Miracles of Santo Fico, The

What a smile-producing read! Even with all their foibles and ticks, the people of Santo Fico were a joy to get to know. It was such a pleasant interlude to turn to a little novel in which the characters were intrinsically good (or if not good, dead), and the reader could enjoy every turn and twist of the plot knowing full well that all would end well. While the story was light-hearted, the language was well chosen and precise. Describing the gathered crowd in the church in one of the last scenes, the author tell us: "For those in the cathedral that night, it was like being one word in a great poem that had no end or a single note of music in an extraordinary chorale that rolled on forever." If you decide to read this book, I recommend that you save it for your next bout of the blues. Its charm is guaranteed to change your outlook.