Product Description

"Alentejo Blue" is the story of the Portuguese village of Mamarrosa told through the lives of those who live there and those who are passing through - men and women, children and old people, locals, tourists and expatriates. For some, such as Teresa, a beautiful, dreamy village girl, it is a place from which to escape; for others - the dysfunctional Potts family - it is a way of running from trouble (but not eluding it). Vasco, a cafe owner who has never recovered from the death of his American wife, clings to a notion that his years in America make him superior to the other villagers. One English tourist makes Mamarrosa the subject of her fantasy of a new life, while for her compatriots, a young engaged couple, Mamarrosa is where their dreams finally fall apart. At the book's opening, an old man reflects on his long and troubled life in this beautiful and seemingly tranquil setting, and anticipates the return of Marco Afonso Rodrigues, the prodigal son of the village and a symbol of this now fast-changing world. The homecoming is the subject of continuing speculation, and when Marco Afonso Rodrigues does finally appear, villagers, tourists and expatriates are brought together and jealousies, passions and disappointments must inevitably collide.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #426435 in Books
• Published on: 2006-06-05
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 304 pages

Tatler
'Compelling, atmospheric and elegantly written.'

Daily Telegraph
'Well written and often entertaining .... a perfectly pleasant
read.'

Marie Claire
'If you're looking for an intelligent holiday read, this has it
all.'

Customer Reviews

Not sure if this is actually a novel...
Alentejo Blue is certainly a work of fiction which runs for just shy of 300 pages - but that isn't enough to make a novel. It's really more like a collection of short stories all set in the same rural Portuguese village. There is occasionally some wonderful use of language in the description, but this fails to make up for the fact that it just doesn't hang together. I can't help feeling that it would have been a more absorbing and satisfying read if more time and attention had been given to fewer characters, rather than skimming the surface and risking stereoptype and characature in the process. Or perhaps the range of characters and perspectives would work if there were a strong plot driving there interactions, but ultimately this is a book about a place where nothing happens. I hope Ali can pull something rather meatier out of the bag for her next offering.

Go and read something less boring instead
Having loved Brick Lane I was very eager to read this but it was a huge disappointment - so much so that I don't normally write reviews for Amazon but I am compelled to say "save your money!"

This book comes with a very big "So what?!" It reads like a random collection of short stories which are badly thought out, lacking in plot and with weak characters. There are character links between the stories but they are so shallow and predictable.

Like most books I read, I could not wait to finish this book- but for all the wrong reasons - it is boring and I actually became desperate to get my teeth into something decent and revive my dying brain cells.

As for the insight to the Alentejo region.... it feels like Ms Ali was struggling for an idea for her second book, and so whilst on a two week holiday to the region she came up with the not so bright idea of Alentejo Blue. My cat's water bowl has more depth and her research appears to be nothing more than hiring a villa in the region for a fortnight and walking around blindfolded with ear plugs in.

Sadly, we see this all too often... great first novel plus a two book deal / huge pressure to deliver to the same level equals total flop.

It is no great surprise to say that I won't be recommending this to anyone.

An evocative journey through Alentejo
Being Portuguese, I was naturally drawn to the title. Unfortunately not very often is Portugal portrayed in the literary world. For that reason alone, Monica Ali deserves credit. She has most certainly been to Portugal, particularly to Alentejo and she has proved her knowledge of Portuguese history, politics and customs. Through the various characters, ranging from locals to expats and tourists, she conveys different pictures of that enchanting and often forgotten area of Portugal. The descriptions are vivid and veracious. The use of Portuguese is slightly forced at times and there are a couple of spelling mistakes: for instance, "silves" and "azulejes" instead of "silvas" and "azulejos", respectively. However, the chosen spellings are actually more true to the Alentejo accent.
The plot is somewhat disjointed, especially blatant when the initial scene with the death of an old man's male lover is inexplicably and utterly abandoned.
Nevertheless, Monica Ali's prose is at times reminiscent of One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.