A hora da estrela

A very short novel, around 90 pages – but you cannot stop to turn these pages until you finished it. A synopsis is almost impossible and would only make you skeptical. I had to laugh out loud a couple of times despite of hopeless situation of the Macaba, a young girl from the north-east of Brazil now working as typist in Rio de Janeiro. Actually it is a very sad story but the author in the book take you always out of the main main story for reflection. Reflections not only on the faith of that seemingly “stupid” girl but also on his own writing. A particularity is that the author is a male (therefore not Lispector herself) and you never get to know what is the relation between the author and Maracaba. As you can see: not a trivial structure, very funny at times, a sad story and glued together by a laconic style. The little book was a nice discovery and I will read more or her work.