But Lala is no ordinary fairy child. He shows very little interest in the spells he learns in fairy school and prefers the company of humans, befriending a recently orphaned girl, Beata, and her uncle. The queen hopes her sons behavior will improve after she marries Amalfi, the captain of the palace guard, who already loves the prince as his own.Meanwhile the power-hungry Adderpater, wizard, scholar, and coregent of the land, identifies the cause of the princes strange behavior: Lala has a human heart. The punishment for having a human organ is cruel in Fairyland. Iris will do anything to save her son, even marry the ancient wizard and banish Gigi, the truth-telling unicorn. Will the lights of Fairyland go out forever? Or will Lalas human heart give him the courage to restore justice and happiness?

    Set since 1814 until 1914. Set in the revolutionary Europe around 1848, this is the story of two Hungarian brothers who occupy opposing political and ideological camps: Dali, a fiery, freedom-loving romantic, and Antal, a conservative bureaucrat. Throughout the tale, vivid portraits of historical figures appear: Prince Metternich, the Austro-Hungarian chancellor; Tsar Nicholas I; and Lajos Kossuth, the hero of the fight for Hungarian independence. Lajos Zilahy's graphic recreations of the momentous historical events and the passionate private lives of his characters form an unforgettable portrait of 19th-century Europe. Lajos Zilahy was the leading Hungarian novelist of the 20th century; among his books are Two Prisoners and The Deserters.