The Club of Angels
Review by Flavio Luiz Gomes
Some of the best Brazilian authors were invited to write stories with the seven capital sins as background; Luiz Fernando Verissimo, my favorite writer, tackled gluttony.
Brazilian author Luiz Fernando Veríssimo
Luis Fernando Verissimo (b. 1936) is best known for his chronicles and texts of humor, more precisely satire of manners, published daily in several Brazilian newspapers. Verissimo is also a cartoonist, translator, and television writer, playwright and novelist. He has also been in advertising and newspaper copy desk. He is also a musician, having played saxophone in a few sets. With over 60 published titles, he is one of the most popular contemporary Brazilian writers.
One by one they die under mysterious conditions, always after eating their favorite dishes, but the ones left prefer to continue the meetings even though they know their lives are at risk. How does the game end? Why is this happening? Most importantly, why don’t they put a stop to it?
Luiz Fernando Verissimo delights us with his knowledge of good food, wines and plenty of Shakespearean references, with a style that is so fluid you simply do not notice the time flying while you read one of his books. Only he masters the art of sounding erudite and unpretentious at the same time.
The Club of Angels is less humorous than Verissimo’s usual books. In line with the suggested theme, you cannot avoid noticing a pint of decadence and desperation in it. Only Verissimo though, can make us laugh in the midst of sin and death, and keep us glued to the page, even when you know who the assassin is, and who will be killed next. Bon appétit!