“This is a lyrical novel narrated by a gecko, using angolan history and certain events from the life of Borges. The tone never seems false, and the gecko's own reminiscences of life are well done. Without giving anything away - unlike the book jacket - it's a neat encapsulation of the history of a country that has fallen off the front pages, using a small cast of characters (some more resonant than others) , and it takes its time.Melancholy throughout, the ending is not so much forced as outside the realm of the narrator's knowledge. There's really no structural alternative available. A reader in tune with the emotional content won't mind that on first reading, but later it may diminish the pleasure - but not nearly enough to take away the good qualities.”
