Wednesday, April 22, 2009

The Book of Chameleons by Jose Eduardo Agualusa (42/81)

Category: Themed Titles – Animals

I was drawn to this book because I’d heard about its unusual narrator – a gecko. The gecko observes the comings and goings from his vantage point on the wall of the house of Félix Ventura, an Albino who makes a living by faking histories and ancestors for prominent people.

The story is very much about identity with the chameleons of the title referring to all of the characters here. Even the gecko is not just a gecko as he remembers a past life when he was a man.

It was a surprisingly easy read, despite the unusual narrator, unfamiliar names and place, and descriptions of dreams.

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