Lori, a primary-school teacher in Rio de Janeiro, and Ulysses, a philosophy professor, begin a relationship in this novel by Clarice Lispector. Lori is wary of being swallowed by love and has kept her independence, while Ulysses wants to teach her how to experience love without fear. Their meetings, delays and conversations lead to a gradual change in Lori's sense of herself. Lispector's style is lyrical and abstract, concerned more with consciousness than with plot.
Readers of Brazilian fiction and philosophical novels who like Lispector's introspective voice will find a short, unusual love story. It is one of her more hopeful books.
Deep, inward-looking, contemplative, open-ended and thought-provoking; a demanding read.
Best for readers like The Wisdom Collector. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1969
- Language
- EN
