The Implacable Order of Things: A Novel

About this book

A mesmerizing tale of love and jealousy by Portugals most acclaimed young novelist. Set in an unnamed Portuguese village against a backdrop of severe rural poverty The Implacable Order of Things is told from the various points of view of two generations of men and women hardened by hunger and toil and driven by a fate beyond them to fulfill their roles in the never-ending cycle of violence retribution and death. Jos a taciturn shepherd sees his happiness crumble when the devil tells him he is being cuckolded. Old Gabriel offers wise counsel while a different kind of love story develops concerning Moiss and Elias conjoined twins attached at the tips of their little fingers. Unable to live without each other they find their tender communion shattered when Moiss falls in love with the local cook. And of course there is the Devil himself. Love may be a luxury but there are moments of the greatest tenderness among even the most unlikely lovers. Written with subtle prose and powerful imagery The Implacable Order of Things draws us into this unique and richly textured world. It is a novel of haunting beauty and heralds the arrival of an astoundingly gifted and poetic writer.