The Lilacs Still Bloom – Love and Loss in World War I Hungary

The Lilacs Still Bloom — Love and Loss in World War I Hungary is the first in a planned series of historical literary novels inspired by the lives of the Makk family of artists. The story in book one follows two young Hungarians from vastly different beginnings—one born into privilege in an ancestral castle, the other, orphaned after the death of his parents, and raised on a farm—as their families are swept into the upheavals of World War I, the Hungarian‑Romanian war, and the Spanish Flu pandemic. Against a backdrop of refugee boxcars, political turmoil, and devastating loss, their lives intertwine in a tale of friendships, survival, resilience, and enduring love. With its blend of intimate family drama and sweeping historical scope, the novel captures how beauty and hope—like lilacs blooming after winter—persist even in the darkest times.