Perfect Days
Teo Avelar lives in Rio de Janiero, where he spends his days studying medicine and caring for his paraplegic mother. His only true friend is Gertrude, the cadaver they dissect in his classes. One day, at a party his mother forced him to attend, he meets Clarice, an aspiring screenwriter. Teo becomes instantly obsessed, tracking her around the city and imagining their future together — a future he begins by kidnapping her and taking her on a roadtrip that follows the path of the characters in her screenplay. As the days pass and Teo becomes more desperate for Clarice's unconditional love, their trip spirals into chaos.
Quote:
"He felt like a monster. He didn't like anyone, have feelings for anyone, or miss anyone: he just lived. People would come along, and he'd be forced to tolerate their presence in his life. Worse: he was supposed to like them, to demonstrate affection. He learned that if his play acting seemed real, it was all a lot easier."
Author:
Raphael Montes is a Brazilian lawyer and novelist. His books include Suicidas, Dias Perfeitos, and O Vilarejo. In 2016, Dias Perfeitos was translated to English as Perfect Days.
Published: 2014 in Portuguese; 2016 in English
Length: 272 pages
Set in: Rio de Janiero, Teresópolis, and Ilha Grande, Brazil
Translated by: Alison Entrekin