A review by shornerk
The Air You Breathe by Frances de Pontes Peebles

5.0

This was one of my favorite books of 2018. The story is a rich investigation of the culture and history of samba. The story uses fictional characters to investigate the ethical dilemmas of the real-life Carmen Miranda as she was tossed into international stardom between the conflicting demands of Hollywood (becoming an objectified woman) and political changes that adjusted narratives of what it meant to be authentically Brazilian in response to foreign intervention and political power. The fictional characters are beautifully flawed, complex, and human. The narrative story commands a beautiful use of flashbacks and storytelling with language that is beautiful for insights into human conditions (I highlighted a lot of my favorite quotes). Loved the book.