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English language edition of Hungarian novel originally published in 1870.
414 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1870
11 people are currently reading
253 people want to read
About the author
Mór Jókai
882 books98 followersMór Jókai, born Móric Jókay de Ásva, outside Hungary also known as Maurus Jokai or Moriz Jokai, was a Hungarian dramatist and novelist. He was born in Komárom, the Kingdom of Hungary (today Komárno, Slovakia, southern part remains in Hungary).
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 5, 2018
A mix of romance, melodrama, and thrilling heroic science adventure. Ridiculously talented and good-hearted hero, completely colorless love interest, but lots of bizarre incident, fun supporting characters, and brilliant descriptions of the chemical and geological and engineering considerations that go into coal mining. It also made me acutely aware of my ignorance: the novel's backdrop consists of tensions between the Austrianized Hungarian nobility, Austrian imperial government, and Western European financial world on the one hand, and the native Hungarian land and people on the other. The memory of the abortive attempt at revolution, for example, is regularly referenced, and I constantly suspected that there was a good deal a more knowledgable audience would be able to read into the names and the brief references to places, events, allegiances, and cultural habits.
May 8, 2017
Quite a good gem. Pardon the pun. Jokai writes in a great exuberant way. Imagery is very easy and the material holds up after decades. I didn't even realize we were in the 1800s until I was halfway through the book. It also puts Hungary in an interesting light. A very unexpected and special read.
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July 28, 2024A most enjoyable novel. I still choose Hungarian books on the basis of familiarity with the author’s name. Mr Jókai has a soup named after him as well as a myriad of streets and squares but his work isn’t abundant in translation.
My copy of this is a facsimile of a 19th century edition. Maybe Queen Victoria read it? I think she was a fan.
The story is somewhat ridiculous at times but the pace carries you through 400+ pages effortlessly and Jókai’s characters are beautifully developed.
Fabulous entertainment. I suspect there must be an old black and white movie of it starring Pàger Antal.
Can’t wait to try another one.
My copy of this is a facsimile of a 19th century edition. Maybe Queen Victoria read it? I think she was a fan.
The story is somewhat ridiculous at times but the pace carries you through 400+ pages effortlessly and Jókai’s characters are beautifully developed.
Fabulous entertainment. I suspect there must be an old black and white movie of it starring Pàger Antal.
Can’t wait to try another one.
January 21, 2021
Abandoned at halfway mark. It’s just not for me.
March 29, 2016
Kuu aega tagasi palusin Goodreads portaalis abi Ungaris toimuva armastusromaani leidmisel. Sain mitu head soovitust. Tänud abistajatele!
“The Dark Diamonds” oli mõnes mõttes lihtsama vastupanu teed minemine. See on vabalt alla laetav Gutenberg projekti kaudu ja tundus enam-vähem ka teemasse minevat. Jääb vaid üle küsida: kas lihtsama tee valimine tasus ennast ka ära?
Kindlasti ei kahetse ma raamatu lugemist. Tegu on põneva poliitikadraamaga, millest jookseb ka romantikaliin läbi. Poliitika osa oli põnev, romantika liin võis inspireeriv tunduda 100 aastat tagasi. Mehele.
Lugu ise räägib noorest teadlasehingega kohaliku söekaevanduse omanikust Ivan Behrendist, kes alati ohu korral viimasena kaevandusest lahkub. Kui spekulantide poolt rajatakse naabrusesse suurkaevandus, peab Ivan ellujäämiseks ratsa-rikkaks-skeemitajatest võimuihalejate vastu välja astuma.
Raamatus on ainest keskmise Ameerika filmi jaoks, kus headus võidab kurja viimasel sekundil suure paugu ja moraalse üleolekuga. Jagub ainest ka eriefektide jaoks.
Mis armastusse puutub, siis see oli väga meestekeskselt käsitletud. Peategelanna oli auhinnaks võitjale - ilus ja vooruslik, aga muidu üsna mõttetu. Lapseohtu Evilat jagati trofeena käest kätte. Kuigi tal oli sündmustes oluline roll mängida, oli tüdruk enamasti vaid mõjutusvahendiks meeste mängus.
Ivan armus Evilasse vaid pärast paari kohtumist, kui ta tüdrukust vaid seda teadis, et tollel on ilusad silmad, kaunis lauluhääl ja töökad käed. Ja ega tast eriti midagi muud teada polnudki. Evila oli lapsik, kergesti mõjutatav ning erilist sisemist keerukust ei omanud.
See ei ole tüüpiline armastusromaan. See on romaan, milles peategelane juhuslikultarmub ihaldab endale kaunitari, kelle abil tema kaevandust püütakse laostada.
Ehk siis
Huvitav lugemine. Soovitan üle 40-aastastele meestele.
“The Dark Diamonds” oli mõnes mõttes lihtsama vastupanu teed minemine. See on vabalt alla laetav Gutenberg projekti kaudu ja tundus enam-vähem ka teemasse minevat. Jääb vaid üle küsida: kas lihtsama tee valimine tasus ennast ka ära?
Kindlasti ei kahetse ma raamatu lugemist. Tegu on põneva poliitikadraamaga, millest jookseb ka romantikaliin läbi. Poliitika osa oli põnev, romantika liin võis inspireeriv tunduda 100 aastat tagasi. Mehele.
Lugu ise räägib noorest teadlasehingega kohaliku söekaevanduse omanikust Ivan Behrendist, kes alati ohu korral viimasena kaevandusest lahkub. Kui spekulantide poolt rajatakse naabrusesse suurkaevandus, peab Ivan ellujäämiseks ratsa-rikkaks-skeemitajatest võimuihalejate vastu välja astuma.
Raamatus on ainest keskmise Ameerika filmi jaoks, kus headus võidab kurja viimasel sekundil suure paugu ja moraalse üleolekuga. Jagub ainest ka eriefektide jaoks.
Mis armastusse puutub, siis see oli väga meestekeskselt käsitletud. Peategelanna oli auhinnaks võitjale - ilus ja vooruslik, aga muidu üsna mõttetu. Lapseohtu Evilat jagati trofeena käest kätte. Kuigi tal oli sündmustes oluline roll mängida, oli tüdruk enamasti vaid mõjutusvahendiks meeste mängus.
Ivan armus Evilasse vaid pärast paari kohtumist, kui ta tüdrukust vaid seda teadis, et tollel on ilusad silmad, kaunis lauluhääl ja töökad käed. Ja ega tast eriti midagi muud teada polnudki. Evila oli lapsik, kergesti mõjutatav ning erilist sisemist keerukust ei omanud.
See ei ole tüüpiline armastusromaan. See on romaan, milles peategelane juhuslikult
Ehk siis
Huvitav lugemine. Soovitan üle 40-aastastele meestele.
January 9, 2026
So here is an author I didn’t know who turns out to be a literary giant of Hungary and read enthusiastically by Queen Victoria (in translation of course). And despite the length, this turns out to be a page turner.
Ivan has been running a coal mine by himself in the mountains of Hungary. He works hard, makes decent money, and desires a beautiful woman who works in his mine. But he resists chasing the woman, allowing her to be betrothed to a thuggish but handsome young draft-dodging, woman-beating drunkard. He turns down an opportunity to join a syndicate that wants to open a bigger mine on the property next door. He doesn’t seem interested in promoting his many inventions. In short, he’s the typical too good to be true hero of a lot of 19th century fiction.
In this novel, he needs to be. Because he is going to be enmeshed in corporate intrigue, Hungarian society shenanigans, and ecological disasters, that only rare goodness and a skilled author can navigate. I don’t know how this reads in the original Hungarian. But, even in English, this novelist shows a fine visual sense (and a love of secret passageways and creepy underground chambers).
Worth finding.
Ivan has been running a coal mine by himself in the mountains of Hungary. He works hard, makes decent money, and desires a beautiful woman who works in his mine. But he resists chasing the woman, allowing her to be betrothed to a thuggish but handsome young draft-dodging, woman-beating drunkard. He turns down an opportunity to join a syndicate that wants to open a bigger mine on the property next door. He doesn’t seem interested in promoting his many inventions. In short, he’s the typical too good to be true hero of a lot of 19th century fiction.
In this novel, he needs to be. Because he is going to be enmeshed in corporate intrigue, Hungarian society shenanigans, and ecological disasters, that only rare goodness and a skilled author can navigate. I don’t know how this reads in the original Hungarian. But, even in English, this novelist shows a fine visual sense (and a love of secret passageways and creepy underground chambers).
Worth finding.
April 7, 2024
Ezennel HÁROMRA emelkedett az olyan, általam olvasott Jókai-könyvek száma, amelyeknek jó a vége! Hihetetlen! Főleg úgy, hogy mindenkitől kifejezetten úgy kérek Jókai ajánlást, hogy olyat adjon, aminek jó a vége. (Nem, az "együtt nyugosznak a tenger mélyén" az az én szótáramban nem "jó".)
Ugyanitt: szeretettel várok olyan Jókai-ajánlást, aminek jó a vége :D
Egyébként előre nem sejtettem, hogy ez a könyv tudományos-fantasztikus, bár az elején az az ötven oldal történelem előtti képzelgés akár rá is vezethetett volna. Kicsit 1870-es sci-fi, de attól még sci-fi. Amikor a bányát oltották, két film járt a fejemben: az egyik A mag, a kedvenc trash katasztrófafilmem (a "barackos" - aki tudja, tudja), a másik meg az, ahol a Szent András-törésvonalat feltöltik purhabbal.
Ugyanitt: szeretettel várok olyan Jókai-ajánlást, aminek jó a vége :D
Egyébként előre nem sejtettem, hogy ez a könyv tudományos-fantasztikus, bár az elején az az ötven oldal történelem előtti képzelgés akár rá is vezethetett volna. Kicsit 1870-es sci-fi, de attól még sci-fi. Amikor a bányát oltották, két film járt a fejemben: az egyik A mag, a kedvenc trash katasztrófafilmem (a "barackos" - aki tudja, tudja), a másik meg az, ahol a Szent András-törésvonalat feltöltik purhabbal.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 21, 2021
Daaaaamn! I was not expecting this!
Slow start, in all honesty I skipped the first chapter. But than it started falling into place:
A bit of social sorrow Germinal style, a bit of mad scientist, a dash of love from afar, austro-hungarian court intrigues and topped with Stock Market manipulation! All in a 19th century Hungarian novel...
What's not to like? 😀
Slow start, in all honesty I skipped the first chapter. But than it started falling into place:
A bit of social sorrow Germinal style, a bit of mad scientist, a dash of love from afar, austro-hungarian court intrigues and topped with Stock Market manipulation! All in a 19th century Hungarian novel...
What's not to like? 😀
November 4, 2019
Jókai-korszakom egyik kötelezője. Kíváncsi lettem rá, mivel a belőle készült filmet többször elszalasztottam. Nehezebb téma, mint a többi - jó leírásokkal a bányászatról. Érdekes cselszövések és menekülések - kaland a javából. Azért nem volt rám olyan hatással - nekem egy kicsit sötét maradt...
January 27, 2026
"'Ah, poor fellow! he had the misfortune of being too fortunate.'"
July 20, 2013
A good old romantic story covered in really good-quality romantic sauce. The story offers shocking and at the same time touching turns at the end. It will not become a favourite but it was a fine read.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews