Customer Reviews

Carnival King: The last Latin Monarch

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This novel looks at what would have happened if Brazilian voters had chosen monarchy over democracy in Brazil. That might sound farfetched, but in fact such a referendum was put before Brazilian voters in 1993. The book's protagonist, Reginaldo, is chosen to be the new monarch because he is the only Brazilian descendent of the last Brazilian emperor. Reginaldo, who works at a grocery store in a small town in Minas Gerais, is a truly un-kinglike character, something of a Brazilian Ignatius J. Reilly (see A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole). Without giving away too much of the plot, this makes for some pretty hilarious situations once Reginaldo is taken to the new capital of Rio de Janeiro. Interspersed throughout Reginaldo's story are vignettes from the life of his regal ancestor, Emperor Pedro II, giving an interesting historical perspective. This is a great book and a fun read, and should be of interest to both Brazilianists and fans of wry, somewhat offbeat humor. Since I fall into both those categories, I enjoyed this book immensely.

James's book was a lot of fun to read and an interesting look into Brazilian culture from the elites to those living in poverty. Great, engaging characters in both modern and historic Brazil, and interweaving story lines.

"Carnival King: The Last Latin Monarch" is a very good read by a new writer, Brent Alan James. It is a humorous and dramatic story with an underlying history lesson and social conscience. Even if you've never visited Brazil, you'll recognize at least one thing familiar in this book.