The Scent of a Lie

Description

132 pages
$18.95
ISBN 1-894800-07-9
DDC C813'.6

Publisher

Year

2002

Contributor

Reviewed by Dosi Cotroneo

Dosi Cotroneo is a freelance writer living in Manotick, Ontario.

Review

The Scent of a Lie is an irresistible collection of 14 intertwined
stories set in two charming Portuguese towns. The stories possess their
own blend of interesting characters, including children, angels, the
devil, and ghosts. Da Costa’s detailed settings effortlessly send the
reader’s imagination soaring.

In one story, a fortuneteller destroys the future of Tomas and Amelia,
a young couple in love. In another, a group of children tending sheep
experience an apparition that will draw people to the site for years to
come. In another, a frustrated wife sends her idle husband off to war.
And in another, a young man faces a change of heart and runs away on his
wedding day.

Whether they are about peasants or priests, and whether the events they
describe are expected or unpredictable, all the stories are beautifully
written and will take readers on an unforgettable journey.

Citation

da Costa, Paulo., “The Scent of a Lie,” Canadian Book Review Annual Online, accessed December 8, 2024, https://cbra.library.utoronto.ca/items/show/9829.