Alles barst los in deze korte novelle, waarin tegelijkertijd alles en niets te lezen is en een minzame liefdesgeschiedenis plots uitmondt in spervuur van absurde en almaar politieker wordende verwijten tussen een man en een vrouw. Minder toegankelijk dan gehoopt. ( )

Despite some misgivings, I was seduced by this book's small format, its New Directions credentials, and its Lebanese-Brazilian author. I kind of wish I'd left it on the shelves.

I was promised an "intense, erotic masterpiece." What I got was violent macho posturing and long unnatural diatribes and no empathy for any characters anywhere except maybe the barely there servants. Despite being only 65 pages I found myself having to grind through the long chapter "The Explosion." Had the book been any longer I should have given it up, but I kept scolding myself to press on -- surely any moment a corner will be turned and I'll understand why this book has gathered such praise.

I don't understand. And I'm entirely okay with that. ( )

Meu primeiro Nassar. Arrebatador ( )

Short and furious, but I'm not sure I got it. Some blistering passages, though. ( )