Posted: on Goacom website Thu Dec 22, 2005 9:26 am
By Sebastian
Post subject: The Sixth Night by Silviano Barbosa
A must read romantic historical fiction
for all interested in Goan Catholic culture. This joyous epic follows four
generations of the Cardoso family of South Goa around the globe and throughout war, lost love, tragedy and all
the important events of life.
The narrative is visually descriptive and goes beyond the
visual imagery of Toronto, London
and Bombay and Goa. The lavish descriptions of the
smells and foods give you a real experience of being there. The backdrops of
the remarkable churches, beaches and pre-eminent schools of Goa fill your mind with images as
you read a remarkable story of generations of love and live.
You understand the parents of the main character Linda,
you feel real empathy for their hard work and losses because of the day to day
details of such an exotic life described by the author. The surprising villain
has an astonishing life too. An odd sort of war breaks out that the people of Goa did not want or benefit from or
even where involved in other that the fact that the war was over Goa.
The disruption and timing of the war could not have been
worse for the books heroine. The good and bad of Goan culture affect this girl
throughout her formative years. She is shunned because of her ethnic caste but
she excels in school and is a good person. Linda makes here way with some luck
and much hard work to become a success.
At the end of the book you feel really positive and happy
for the main character who losses her father and one great love only to make
her life brilliant enough in the end to merit a documentary about her story.
The historical events are so accurate and well described that you have to think
that this is not a story of fiction but the real life story of an actual
person. However some of the small coincidences are astonishing but not at all
unbelievable like many of the things that have happened to many of us. The
series of small coincidences make for a wonderful story that leave you wanting
more.
What will happen to the main character and child next in a
new land? What’s happening to the small village overcome with tourism and oil
money from countries across the oceans? This could be the beginning of a
wonderful series of books that detail previously unknown stories that deserve
to be told.
Thank you Silviano Barbosa, you are a talented writer who is able to tie in so many world events and show the effect on the little people.
Posted by Sebastian on www.goacom.com website