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“Chosen by Jean
Stirling Book Group wrote this review Sunday, November 29 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Score - 86 out of 100”
“Chosen by Jean
Book Group wrote this review Wednesday, November 18 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Score - 86 out of 100”
“A bit hard to get into first but a fantastic read.”
Godfrey D wrote this review Sunday, July 26 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Novel set in Angola, originally written in Portuguese.
TheophileEscargot wrote this review Tuesday, May 12 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Was a bit skeptical: it has a slightly gimmicky magical realist touch in that it's narrated by a gecko lizard who was human in his previous life. But it doesn't drift off into empty whimsy: the book has a storyline, and it involves politics and relationships in a way that's moving.
It's also well written: not sure whether it's the translator, the original writer, or both.
It's hard to describe why this book is good: it's a bit like "Saturday" by Ian McEwan or "We Need to Talk About Kevin" by Lionel Shriver: the quality comes from the accumulation of detail.
Well worth a look.”
0 of 1 members found this review helpful“it was interesting - didn't think much of it at the time but I find myself thinking about the themes of reality and identity which form two of the strands in this quite complex novel. It was easy to read incidently and short - lots of blank pages in my edition.”
Tintinsworld F wrote this review Wednesday, April 22 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
0 of 1 members found this review helpful“Having the narrator a little lizard was pretty clever - made an otherwise kind of confusing book enjoyable for me. I couldn't follow when folks were dreaming or making things up or what and probably wouldn't recommend it as a "must read" - I might have gotten more out of it had I been a member of a book group with other people to lend their opinions about what was actually going on in many chapters.”
Kathy G wrote this review Tuesday, February 24 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
0 of 1 members found this review helpful“Stories can manipulate as well as entertain. And deception is an intricate form of art. This is an endearing little book about these ideas. But I disagree with his statement, "literature is the only chance for a true liar to attain any sort of social acceptance." I think most liars enjoy a high level of social acceptance.”
Melisbn wrote this review Thursday, November 27 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“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.
Jeff B wrote this review Thursday, June 5 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
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.”
“Agualusa is from Angola. His books are very imaginative, although bring some information about the sad history of his country. Humour, surrealism and reality are the ingredients at Agualusa recipes.”
eliana s wrote this review Sunday, January 20 2008. ( reply | view 1 replies | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
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