David Szalay's 2025 Novel 'Nella Carne' Explores Social Mobility and Personal History

David Szalay's latest novel 'Nella Carne' was published in 2025 by Adelphi, translated by Anna Rusconi. The book follows the life of István, a teenager from the concrete suburbs of Budapest in the late 1970s. His journey begins with a sexual initiation involving an older neighbor and traces his attempts at social advancement over several decades, ultimately returning him to circumstances similar to his origins. Szalay, who won The Booker Prize in 2025, revisits themes and character types familiar from his previous works. The narrative unfolds against the backdrop of socialist-era housing complexes in Budapest's outskirts, using this setting to explore cycles of aspiration and disillusionment. The novel examines how personal history and social conditions intertwine across generations.