“For it is in Literature that Humanity confesses itself: it is the mirror in which we see ourselves naked, and so we can become a little better.”

And despite all this power of literature – or precisely because of it – having books is prohibited and whoever has them, if denounced, can be arrested. There are those who agree not only with the ban on books, but also with their extinction, after all, with technological advances, why cling to such undemocratic objects that only show the author's vision? Digital books? Only if they are interactive for the reader to choose the direction he wants for the plot.

But there are those who still believe in the book, in its power to make people more humanized and protect them with their lives. One of them is Santiago, a discreet Brazilian who went to live in Portugal in a house next to Alice, a curious and very knowledgeable little girl, but ignored by her family. In the midst of conversations, they discovered they had common tastes, including carrying a notebook with them at all times. But Santiago's had a name on the cover, Hilário Pena, a man with a troubled and somewhat disturbing past. And all little Alice wants is to hear Santiago's stories and know who Hilário Pena was.

A tribute to the transformative power of books. A plot of suspense and insanity. A family drama. A dystopia that does not distance itself from reality. That's how I describe the work of Fausto Panicacci, a mixture of strands that worked! With a writing that is pure poetry, the author transports us from Brazil to Portugal and to realities that sometimes enchant us, sometimes frighten us.

Although the characters (primary and secondary) are interestingly developed, the highlight is the impact that literature and all its magic have on people's lives, whether in the solitude of prison or in the euphoria for knowledge. Another highlight is how the human essence is explored, how they react to certain situations and how one seeks to justify actions (and judge them) through genetics.

With the atmosphere of suspense, mystery and a hint of madness, it was inevitable to associate it with the works of Zafón, but Fausto has its particularities that make you enjoy reading and pride in knowing that it is national. Plot twist and literary references (which I liked the most, by the way) abound!

I recommend it to anyone who likes dystopia, books that talk about books, racking their brains to understand events and non-linear plots. I also recommend that, for reading, use the oxymoron Festina Lente – Apressa-te Slowly –, as it is a book that deserves to be read by all lovers of literature, but tasted very carefully.

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