This book introduced me to several topics: the pacific islands and their trade, the colonization of Australia, some strange partnering behaviour, the "mistery" of Fatima and Fernando Pessoa's heteronyms, not to speak of the Ern Malley's Hoax or some crazy Dutch-Portuguese exploits in the time of the Eastern Indies. However, it is somehow dislocated and even though the language is often sophisticated and enticing --at the price of occassionally bordering the pretentious-- I had to force myself to finish the reading.

I left it in the train. ( )

I liked the bits about books, the Batavia (gruesome) and modern Sydney. I was not so enthusiastic about the author's journey mirroring the enigmatic Antonio da Nova. ( )