First published 1989
Raimundo Silva, a meticulous proofreader, alters a historical text, claiming Portugal alone reconquered Lisbon. His unconventional revision intrigues his boss, Maria Sara. Rather than fire him, she encourages Raimundo to rewrite the siege of Lisbon as a sweeping historical romance. As Raimundo's tale unfolds, it becomes a contemplation on the power of language, a parable of life under authoritarian rule, and a bittersweet love story that blurs the line between fact and fiction.
Genres: romance, literary-fiction, historical, historical-fiction
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fact-vs-fiction, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Lisbon (Portugal)
Period: Siege, 1147
315 pages · Hardcover · Harcourt