the hour of the star
first uk edition, 1986.
a brief yet haunting novel, published in 1977 shortly before the author's death. narrated by the cosmopolitan rodrigo sm, the story follows macabéa, a woman from brazil's rural northeast who moves to rio de janeiro, struggling to survive in a world that offers little to the marginalized.
the novel contrasts the rural northeast with the urban southeast of brazil, touching on the socio-economic divide, the pursuit of a better life, and the crushing realities of poverty. it also critiques the sexism macabéa faces in her attempts to carve out any sense of self-worth.
lispector, in her only televised interview, described the book as a portrayal of a young woman’s "crushed innocence" and "anonymous misery"—a stark reflection of a life so poor that all macabéa could afford to eat was hot dogs.
manchester: carcanet. isbn: 0856356263. hardcover. book condition: bumping to head and foot of spine. mild shelfwear else fine. jacket condition: very good minus. two 1-inch closed tears. moderate shelfwear. stain to verso of rear panel. Item #692
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