by Soviet interrogators about her freedom-fighter parents. To escape torture, she falsely accuses someone from her school. Like ripples from a rock thrown into a pond, the accusation has repercussions through the years.
In 1986 Chicago, lIdiko at 37 is haunted by her indifference as a teenager to her mother's last request. Ildiko has created an otherwise peaceful, solitary life for herself as a librarian and volunteer ESL teacher. She inherited her mother's talent for needlework, pioneering a new art form: "unstitch" handmade stitchery to restitch new and modern patterns. She's content with a married lover - until that ends.
Meeting an artist who had escaped from Hungary renews all her questions and doubts. As she becomes increasingly attracted to him, she vows to learn the truth about her mother and her mother's twin sister. Her quest leads her to Hungary (still under Soviet control in 1986).
One clue Ildiko's mother left behind was a needlework triptych. Ildiko has always assumed it depicts the fairy tale of the Twelve Dancing Princesses. But what does it really depict?
Triptych is an eye-opening story of life under a reign of terror, of courage and betrayal.
May 7, 2025
My first historical fiction read about the Hungarian uprising in 1956 against Soviet oppression and it was all new to me! Funny how some things are never mentioned in history classes. I LOVED the historical aspects of the novel, and the back-and-forth POVs of the characters in the Buda/Pest 1950s and Chicago 1980s. It needed tigheter editing--a good 75 pages could have been removed about the "mystery." This isn't a mystery--it's a relationship historical fiction novel about a woman exploring the past of her mother.
March 1, 2022
A good book about the ramifications of communism, spying, betrayal and revolution through two generations of a Hungarian family. There is an intriguing backstory about Hungarian missionaries in China in the 1930's and 1940's as well. But the main interest is in the Hungarian uprising of 1956, which is of great current interest due to events in Ukraine. The portrait of the Slavic emigre community in Chicago is well done.
March 6, 2016
This is a small unassuming book that packed a huge wallop. The title "Triptych: A Mystery", the short summary and the photoshoot cover didn't really do justice to what I found released upon me amongst the pages. An overpowering, emotional story on a theme I am deeply interested in. The escape and survival of victims of communism the world over but especially from the cold war. I had not ever read about Hungary's "liberation" by the Soviets but have read extensively about Poland's fight for freedom from their Soviet "liberators". Heart-wrenching stuff and Hungary's tale is no less brutal. Imagine waiting for the Nazi's to leave your country and to be freed and liberated from the Fascist rule, concentration camps, etc. only to have the Communist Soviets come in behind them to enslave you, send you to work farms, teach your children to spy on you, etc. 1956 was the year Hungary choose to fight back, it lasted 3 weeks and thousands died on both sides before the Soviets took back control and the freedom fighters paid the ultimate price.
This story goes back and forth in time from the Hungarian Uprising in 1956 to 1986 in which a daughter from the present Cold War time goes back to Hungary to find out what happened to her mother's twin sister who disappeared shortly after the Uprising when she was arrested at night and never seen again. The characters are wonderful and the pacing switching from the past to the present is seamless. Telling the history of the Uprising through remembrances and as it happens. Mostly the book is historical fiction, but around the 65% mark a murder happens and the pacing changes to that more suited to a mystery and the daughter, Ildiko, goes on a chase to track down the murderer. I must say my reading speed increased suitably to the pace. This part wasn't difficult to figure out as the whole story had been leading in a direction that made me feel something was going to happen. It was a very satisfying read, on a topic I'm thrilled to have learned more about, well-written, with great characters and a tightly woven plot, plus a tiny bit of a fun romance in there too. I'd recommend it more for the historical aspect than the mystery but the two do go together well.
This story goes back and forth in time from the Hungarian Uprising in 1956 to 1986 in which a daughter from the present Cold War time goes back to Hungary to find out what happened to her mother's twin sister who disappeared shortly after the Uprising when she was arrested at night and never seen again. The characters are wonderful and the pacing switching from the past to the present is seamless. Telling the history of the Uprising through remembrances and as it happens. Mostly the book is historical fiction, but around the 65% mark a murder happens and the pacing changes to that more suited to a mystery and the daughter, Ildiko, goes on a chase to track down the murderer. I must say my reading speed increased suitably to the pace. This part wasn't difficult to figure out as the whole story had been leading in a direction that made me feel something was going to happen. It was a very satisfying read, on a topic I'm thrilled to have learned more about, well-written, with great characters and a tightly woven plot, plus a tiny bit of a fun romance in there too. I'd recommend it more for the historical aspect than the mystery but the two do go together well.
November 19, 2013
"...never allow a murderer of loved ones to go unpunished."________ 3 1/2 stars
There is a lyrical quality to Leische's writing despite her gritty subject matter of war, betrayal, fear and death.
Two main stories unfold, parallel to each other, set in different times yet linked by the commonalities of the unforeseen, of loss and of grief.
The story moves in and out of 1956 to 1986, from Budapest and the Hungarian Revolution to Chicago; from 11 year old Évike in Budapest to 37 year old Ildikó in Chicago, daughter of Hungarian refugees whose past is surrounded in secrecy.
ldikó's search for the truth about her roots and her mother's untimely death (was it an accident, murder or suicide?) under a Chicago train will take Ildikó to the Budapest of 1986, with Hungary still a satellite of the USSR.
Ildikó's search for her history is a revelation, particularly as the riddle of her mother's death, the fate of her mother's sister and the links between the now and the past are puzzling. Ildikó sadly reflects as she endeavours to make sense of all the confluences in her life, 'now I have only my memory to search for solving the unknowns of [my mother's] death.'
An embroidered collage ldikó's mother Edith had crafted, a triptych of The Twelve Dancing Princesses, holds a key to some of the mystery.
There were some moments of confusion as I didn't always fully realize who was talking.
I found the book interesting, set as it is against the Hungarian uprising background and life under a harsh regime. Those whose personal histories share this time I am sure would find Triptych worthwhile.
An interesting work.
A NetGalley ARC
There is a lyrical quality to Leische's writing despite her gritty subject matter of war, betrayal, fear and death.
Two main stories unfold, parallel to each other, set in different times yet linked by the commonalities of the unforeseen, of loss and of grief.
The story moves in and out of 1956 to 1986, from Budapest and the Hungarian Revolution to Chicago; from 11 year old Évike in Budapest to 37 year old Ildikó in Chicago, daughter of Hungarian refugees whose past is surrounded in secrecy.
ldikó's search for the truth about her roots and her mother's untimely death (was it an accident, murder or suicide?) under a Chicago train will take Ildikó to the Budapest of 1986, with Hungary still a satellite of the USSR.
Ildikó's search for her history is a revelation, particularly as the riddle of her mother's death, the fate of her mother's sister and the links between the now and the past are puzzling. Ildikó sadly reflects as she endeavours to make sense of all the confluences in her life, 'now I have only my memory to search for solving the unknowns of [my mother's] death.'
An embroidered collage ldikó's mother Edith had crafted, a triptych of The Twelve Dancing Princesses, holds a key to some of the mystery.
There were some moments of confusion as I didn't always fully realize who was talking.
I found the book interesting, set as it is against the Hungarian uprising background and life under a harsh regime. Those whose personal histories share this time I am sure would find Triptych worthwhile.
An interesting work.
A NetGalley ARC
June 18, 2016
A story of the Hungarian Revolution and the impact of Communist Russia in Hungary in the 50's, the torture and displacement of it's citizens and how as with all refugees fleeing terror the impact on their lives and the next generation.
The story implies through the main character of how children/teenagers of refugees living in a free society do not always understand their parents and their plight of having to seek refuge in foreign countries with totally different ways and language. Not until adulthood is reached by refugees' offsprings perhaps by visiting the roots of their heritage or increased learning of historical facts does this understanding and respect emerge.
The book's main character Ildikó struggles with all of this until the unusual events of her mother's death, her guilt and selfishness of not accompanying her mother on the fateful day drive her to delve into her mother's past, eventually solving many mysteries of her Hungarian family and forgiveness for herself.
The books is slow moving in some parts. The journey to Communist Hungary of the 60's is more interesting and enlightening.
The story implies through the main character of how children/teenagers of refugees living in a free society do not always understand their parents and their plight of having to seek refuge in foreign countries with totally different ways and language. Not until adulthood is reached by refugees' offsprings perhaps by visiting the roots of their heritage or increased learning of historical facts does this understanding and respect emerge.
The book's main character Ildikó struggles with all of this until the unusual events of her mother's death, her guilt and selfishness of not accompanying her mother on the fateful day drive her to delve into her mother's past, eventually solving many mysteries of her Hungarian family and forgiveness for herself.
The books is slow moving in some parts. The journey to Communist Hungary of the 60's is more interesting and enlightening.
May 15, 2016
Although this wasn't the best written of books, I enjoyed it because I haven't read much about the 1956 uprising in Hungary and this painted all sorts of interesting pictures of live at the time and live, often in exile, for the survivors.
December 12, 2013
A few too many coincidences!
August 20, 2016
There's a reason why very few novelists attempt a first-person narrative: it is extremely difficult to pull off successfully. "Triptych" is a good example of this kind of overreach.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews