The Invisible Life of Euridice Gusmao: The International Bestseller, now a major motion picture

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Description

Euridice is young, beautiful and ambitious, but when her rebellious sister Guida elopes, she sets her own aspirations aside and vows to settle down as a model wife and daughter. And yet as her husbands professional success grows, so does Euridices feeling of restlessness. She embarks on a series of secret projects from creating recipe books to becoming the most sought-after seamstress in town but each is doomed to failure. Her tradition-loving husband is not interested in an independent wife. And then one day Guida appears at the door with her young son and a terrible story of hardship and abandonment. The Invisible Life of Euridice Gusmo is a wildly inventive, wickedly funny and keenly observed tale of two sisters who, surrounded by a cast of unforgettable characters, assert their independence and courageously carve a path of their own in 1940s Rio de Janeiro. A deeply human and truly unforgettable novel from one of the most exciting new voices in world literature.

Reviews

'This zesty Brazilian debut has the same brightly coloured quality as a folk painting... A novel that brims indeed with invisible life not just Euridice's, but the dreams of an entire cast of women: housewives, daughters, and the forsaken who fall in between.'

* Daily Mail *

'Beguiling...Has all that much changed we can hear the author sighing between the breathless pauses of her fable-like saga...Batalha winkingly employs echoing names like Antenor, Antonio, Alfonso and Alvaro to suggest that her male characters have all tumbled out of the same chauvinistic nest... In this translation from the Portuguese by Eric M. B. Becker, Batalhas empathy is buoyed by puckish wordplay and nostalgia for a time when an act of emancipation entailed a manual typewriter and a good smoke: "Each cigarette was a cry of freedom that was complete in itself and left no tracks."'

* New York Times Book Review *

'With something ofChocolat's charm about it, this is a funny, empowering tale of two sisters in fortiesRio de Janeiro whose lives diverge only to come back together as they search for a sense of their own lives. A real gem of a book.'

* Stylist *

'Humorous and exuberant, this book is a rare treat!'

* Chicago Review of Books *

'[Martha Batalha] brings to life her many characters and the sights, smells and experiences of the world they live in with a deft, wry touch.'

* Press Association *

'With sharp humor and pointed prose, Marta Batalhas novel rebels against the patriarchal forces of her home country.'

* World Literature Today *

'Tremendous fun... A story of kindness and grace, which does not need to be any longer, but is sufficiently addictive to make us wish it were.'

-- Philippa Williams * The Lady *

'The arc of this novel, the writing, the characters, are a joy to read.'

* Book Riot *

'With humor and fresh, clever writing, the author addresses womens issues in mid-century society...All the characters stories and descriptions are so cleverly told and so much fun to read.I loved this book. It puts a spotlight on women living in the 40s, and is told with originality and skill. It is such a refreshing read, and I highly recommend it. This is the authors debut novel, and I will watch for anything new from her in the future.'

* Historical Novel Society 'Editors Choice Selection' for November *

'Extraordinary. You cant put this book down.'

* Vogue (Brazil) *

'A worthy debut for Batalha, full of wry humor.'

* Kirkus *

'Filled with intrigue, mystery, sadness, and a novels-worth of fierce leading ladies, this one is perfect for fans of Julia Alvarez and Gabriel Garcia Marquez.'

* Bustle *

'Martha Batalha...tells the story of the brilliant sisters Guida and Euridice with humour, social awareness and wit.'

* Mariana Enriquez, author of Things We Lost in the Fire *

'[Batalha] effortlessly brings to life not only her many characters, but the sights, smells and experiences of the world they live in with a deft, wry touch.Characters are at the heart of this enchanting, unusual debut novel which draws readers in with its witty, evocative prose.'

* The Herald *

'Funny,sensual, and full of the flavour of a city rarely captured in fiction.'

* Sainsbury's Magazine *

'Vibrant and very human.'

* BookTrib *

'I know they say dont judge a book by its cover, but the cover art for The Invisible Life of Euridice Gusmao is what drew me in because its just beautifulbold and vibrant and whimsical, which, as you might have guessed, could describe Euridice herself... She is scrappy and industrious, and it was a pleasure to get to root for her throughout this novel.'

* Book Riot (must-read book of October) *

'An irrepressible tale of life and love.'

* Irish Examiner *

'Humorous and sensitive... Martha Batalhas mature writing, which is also smooth and intoxicating, seasoned with characteristic authority and jolliness, and an immersive plot, makes this book a narrative delight.'

* Asymptote *

'Delightful and funny... The writing style reminded me of A Man Called Ove dark humor, quirky characters it was an absolute delight.'

* Liberty Hardy (Book Riot podcast) *

'Spellbinding... Batalha is one of those rare writers who can summarise an entire life in a single paragraph, so when she spends an entire book on a single life, the reader is in for a treat.'

* Laia Jufresa, author of Umami *

'Batalhas debut shines a light on often-overlooked members of society and paints a thorough and riveting portrait of its characters that will keep readers engaged till the end.'

* Booklist *

'The Invisible Life of Euridice Gusmao is earthy and witty, and the lives of its heroines of everyday existence are memorable and inspiring.'

-- Meg Nola * Foreword Reviews *

'The Invisible Life ofEuridice Gusmaounfurls atender portrait ofawoman insisting upona life ofherownmaking, anditsawondrous tribute tothequiet resiliency ofwomen coping withmyopic traditions.'

* The Riveter *

'Irrepressible.'

* Woman's Way *

'The cumulative effect of the novels interwoven stories is a quiet celebration of the lives women lead away from men...the novels final lines, representing the tack-tack-tack of the typewriters keys, suggest that Euridice, along with the other women in the novel, will end up having the final say.'

* Paste Magazine *

'An absolute dream. Every woman should read this book.'

* Gerard Collard, LCI (France) *

'A unique and enchanting novel.'

* Elle (France) *

We love the raging irony of this story and its portrayal of a secret rebel.

* Cosmopolitan (France) *

A jubilant novel about the emancipation of women.

* Madame Figaro *

Martha Batalha creates a nostalgic, exotic microcosmfull of compassion, but with a good pinch of irony and a hearty helping of humour.

* literaturkritik.de *

Martha Batalha delivers a feminist debut [...] and a beautiful journey through folkloric Rio filled with the scent of spices, coconut milk and guava marmalade.

* Le Parisien Magazine *

Razor-sharp, dry, caustic and intelligent.

-- Alberto Mussa, author of The Mystery of Rio

'Clever and unusual...filled with amusing tales told through its array of memorable characters.'

* Carlos Saldanha, film director *

'An epic saga, a roman-fleuve.'

* Ruy Castro, writer *

'A remarkable narrative.'

* Alberto Mussa *

Author Bio

Martha Batalha studied journalism and literature in Brazil, working first as a reporter before starting her own publishing company. The Invisible Life of Euridce Gusmo is her first book. Martha currently lives in Santa Monica, California, with her husband and two children. Eric M. B. Becker is the editor of world literature journal Words without Borders and a translator of literature from Portuguese into English. He currently lives in Rio de Janeiro.