Serpentine - A Good Example of Portuguese Literature

The available time to read is, unfortunately, much less than I would like to. Yet, I try to read every day, even if I can only read a single page at a time.

This time, I chose something in my first language, written by a renowned author.

Fancy writing, poor content

I’m not the biggest fan of Portuguese literature. You may find it odd. It would be expected that we would quickly identify with our country, culture, and language. Unfortunately, what I see in Portuguese literature most of the time is a whole lot of beautiful words and fancy sentences, with little ability to make us dream.

Beautifully arranged sentences and highly educated words seem more important than the story itself. It lacks the fantastic ability to transport us to other worlds, to make us live what we are reading, or to feel what the characters are feeling. Despite that, I try to stay up to date on what’s new or considered a ‘must-read.’

I must say, however, and with great joy, that the new generation of authors is slowly trying to invert this tendency. But the path is hard, and it takes time.

Technique over emotion

Back to Serpentine, this book was pretty much what I described earlier as the general run of Portuguese literature, without the fancy language. I must confess: I’m not sure of what I can say about it. I didn’t love it, and I don’t intend to reread it, but something kept me reading until the very last page.

It is not my kind of book or story. Said so, I tried to analyze it and understand why I didn’t just stop reading it. My conclusion: it’s an excellent author. His name is Mário Zambujal. He’s famous as a writer and as a journalist, and his writing qualities justify all his fame.

Serpentine has a good rhythm, many parts of dialogue with a sense of humor that will at least make you smile, and his genius shows in the way he writes each scene. They are good, no matter if you like them or not; every single scene is good.

That’s probably the reason why we keep turning pages, while we say to ourselves, “just one more.”

Keep trying

It’s definitely essential, and I’m speaking mostly to Portuguese people now, that we give some opportunities to Portuguese authors. Allow yourself to be surprised. Our language is beautiful, and we have great talent amongst us that is hidden due to the difficulties of promotion.

Especially if you are a writer, no matter the language you use in your work, you always have something to learn from every single author. Read, enjoy, analyze, and then follow your own path.

Comments

Can Monsters Love?Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story

Netflix's Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story is not just a true crime documentary — it’s a psychological deep dive into one of the most disturbing couples in British criminal history . While the crimes are shocking, the nature of Fred and Rose’s relationship truly unsettles. Were they in love? Or was their bond something far darker? A Match Made in Hell From the moment Fred and Rose met, something clicked. But it wasn’t a love story — it was a dangerous connection built on control, abuse, and mutual cruelty. The documentary shows us how they fed off each other’s darkest urges. It wasn’t about love in the traditional sense. It was about power, domination, and shared depravity. Can Psychopaths Feel Love? This is the big question. Can two people with such extreme psychological disorders really feel love? Some experts believe psychopaths can feel attachment, but not empathy — they might need someone, but not care for them in the way most of us understand....

Raising Voices - Why Alma's Mom Had the Right Reaction

In Netflix’s Raising Voices , there's a raw, emotionally charged moment when Alma confesses to her mom that something happened the night she disappeared — she was drunk, she had sex, and something didn’t feel right. It’s the kind of moment that many parents dread. But Alma’s mom handled it in a way that deserves attention. She didn’t panic. She didn’t judge. She didn’t lose control. Instead, she met her daughter halfway, which made all the difference. What Happened in the Scene? When Alma opened up to her mom, she wasn’t just confessing — she was testing the waters for safety. Could she trust her mom with the truth? Would she still be loved after saying something shameful, scary, or confusing? Her mom’s response wasn’t perfect — but it was real. She was concerned, but didn’t explode. She asked questions. She listened. She let the moment breathe. Why That Reaction Matters Technically, what Alma described can be considered sexual assault , given her level of intoxication. Bu...

Raising Voices-A Messy Start That Becomes Something Powerful

Raising Voices (original title: Ni Una Más ) is the kind of show that initially made me want to stop watching — and then made me glad I didn’t. Based on the novel by Miguel Sáez Carral , this Spanish Netflix series explores teen life, sexual violence, and the power of speaking out. It's not always subtle, but it's effective. At First, It Felt Like Too Much The first couple of episodes? Honestly, I didn’t love them. It felt like the writers were trying to cram every possible issue related to sexual assault into one high school. Revenge porn, harassment, grooming, slut-shaming, rape culture — all at once. It was overwhelming. I wasn’t sure where to focus. Instead of building empathy, it felt like the show was going for pure shock value. It was hard to care when everything was dialed up to 100. But then something clicked. Maybe That Chaos Was the Point That disorientation — not knowing exactly what’s wrong, just feeling that something is — turns out to be inten...

All Forms of Art

Search This Blog