Tudo é rio - Carla Madeira (English Review)
Now I realize I never reviewed this book! I read this gem in October and completely forgot to share its story! It’s undoubtedly one of the most talked-about Brazilian books on the internet! I listened to the audiobook rather than reading the physical book. With 197 pages, it delves into a reality that is rarely explored by society, and when it is, it’s often portrayed in a highly sexualized manner.
Carla narrates the story of Dalva, Venâncio, and Lucy, three characters whose lives become intertwined for different reasons.
Lucy’s story begins with her believing that the world is always within her grasp! Whatever she desires, she achieves! Her first "no" comes when her parents die together in an accident. This leads Lucy to vow that this will be the only “no” in her life. She moves in with her aunt and uncle and their two daughters. She quickly notices that the love her aunt shows her daughters isn’t even close to the love she receives, prompting her to seek affection elsewhere.
In an act of defiance against her aunt, Lucy decides to seduce her uncle. Brando, her uncle, notices Lucy’s intentions early on and warns her that nothing can happen as long as she lives under their roof, as she would have nowhere else to go. Determined, Lucy begins searching for ways to earn money.
Her first "client" is the young dentist in town who charges less. The moment she steps into his office in a dress, she locks the door and seduces him on the dentist’s chair. Lucy realizes he’s nothing special, unlike her uncle, who had previously touched her inappropriately and given her pleasure.
After losing her virginity, Lucy starts creating a list of clients. These men, including the pharmacist and the mailman, eagerly await their turn for a day with Lucy. She gains enough money to leave her aunt’s house and waits for the day her aunt and cousins attend a wedding so she can finally be alone with her uncle. After years of teasing, they engage in an encounter in the living room. Her aunt catches them in the act and promptly throws Lucy out. However, Lucy is no longer fazed by such setbacks.
Lucy moves into a brothel. Day by day, she attracts more clients and only accepts the ones she selects. That is until Venâncio enters her life. To Lucy’s shock, he shows no interest in her. He visits the brothel, chooses the cheapest girl, fulfills his desires, and leaves.
Each time Venâncio does this, Lucy becomes more infuriated, unable to understand how a man married to Dalva—a woman Lucy considers dull—can resist her charms.
The narrative shifts to Dalva and Venâncio. Dalva lived with her sisters and had to sell her mother’s homemade food on the streets to support their household. None of them enjoyed this, but everything changed when Dalva laid eyes on Venâncio. She began volunteering to take on the sales trips.
Venâncio quickly fell in love with Dalva, and they shared an old-fashioned romance where nothing physical happened. Their married life was smooth until the day their child was born. Venâncio became irrationally jealous at the sight of the baby nursing from Dalva. In a fit of rage, he beat the child until it was unconscious.
He took the baby away to be buried, and Dalva never forgave him. They continued living under the same roof but never spoke to each other again.
SPOILER ALERT!!
At the end of the book, Lucy achieves her goal and unintentionally becomes pregnant by Venâncio. Venâncio makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her or the baby. When Lucy’s child is born, she abandons him at Dalva’s doorstep. Dalva takes the baby in as her own and cares for him lovingly.
Dalva forgives Lucy for all the harm she caused while pursuing Venâncio and allows her to be a part of the child’s life. Venâncio, hearing the baby cry at home, realizes the pain he caused Dalva and starts trying to win her back. He builds a crib, crafts toys, and gradually finds his way back into her heart, even though she remains silent.
This part of the book is somewhat confusing but works as an ending. Suddenly, we’re introduced to a distant friend of Dalva’s mother. This woman receives Dalva and Venâncio’s son after he was presumed dead. Her mission was to bury him alongside Dalva’s family, but she realized the baby was alive. She cared for him until he was strong enough to return to Dalva.
Dalva receives a medallion the baby wore and becomes distraught. She visits the woman’s home and meets her son, who is now grown. She decides to rebuild trust with her husband and returns home with both children—Lucy’s child and her own.
The children grow up as siblings, and Dalva and Venâncio rekindle the life they once dreamed of.
Rating: 10/10! What a unique book! I’ve never read anything like it! If you’re uncomfortable with books that discuss sexuality, steer clear of this one. But if you don’t mind, I highly recommend it! It’s a story filled with sensuality without being vulgar. It’s a fantastic read or listen!