Review: A solid page turner!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 27, 2014
Author Walter Mosley has said in his book Devil in a Blue Dress,"The law is made by the rich people so that the poor people can't get ahead.."Similarly, a modern day author, George Hamilton has vividly captured this saying in his book Carnival of Hope, with Brazil as the back-drop. He has managed to open our eyes to the dreadful ugly conditions faced by the people of the northern-east part of Brazil. These people are termed as Nordestinos. The authorities do not allow the people to read and excel, because they fear that the people might revolt against them. And these people live under the most pathetic conditions that we can ever imagine. These people have no means of entertainment or education, but still they lived united and never lost any hope. These people used to look forward to a carnival in Rio, which held once in a year. Many thought that this carnival can be their getaway from their pain and sorrow- A Carnival of Hope.Thanks to the author, George Hamilton for sending me over a copy of the book, Carnival of Hope, in return for an honest and unbiased review.The story revolves around a teenage boy named, Tomas who is in love a girl named, Thereza. They both used to live in the shanties and to support his family, Tomas used to teach the people of this village in secret, since reading and writing was banned from his village. But Thereza's mother never approved of their relationship especially, Tomas. She used to think that Thereza's beauty can attract a rich suitor, thereby alleviating them from their poverty. Eventually Thereza was sold off to a rich man, who then sold her off in Rio. Thereza believes that the carnival in Rio is her only get away from the painful and torturous conditions of her life. But she had no idea the fate of the winners of this carnival is very dark and are controlled by some vicious people. And in return, we experience a very beautiful love-story, amidst of all corruption, politics and pain.Through the eyes of Tomas, we get to see the picture of Brazil. Through-out his journey from the northern Brazilian shanties to the city of hope and corruption, Rio, we see how Tomas undergoes so many hardships and faces so many challenges and how he overcomes them to finally save his one true love, Thereza and solves the mystery behind this carnival. The author has taken us into a Brazilian journey, where we get to see the culture of Brazil and learn to see how the poor and destitute are treated by the rich and the powerful. His characterization is also very strong and quite well-developed. The author has even given us a taste of superstitions believed by the people of Brazil, like Tomas's mother, who happens to be priestess for a religious cult.In a nutshell, the book is going to keep you engaged till the very end. Especially, the Brazilian culture and the carnival and its mystery is what is going to keep you on your edges. With some unnerving and unbelievable twists and turns, the plot becomes highly intriguing and quite compelling.Get this book and lose yourself in the Brazilian culture, especially in this FIFA season.