Tag Archives: Ilze Duarte
A SPRINGTIME OF HER OWN MAKING: ÁLLEX LEILLA’S “SPRINGTIME IN THE BONES,” TRANSLATED FROM PORTUGUESE BY AMANDA SARASIEN
Women in Brazil have long faced verbal and physical abuse by males, both strangers and the men in their lives. Artists in film, TV, music, and literature have also called attention – on social media and the press – to this urgent crisis. The publication this month of Amanda Sarasien’s translation of “Springtime in the Bones” by Állex Leilla is uncannily timely. This disquieting novel, published in Brazil in 2011, adds a powerful voice to the millions of Brazilians who are saying no to misogyny and crimes against women.
The Darker Sides of the Human Psyche: Marília Arnaud’s “The Book of Affects,” Translated from Portuguese by Ilze Duarte
Rooted deeply in psychological realism, Arnaud’s expertly-paced stories delve into themes of death, betrayal, illicit affairs, and violence. Yet, they are not without moments of tenderness. Laced with suspense and emotional intensity, Arnaud’s writing evokes the interiority of Clarice Lispector and features plot twists worthy of Edgar Allan Poe, consistently delivering surprising endings.
A Tale of Two Women: Giovana Madalosso’s “The Tokyo Suite,” Translated from Portuguese by Bruna Dantas Lobato
“The Tokyo Suite” by Brazilian author Giovana Madalosso, translated from Portuguese by Bruna Dantas Lobato, is an ambitious novel. It explores and questions gender roles and expectations in marriage and caregiving, the very structure of traditional marriages, the demands and complexities of motherhood, the contradictions of life in the big city, and the inequities inherent in capitalism.