Maria Carmo's Reviews > A Cidade e as Serras

I read most of Eça's books when I was young, between 17 and the end of University (around 23, 24).

I love Eça because his Portuguese is wonderfully written, he has a unique sense of humor and the picture he draws of Portuguese and European society, with all its cynicism and "show off" and pretense is still quite present in certain extracts of society...

This particular book compares refined Paris with coming back to the family House and Farm in interior Portugal - trading the sophistication of Paris for the authenticity and accrued flavor of really good food, excellent air and beautiful mountains...

The snobbish character becomes humanized and feels much happier after this trade of "make belief" for real, down to hearth comfort and solace.

Maria Carmo