Set in Portugal and Brazil, in a dystopian not-too-distant future, the book tells the story of Santiago, a mysterious man who moves next door to Alice, a very imaginative and captivating child. The girl lives there with her parents and her teenage sister. The man and the girl build a friendship, which extends to other family members through the stories that the newcomer told the girl. In a society where books were forbidden, it was the only safe way to convey stories.
The author, who draws on several classic sources, builds a very thought-provoking plot. Although the premise seems already known, its merit lies in the way it leads the story. In the first chapter we engaged through Alice's eyes and we were already fed with curiosity to know who that mysterious man was and what possible changes he could bring to the routine of that family.
The writing is so poetic, fluid and assertive that it gives the impression that you are reading a timeless book, which would easily cross the centuries without losing importance. Another highlight in the form are the 3 blocks of the plot, which from turn to turn knot the reader's head and surprise with at least two well thought out plot twists.
In addition to the well-known theme of the prohibition of books and the redemption of the anti-hero, the author also brings fresher themes, such as a random mobile application that exempts the person from the responsibility of choices, eugenics in the genetic construction of children and the interesting and uncomfortable use of the determination of the violent subject, through a gene.
Suspense, family drama, fantasy, dystopia… It's all in these 260 well-planned pages. I had the feeling of reading 3 different books, well tied together and stitched together by captivating characters and poetic words. It is Brazilian literature at its finest. It is very worth reading for those who want to rethink the current times that flirt with so many things developed there.
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