This isn't a novel with a single plot. As Farpas is a monthly series of pamphlets, a kind of 19th-century satirical magazine. Each issue is a collection of short, sharp pieces that comment on everything happening in Portugal at the time. It targets politicians, criticizes new books and plays, and pokes fun at social trends and manners. There’s no main character except the anonymous, witty voice of the writer, who acts as a guide through the absurdities of the year 1877.

Why You Should Read It

I loved this because it completely shatters the idea of the past as a stiff, formal place. The writing is alive, sarcastic, and deeply human. You get the sense of a real person, frustrated and amused by the world around them, putting pen to paper. It’s history from the ground up—not about kings and treaties, but about bad poetry, political hypocrisy, and changing fashions. Reading it feels like eavesdropping on the best and most clever conversation in a Lisbon café.

Final Verdict

Perfect for anyone who loves history but hates dry textbooks, or for fans of sharp political and social satire. If you enjoy writers who aren’t afraid to call out nonsense, you’ll find a kindred spirit in this anonymous author from 1877. It’s a niche read, but a deeply rewarding one that makes a distant time feel intimately familiar.