Angolan Novelist José Eduardo Agualusa Weaves Magic and Reality in His Latest Work

José Eduardo Agualusa, the acclaimed Angolan novelist, has spent nearly ten years living on Mozambique Island, a narrow strip of land off Mozambique’s northern coast known for its rich history and poetic traditions. At 64, he initially arrived to research for his 2008 novel, “My Father’s Wives,” which centers around a young island woman who produces documentary films.

In an intriguing twist of fate mirroring the themes of his writing, Agualusa later met and married a documentary filmmaker from the island. Reflecting on his decision to stay, he noted during a recent video interview, “I’m here because of her, but also because I truly cherish this place. It feels like destiny.”

Agualusa’s distinctive and thought-provoking novels—including “The Book of Chameleons,” “The Society of Reluctant Dreamers,” and “A General Theory of Oblivion”—often explore themes of premonitions, dreams, and uncanny intersections of time and fate. His latest release, “The Living and the Rest,” published this month by Archipelago Books, draws inspiration from the enchanting atmosphere of Mozambique Island while venturing into surreal narrative realms.

Set against the island’s natural splendor and its vibrant cultural mosaic, the novel depicts a literary festival that brings together writers from across Africa to engage in conversations about creativity and identity on the continent. These visitors arrive carrying their own complexities and reservations, both about each other and the island’s remote setting.

When a severe storm severs all connections to the mainland—cutting off phone and internet communications—tensions among the writers escalate. They socialize, argue, and drink, all while beginning to experience eerie encounters with figures that appear to be their own fictional characters come to life. Whether these are hallucinations, ghostly visitations, or perhaps actors playing roles remains an open question.

This narrative invites readers into Agualusa’s literary universe, where the lines between reality and imagination blur, and dreams take on a life of their own.