Review: Trafficing in more ways than one.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 11, 2013
This story, based on true conditions, could be depressing for any reader who cannot face a new type of ugly facts that desperately poor people face.  It takes place to start with in northern Brazil where there is a multitude of people who live under the meanest of conditions because there is no work and if it wasn't for human nature's instinct to survive, most would give in and just pass on.  Northerners in Brazil were called Nordestinos and Tomas, a teenage boy, was in love with a beautiful teenage girl, Thereza, but Tomas couldn't even find enough work to feed himself, let alone his mother and two sisters.  Tomas father had taught him to read and write, but then disappeared.  Reading and writing was banned where he lived because the corrupt men in charge did not want those people living in "shantys" to learn such for they might become strong and revolt against their conditions.  There were a few young adults who paid Tomas to teach them, but they could pay very little and because of the danger involved, everyone had to be very careful.  Tomas' mother was a priestess for a religious cult that had come with the slaves from Africa and although Tomas had been raised in it, he didn't practice it.  But it pops up in his wild thoughts in how to make Thereza his wife.Thereza's mother forbade Thereza to see Tomas for she knew Thereza's beauty could attract a suitor who could afford to support Thereza's family.  She actually sold her to one man, but Thereza couldn't stand him and ran away before he could take her to bed.  Tomas despaired as to how he could support Thereza as a wife, but he never gave up that desire, nor did Thereza.It was the thought of the Nordestinos that if they could get to the carnival held annually in Rio that they could find work and live decently.  Contests were held and some of the young men and women were sponsored to go to Rio.  Such was the case of Thereza and the man who paid her family for her and then in turn sold her in Rio was vicious and dangerous and Thereza knew she couldn't run away from this rich family in Rio.  The Rio man was an attorney, his wife was nice enough and they had an older, sickly, teenage son.The rest of the story was built around Tomas finally, through many difficulties, managing to get to Rio.  He attempted to find Thereza and rescue her, although he suffered many hardships throughout, but he finally got to the truth of the carnival and the rewards? that these young Nordestinos reaped.  This novel faces the bald truth as it still exists, only there are other countries of very poor people who face these same conditions and trials.  For anyone who likes a historical novel, even though it is full of human anguish, I recommend this one.I was given this novel for an honest review.