"Raucous . . . Rowdy . . . Outrageous!" —The New York Times “Swift, funny, and occasionally even slapstick.” —Rivka Galchen, from the Introduction “Part Virginia Woolf, part Weekend at Bernie’s . . . [An] excellent example of the particular mixture of folkloric elements and high-literary storytelling for which Amado is often paired with Gabriel García Márquez.” —The ... Read moreWall Street Journal "Hilarious... Deftly constructed... Hugely entertaining... Amado, like Quincas, is a hoaxer who loves to trick his readers....  [His] version of Brazil is seductive." —The Times Literary Supplement “[A] comic masterpiece . . . Darkly hilarious . . . With brilliant sleight of hand and deceptive simplicity, Amado’s defiance of death in this frothy, heartfelt tale reveals the Brazilian master at his earthy, big-hearted best.” —Shelf Awareness   Show Less