A welcome, fresh translation of an overlooked classic, a superb novel of (bad) manners.
A parodic novel by the great Brazilian writer, first published in 1891.
Quincas Borba is a philosopher of sorts, the inventor of a doctrine he calls Humanitism, which takes logical positivism to its extremes. Having propounded it, Borba declares himself “the greatest man on Earth,” but although he confidently denies death, soon thereafter he dies. His friend Rubião, who tolerates Borba’s eccentricities, is the sole recipient of Borba’s considerable fortune, with but one proviso: He must take care of Borba’s beloved dog, itself named Quincas Borba. The dog is a sweet thing; Rubião not so much, leaving the poor critter alone while he enjoys the life of high society in Rio de Janeiro. Among other things, Rubião tries mightily to seduce the beautiful young wife of his financial advisor. Sofia is no Emma Bovary, and though she’s well aware that Rubião desires her, she seems more interested in an empty-headed social climber closer to her age. She’s also well aware of her powers: “Once she had laced up her corset, still standing before the mirror, she lovingly arranged her breasts to show off her magnificent décolletage,” attributes that Machado, fond of allusion, likens to a passage from the Greek historian Herodotus. Rubião has fully absorbed just one lesson of Quincas Borba’s: There’s not enough to go around, making it necessary for one tribe to kill another in order to eat, a lesson that Rubião distills into “a signet ring inscribed with the motto: TO THE WINNER, THE POTATOES!” Alas, potatoes are elusive, and the only admirable figure in Machado’s novel is the dog, who “loves being loved. He’s happy to believe that he is.” He’s probably not, but, like the other hapless characters in Machado’s satire, he’s happy to chase his own tail.
A welcome, fresh translation of an overlooked classic, a superb novel of (bad) manners.Pub Date: July 9, 2024
ISBN: 9781324090687
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Liveright/Norton
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An affecting portrait of a prickly woman.
A lifetime’s worth of letters combine to portray a singular character.
Sybil Van Antwerp, a cantankerous but exceedingly well-mannered septuagenarian, is the titular correspondent in Evans’ debut novel. Sybil has retired from a beloved job as chief clerk to a judge with whom she had previously been in private legal practice. She is the divorced mother of two living adult children and one who died when he was 8. She is a reader of novels, a gardener, and a keen observer of human nature. But the most distinguishing thing about Sybil is her lifelong practice of letter writing. As advancing vision problems threaten Sybil’s carefully constructed way of life—in which letters take the place of personal contact and engagement—she must reckon with unaddressed issues from her past that threaten the house of cards (letters, really) she has built around herself. Sybil’s relationships are gradually revealed in the series of letters sent to and received from, among others, her brother, sister-in-law, children, former work associates, and, intriguingly, literary icons including Joan Didion and Larry McMurtry. Perhaps most affecting is the series of missives Sybil writes but never mails to a shadowy figure from her past. Thoughtful musings on the value and immortal quality of letters and the written word populate one of Sybil’s notes to a young correspondent while other messages are laugh-out-loud funny, tinged with her characteristic blunt tartness. Evans has created a brusque and quirky yet endearing main character with no shortage of opinions and advice for others but who fails to excavate the knotty difficulties of her own life. As Sybil grows into a delayed self-awareness, her letters serve as a chronicle of fitful growth.
An affecting portrait of a prickly woman.Pub Date: May 6, 2025
ISBN: 9780593798430
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
A dark and twisty look at just how far one woman is willing to go to find inspiration.
A struggling writer finds an unexpected muse when a mysterious man shows up at her cabin.
Petra Rose used to pump out a bestselling book every six months, but then the adaptation happened—that is, the disastrous film adaptation of her most famous book. The movie changed the book’s storyline so egregiously that fans couldn’t forgive her, and the ensuing harassment sent Petra into hiding and gave her a serious case of writer’s block. Petra’s one hope is her solo writing retreat at a remote cabin, where she can escape the distractions of real life and focus on her next book, a story about a woman having an affair with a cop. When officer Nathaniel Saint shows up at her cabin door, inspiration comes flooding back. Much like the character from Petra’s book, Saint is married, and he’s willing to be Petra’s muse, helping her get into her characters’ heads. Petra’s book is practically writing itself, but is the game she’s playing a little too dangerous? Does she know when to stop—and, more importantly, is Saint willing to stop? Hoover is no stranger to controversial movie adaptations and internet backlash, but she clarifies in a note to readers that she’s “just a writer writing about a writer” and that no further connections to her own life are contained in these pages—which is a good thing, because the book takes some horrifying twists and turns. Petra finds herself inexplicably attracted to Saint, even as she describes him as “such an asshole,” and her feelings for him veer between love and hate. The novel serves as a meta commentary on the dark romance genre—as Petra puts it, “Even though, as readers, we wouldn’t want to live out some of the fantasies we read about, it doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy reading those things.”
A dark and twisty look at just how far one woman is willing to go to find inspiration.Pub Date: Jan. 13, 2026
ISBN: 9781662539374
Page Count: -
Publisher: Montlake
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2025
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