Władysław Stanisław Reymont (1867–1925)

Josio trabaja como vendedor de billetes en una estación de tren de provincias y, como de costumbre, permanece ante la ventanilla absorto en esta labor monótona y cotidiana: escucha las demandas, alcanza los billetes desde un estrecho compartimento, los sella, los entrega, recoge el dinero y devuelve el cambio. Y lo hace rápida y aplomadamente, con una gran parquedad de movimientos, como un autómata, mientras, ahogado por el traqueteo de los trenes, consigue olvidarse paulatinamente de sí mismo y construye castillos en el aire. Su principal sueño: viajar, tiene que viajar. No siempre ha sido vendedor de billetes.… (mehr)

This starts off REALLY STRONGLY. As I finished ch 1, I thought I'd found a new classic author and must get more of his works. That impression doesnt last.
Janina is the educated daughter of an irrascible widower. When he demands she marry (a rather engaging suitor) she refuses and leaves to become an actress.
But now it all started to become terribly dull. The ensuing chapters are largely inconsequential dialogue among the shallow and irrelevant acting folk she takes up with....the director and his faded, jealous wife...the tarts and the procuresses, the strapped for cash and the men looking for a bit of fun...
I dont often abandon a novel just 100 pages from the end...but couldnt face another word. This was a Nobel prize winning author, incidentally!… (mehr)