In the year 1731, Alexandre Lourenco watches as his brother Bartolomeuβs airship, the Passarola, ascends from the ramparts of St. Jorgeβs Castle in Lisbon. When the brothers board the ship, they embark on a journey that will take them from the salons and bordellos of Enlightenment Paris to the desolate far reaches of the North Pole, in search of scientific truth and knowledge. As they encounter such characters as the loquacious Voltaire and the irascible King Stanislaus of Poland, and attempt to escape Russian enemy fire and the condemnation of Portugalβs Cardinal Conti, Alexandre hopes to find his calling in life, while his brother keeps his eyes on the Passarolaβs next horizon.
A delightful picaresque tale filled with evocative period detail, Azhar Abidiβs debut is not only a story of adventure and suspense, but a thoughtful book on the nature of truth, and a heartfelt portrait of the relationship between brothers.