Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis is one of the greatest novelists ever (though I cant speak to the quality of the translations):
"I had to force myself to finish it. For years, I didn’t pick up another one of his books. When at last I did, I was bewildered by my initial impression. Where first I had been bored, I was now enthralled. Where I had seen salon chitchat, I now saw the musings of genius. I wanted more."
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/22/books/review/machado-de-assis-dom-casmurro.html
@cyrilpedia That assessment resembles those one reads of Adabert Stifter, a somewhat older Austrian contemporary.
@MolnarSteven Not familiar with him, must have a look.
@cyrilpedia This publisher's blurb makes him sound irresistible (which, of course, blurbs are meant to do).
https://www.nyrb.com/products/motley-stones
@MolnarSteven NYRB publishes great stuff, so that's one more point in favor
