The Verdigris Stories

by Mariana Sabino

In this collection of linked stories, lives separate and intersect while arrivals and departures become catalysts for change. Among the wanderers we meet a bereaved lover on her return to a village in Brazil; a pair of estranged sisters warily reuniting in Prague; and a peculiar woman hosting ghosts in her home. In another story, the scent of jasmine opens the reel of memory to a time when a woman felt more alive, freer, if not happier. The tone shifts from lyricism to absurdity, conjuring the characters' changing environments and interior lives. For some, the past is in pursuit, nipping at their heels; for others, present possibilities hold sway. In either case, a sense of dislocation, either by choice or circumstance, is intrinsic to their lives as perpetual wanderers or outsiders.

Genres: Short Stories

212 pages, Paperback

First published May 15, 2024

About the author

Mariana Sabino holds an M.F.A. in Creative Writing and Literature from the Bennington Writing Seminars. Shortlisted for the Granum Foundation Prize in 2021, her writing has also received support from the Kenyon Review. While delving into many cultures and countries, including the United States, Brazil, and the Czech Republic, she feels most at home in the natural world. She can presently be found on an island in Brazil.

Reviews

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was truly in AWE of this debut collection of exquisitely written stories by author, Mariana Sabino. Reading it was like traveling on a journey through various countries and viewing life through the eyes of a plethora of fascinating characters. You will find yourself in a small Brazilian village, the Czech Republic, and Ireland.

Each story has its own cast of realistic characters with experiences that delve into their possibilities in life that is juxtaposed with the harsh reality they encounter. As a traveler with wanderlust, I truly loved these unique stories.

[Jason Mashak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mariana Sabino wrote these stories to us like mystical multi-paged postcards from Czech Republic, Slovakia, Brazil, California… and didn’t have to wish we were there, as she knew her stories would take us there. I’m not typically a big fan of short stories (preferring either poetry or novels), but this collection intertwined in a way that kept me guessing and wanting to experience what comes next and how it might relate to the other stories in the book.

[Keith Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartfelt collection of loosely connected stories with offbeat characters in unfamiliar places. The prose is rich and captivating.
A wondrous debut.

[Patti Wahlberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

The heart of Mariana Sabino's absorbing story collection beats with all the complex beauty and nuance of the human condition. We are taken places we've never been, introduced to characters and situations that feel both new and familiar, surprising and yet so true. These are hallmarks of a great writer. Sabino has her own style, yet all through this collection I felt the resonance of a kind of Chekhovian brilliance. She seems to have mastered Chekhov's six rules for a great story: no political-social-economic verbiage, total objectivity, truthful descriptions, brevity, originality, and compassion. I am so excited for all that awaits us from this truly gifted writer!

[Sharon Gusky · Rating 5 out of 5]

With depth and insight the stories in Mariana Sabino’s “Verdigris” collection explore the many ways we search for, and sometimes find, meaning. Sabino’s characters balance loss and discovery, wanderlust and listlessness, as they discover unexpected spaces for both themselves and those they know, love, or have loved. An exceptional read.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Goodreads and the author for my copy.
A good read, but some of the stories were a bit confusing.