José Costa may be facing an existential deadlock but remains a ghost writer with unique abilities, a prodigy, according to his partner, who exploits him in the artistic agency they share in Copacabana. The protagonist, without seeking it, will go from simple commissioned writing to high creation. And without seeking it, he will find himself in Budapest, where he will seek redemption in Hungarian, the only language respected by the devil. Budapest is the story of a man defeated by his own talent, who sees himself as a prisoner between two cities, two women, two books, and two languages. Full of intensity, sublime and everyday, beautiful and grotesque, this text established Sílvio Buarque as one of the most important writers in contemporary Brazil. Combining narrative density with a peculiar sense of humor, this novel is a cheerful literary achievement that takes us from the beaches of Ipanema to the banks of the Danube, and hides a very original reflection on issues of human identity.