Blank Gaze by Jose Luis Peixoto

Blank Gaze

Jose Luis Peixoto

The harsh lives of the inhabitants of an impoverished Portuguese village are played out in this dark tale. The multiple narrative voices are complicated to follow at first, but this approach lends a commonality to the experiences of the characters, as fate seems to determine life, love and death throughout the generations with repeated archetypes. You can see how this author is also a poet and dramatist.

Extract
Jose wasn't breathing or, if he was breathing, his breath couldn't be distinguished from the almost unbearable breeze of absolute silence. The giant's boots against Jose's prostrate body. The giant's boots against Jose's defenseless body. The giant's boots against the body without body of Jose without Jose. ... When the giant got tired, he went away. The devil vanished, smiling.
Parallels
  • Alentejo Blue by Monica Ali
  • Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy
  • Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels