Review: Gabriela, Cravo e Canela, by Jorge Amado

Gabriela, Cravo e Canela by Jorge Amado
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The book is a romance by Jorge Amado, taking place in the countryside of the state of Bahia in Brazil, in the region that grows cacao. It happens in the 1920's, when the region was undergoing a lot of population and economic growth, due to the start of the cacao industry. The book is in truth two stories told in parallel: one is the romance between the titular Gabriela and Nacib; and the other is about the small town politics of this Northeast town of Ilheus, in the period leading up to an election.

I didn't particularly like the romance part. It's too much of a fantasy - Gabriela is too subservient, her entire character is in service to the man. She is too conformist, and also too childish - since it's unknown how old the character is, it could also very well be that she is underage. It just didn't leave a good impression.

The book really shines on the other story, about politics. It explores all the peculiarities of Brazilian politics of the time (and still today), the casual corruption, the character of the "Colonel". But even this story is not just a linear, singular plot - it's a web of many stories, characters, anecdotes, happenings, gossip and jokes, all weaving together a brilliant picture of the Brazilian culture and society of the time, with its singular costumes, mores, sexism, misogyny, some of which still persists today.

It's a funny and captivating read.

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