The Invisible Life of Euridice Gusmao

Martha Batalha, Eric M.B. Becker (translator)

This slender family saga set in 1940s Rio de Janeiro is a bit of a literary soap opera (compliment) with two sisters at its heart: Euridice and Guida.

Euridice is the dutiful daughter, elder sister Guida is the glamorous rebel, and the two are devoted to each other. When Guida falls passionately in love with the wrong boy, the young lovers run away together, leaving Euridice to mourn the loss of her sister — and to fulfill all her parents’ expectations for how a good daughter behaves. For Euridice, marriage, children, and disappointment follow. Then one day, years later, Guida returns with a wild story of what she’s been up to. Her reappearance throws everyone’s lives into disarray again — and then they all muddle their way back to being a family.

It’s a fairly standard heroine’s journey, but it’s special. The way author Marta Batalha introduces the characters and their antics will make you feel like you live next door and are part of this neighborhood.

From the jump, it’s impossible not to love Euridice. She’s bright and inquisitive, prone to falling in love with things that interest her, so she becomes obsessed with playing the recorder, reading, cooking, and writing recipes. When she has a speech impediment, she tackles it. When she learns to sew, she becomes the most sought-after dressmaker in town. She’s good at everything she tries. But the people around her — especially her dull, onion-averse husband — try to suck the life out of her. Our dear Euridice is good at everything except standing up for herself.

The plot is a daisy chain of escapades. Every character warrants a back story, each leading us to the next and helping us understand how they all got here and why they do what they do.

Despite some heavy elements — cruel teachers, terrible husbands, judgmental families, broken hearts — it is often a frothy read. Euridice’s spirit is impossible to douse. Even when she’s down, a glimmer of that curious little girl inside her remains.

This is a story about the very human desire to be seen. Euridice and Guida, their neighbors and parents, all yearn to be recognized and loved. That’s something we can all relate to.

Life went on. For the children, bananas and spaghetti. For her husband, food free of the texture of onions. For Euridice, chores that came to an end before they should, giving her time to sit on the sofa and admire her fingernail polish. The months that followed the notebook’s burial behind the encyclopedia volumes were not easy. She tried to dedicate herself to her children, but this was a cross-eyed sort of dedication. With one eye she made sure Afonso and Cecilia were dressed for school, and with the other she asked: Can this really be all there is to life? With one eye she helped the children with their homework, and with the other asked: And when they no longer need me? With one eye she told the children stories, and with the other asked: Is there life beyond school uniforms, memorizing times tables and all these fables? — Martha Batalha

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