Martha Batalha (batalha-martha | RCW Literary Agency) is a Brazilian born writer and journalist. She has written for the newspapers O Dia, O Globo and Extra. In 2013, Batalha founded the publishing house Desiderata, which was sold to Ediouro publishing group in 2008.
The Invisible Life of Euridice Gusmão was published in 2017 and the summary is as follows: We follow the lives of two close sisters in 1950s Rio de Janeiro, Euridice (a pianist) and Guida (a romantic). Their lives diverge dramatically after Guida runs off with a sailor, only to return pregnant and be disowned by her conservative father. He tells Eurídice falsely that Guida has abandoned them, and also tells Guida falsely that Eurídice is in Europe studying. The sisters are thus effectively separated despite them still living in the same city.
The sisters live separate lives, one trapped in a stifling marriage, the other struggling as a single mother, while secretly writing letters that their father intercepts. Each never knows that their sister is nearby and yearning for them.
Check if this sharp, dry, caustic and intelligent novel is in stock at your local library by consulting the online catalogue here Home | South Lanarkshire Libraries (sllclibrary.co.uk)
Brought to the screen in 2019 by Karim Aïnouz. (The Invisible Life of Euridice Gusmao (2019) – IMDb)
240 pages in Oneworld Publications
First published 2017
ISBN 978-1786072986
Martha Batalha