This evocative historical novel submerges the reader in the events surrounding the 1755 earthquake in Lisbon.
The protagonist is Portuguese tile maker Pêro Manuel Pires who hires freed slaves to work in his tile factory. He aims to free the father of one of his workers if he can get the money together to buy the man his freedom. He loves his wife who is a talented tile designer in her own right, but they must hide and protect her risqué designs from rival tile makers and the Inquisition.
On the morning of 1st November 1755 a devastating earthquake tears through Lisbon, killing thousands and shattering the lives of both rich and poor.
Dos Santos skilfully depicts the wreckage, fear, and the sheer scale of devastation of this natural disaster and the effects it has on the lives of those who survive.
Excellent in-depth research on the earthquake and on 18th century tile making and a great start to the Tile Maker series.
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