After his debut novel L-Anġlu tal-Lament earlier this year, Carlo O. D'Emanuele is giving us yet another exciting novel to enjoy.Published by Horizons, Iż-Żeffiena tal-Kerubini, another angelic treat according to the title, is set in contemporary Paris and its surroundings as opposed to Lisbon in the earlier novel. The story is described from the eyes of the same narrator who is still a mystery to the readers. He meets Amabelle, a beautiful lady with a shadowy aura, on his flight to this beautiful city.The novel unfolds quickly as we are taken for walks across the riverbank of the Seine and the dark roads of the Pigalle. We are also taken, often with humour but also with a critical eye, towards our own culture, beliefs and politics, with questions we do not dare to ask or discuss.Perfume is omnipresent as it is the scent accompanying us all throughout as it also accompanies the narrator through his medical condition. It is also through this condition that we see and endure Amabelle's various characters.Music is also a major key-player to this adventure often accompanying our characters through various nuances, styles and moods according to the situation. Music and scent are like a twin brother and sister to this novel.Red, black, white and many other shades of colours, textiles and jewellery, new characters and old make this novel an original blend of magical realism and the philosophy of art nouveau. At moments we are projected into a surreal world like watching life from a Salvador Dali painting.A fast-pacing page turner, this novel is very colourful though we are left in the dark until the very end on the true reason why Amabelle has become part of the narrator's life when tragedy strikes. And the ending to this novel is one that you would definitely never guess.But no spoilers! Get ready to be immersed into a new and exciting world with the erotic overtones and the mundane delights which only Paris, in our collective consciousness, can give.
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