Set in a small Portuguese village, Alentejo Blue is a story of displacement and modernization told through the lives of the locals and of people who are just passing through. The residents of Mamarrosa, whose ancestors occupy the graveyards, are restless and struggle to make a living. They watch as tourists and expats move in.
Monica Ali's characters are profoundly sympathetic. Her understanding of their dreams, desires, and disappointments is rare and moving. Alentejo Blue is evidence that Monica Ali is one of the most gifted voices of her generation.
BOOK REVIEWS
Media Reviews
"The characters' lives generate little tension, much like the pinball machine in Vasco's cafe that Stanton plays badly." - Publishers Weekly
"Again and again, Alentejo Blue laments the failure of these people to connect with anyone, but ultimately the stories offer us little more than a series of heavy sighs." - The Washington Post
"A master of concision and suggestion, the author says volumes about characters and situations by what she does not say. It does indeed take a village - in this case, to show the fundamental universality of all human predicaments." - Booklist
"A solid successor to Brick Lane. Ali proves that she isn't a one-hit wonder when it comes to writing." - USA Today
"Ali is masterful in writing about her characters' lives." - Los Angeles Times
"Overall, the novel compares favorably with Carson McCullers's The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter as a study of collective despair and frustrated hopes." - Library Journal
"The author roams through many voices and perspectives, but the characterizations are superficial. The drastic change of scene, though maybe necessary for artistic growth, has left Ali oddly adrift." - Kirkus Reviews
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