The Translations Book Club takes its first trip to South America in July with Brazilian author Carola Saavedra’s award-winning novel, Blue Flowers (trans.: Daniel Hahn).

Marcos has just been through a divorce and moved into a new apartment. He feels alienated from his ex-wife, from his daughter, from society; everything feels flat and fake to him. He begins to receive letters at his new address from an anonymous troubled woman who signs off as A. and who clearly believes she is writing to the former tenant, her ex-lover, in the aftermath of a violent heartbreak. Marcos falls under the spell of the manic, hypnotic missives and for the first time in years, something moves him.

Blue Flowers alternates between the letters detailing the dissolution of A.'s relationship, and Marcos' growing fixation with this damaged person. The letters become a kind of exorcism as both A.'s epistolary affair and Marcos' personal life reach a crisis point. Possessed by A., he is driven to discover her true identity. Blue Flowers is a dark portrait of desire, undermining accepted truths about love and sex, violence and fear, men and women.

New members are most welcome but spaces are limited. The event link below will be activated from 9am on Wednesday 23 June and spaces will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. Feel free to send us an email if you have any questions.