"With mounting desperation, Truman tried again to find Orion, the Dog Star, anything familiar; but he couldn't find them, so he surrendered to his ghosts, gave up, and became a leaden meteor, hurtling through the dark, cold vastness of space, whirling among stars more lost than he."
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A Small, Perfect Place: A Novel of Brazil by Arnold Gordenstein iUniverse
book review by Wendy Strain
Disgusted by the betrayal of his wife and his younger brother, Truman steals all of the money in his brother's business vault and makes his way to Brazil in hopes of disappearing into a peaceful beach life doing nothing more than soaking up sunshine and treating himself to mangoes. After botching his anonymous entry into the country, Truman soon finds himself caught in the clutches of the country's then highly corrupt government and finds himself dependent on his revolutionary friend's father, a high-level diplomat, to save him. This sets in motion the rest of the story in which Truman comes to love the country and its people, getting to know them for all of their flaws, their ignorance, and their love of life.
Not intended for those who love action adventure but still promising enough of each, this story is focused more on the ideas and events that fueled Brazil's awakening into the democratic nation it is today. Written in gorgeous lyrical prose, the reader is able to drift into the small village of Siao, learning to love it as Truman does, cheer with its successes, and mourn with its losses. As Truman discovers his deep love for the town, the lifestyle, and the woman he discovers there, the reader is also introduced to the factors that fed into Brazil's transformation–the revolutionaries who wouldn't quit despite the odds and the brutality of the government, the spirit of the people, and the more subtle changes that Truman himself brings into this small, perfect place he adores.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review