Two Truths, One Lie (The Book of Chameleons) – José Eduardo Agualusa

I won’t lie, I wasn’t particularly excited about this book, but I surprisingly enjoyed it. It’s definitely original, fun with a dash of philosophical thoughts. The Book of Chameleons takes us on a journey of identity, memory, and truth, blurring the lines between reality and fiction.

Past = Identity?

“My soul hurts with too much past in it, and so much emptiness” (38)

Wouldn’t it be convenient to be able to change some of our past, make it happier, more interesting, but I guess that would mean changing who you are. But what about the saying “Your past doesn’t define you”, I agree, but our pasts built us so maybe it does define us a little. And if we were to change our past are we different or the same?

Eulálio, Felix, Buchmann, Angela & Edmundo

Fun fact: Apparently the little gecko is supposed to be Jorge Luis Borges reincarnated.

I love the idea of Felix’s job, it’s so creative and unique, it’s like catfishing but for rich people.

Pedro Gouveia wanted to become Jose Buchmann so bad he started making up evidence of his relatives. He wanted to erase his painful past completely and it was working but at the end of the day he is still going to be Pedro, it doesn’t matter how hard you try, your past is always going to be your past but you can always heal from it. I’m happy he did.

I find it interesting that Felix can’t forgive Angela for killing Edmundo, the man who took her family away from her. In my opinion that is exactly what she should’ve done. Even if Edmundo wasn’t 100% mentally there anymore.

In Felix’s diary entry he mentions the possibility of all of what happened being a dream and how he doesn’t dare to dig up the yard in case Edmundo’s body isn’t even there, and how that idea terrifies him. I remember when I read it I was thinking about that possibility and how in his shoes I would probably have the worst existential crisis ever. Then it made me think about the times I have questioned some of my life experiences. Lately memories have popped up in my mind but then I realize I was just remembering dreams, and it’s such a weird feeling because then I would remember these people that exist only in my dreams and mourn them because they weren’t even real. Maybe I should start writing stories about them just like how Agualusa did with Felix.

Lies

One of my favorite parts in the book was “Dream No.5” when Buchmann and Eulalio meet in the dream realm. They talk about lying and how present in life it really is.

“Name a profession —any profession – that doesn’t sometimes have recourse to lying, a profession in which a man who only tells the truth would be welcomed?” (122)

I actually sat there for a moment to think about one but alas I couldn’t think of any.

We have the ability to lie and manipulate lies in any way we want in order to benefit us or others. Like the book says it takes on different forms.

Discussion Question

I had a hard time writing the blog for this book. I didn’t really know what to talk about. I enjoyed it a lot, so much that it left me speechless it seems. The author’s idea of wanting to give Borges a second chance through Eulalio it’s a nice gesture, I would like someone to do the same for me.

1. Do you think the man in the mask is someone we have been introduced to in the book? Or someone Eulalio must have known in his past life?
2. Would you hire Felix to give you a new past?
3. Do you think lies are an important part of our society? What do you think a world without lies would look like? Would it work?