About The Book

These three internationally acclaimed novels have confirmed Agota Kristof’s reputation as one of the most provocative exponents of new-wave European fiction. With all the stark simplicity of a fractured fairy tale, the trilogy tells the story of twin brothers, Claus and Lucas, locked in an agonizing bond that becomes a gripping allegory of the forces that have divided “brothers” in much of Europe since World War II.

Kristof’s postmodern saga begins with The Notebook, in which the brothers are children, lost in a country torn apart by conflict, who must learn every trick of evil and cruelty merely to survive. In The Proof, Lucas is challenging to prove his own identity and the existence of his missing brother, a defector to the “other side.” The Third Lie, which closes the trilogy, is a biting parable of Eastern and Western Europe today and a deep exploration into the nature of identity, storytelling, and the truths and untruths that lie at the heart of them all.

Praise

“Stark and haunting.” –San Francisco Chronicle

“A vision of considerable depth and complexity, a powerful portrait of the nobility and perversity of the human heart.” –The Christian Science Monitor

Praise for The Notebook:

“A terrific story . . . There is enough kinky sex, perverse violence, and general weirdness to match the best of Henry Miller, Jean Genet, and Jerzy Kosinski.” –The Boston Phoenix Literary Supplement

“An almost lyrical intensity . . . A fierce and disturbing novel.” –The New York Times

Praise for The Proof:

“A haunting, harrowing tale that lingers in the imagination long after you’ve turned the last page.” –The Washington Post Book World

“In prose stripped to a bare yet powerful structure, this intense parable reveals the triumph of literature in a politically repressive state.” –Booklist

“Readers of Jerzy Kosinski’s The Painted Bird will experience a shudder of recognition. . . . A testament of this century and a literary achievement of unrelenting gravity.” –The Kansas City Star