The living and the rest

In this immersive work of magical realism from Agualusa (The Society of Reluctant Dreamers), a storm system wreaks havoc on Mozambique, causing a group of visiting authors to question reality. In late 2019, an Angolan transplant and his pregnant wife kick off the island's first literary festival. As writers arrive from around the globe, terrible storms hit the mainland, cutting the island's power, phone lines, and internet access. Relying on generators, the authors carry on with the scheduled programming. Panels are held, new relationships blossom, yet before long, authors and island residents alike report encounters with mysterious new visitors who resemble characters from each writer's works. Saved from the destruction that pummels the mainland, the participants nevertheless begin to wonder if they are somehow in purgatory, or are figments of another author's imagination. Agualusa skillfully navigates the many interwoven story lines, sustaining threads of romance and terror as the days pass and supplies run low, and he delivers a satisfying conclusion. Readers drawn to stories that toy with literary conventions will be delighted. (Mar.)