This book was so fun to read. Gecko’s and magic, who would have thought that would make a good combination! Also, finally a book with short chapter!!! There were so many interesting characters in this novel.

I found Felix’s job so intriguing. He gave people completely new identities and new background stories, and basically erased who the person used to be. I thought of him as kind of the master of chameleons, if that makes any sense. He was giving people new skin so they could adapt to their surroundings, which is what a chameleon does. He gives people lies as a livelihood: “I fabricate so much, all day long, and so enthusiastically, that sometimes I reach night-time so lost in the labyrinth of my own fantasies” (p. 116). I think this was one of my favourite quotes in this books because it shows how easy it is to loose yourself in lies and your imaginations.

Something that really creeped me out in the novel was the foreigner’s character. When Felix gave him his new identity as Jose, he started forgetting who he really was: ” … he’s taken over the foreigner’s body. He becomes more and more lifelike with each day that passes” (p. 67). The thought of forgetting yourself, of loosing your identity is just so scary to me. He lost himself in a lie.

I found that the narrator, named Eulalio by Felix, had a very complicated relationship with love. The quote: “The worst of sins is not to fall in love” is repeated multiple times in the novel. Eulalio never loved in his previous life and now he can’t help but think that being reincarnated as a gecko is some kind of sick punishment for not having loved when he could. Now he’s a gecko, even if he wants to find love, he can’t. I thought this was so sad because he gets to see people fall in love and experience things he wants, knowing that he missed his chance.

Lastly, I noticed how literature was also an important part in this novel. Felix has countless books in his house. I feel like throughout all the books we’ve read so far, literature is always a constant. I loved the way Felix interpreted his thoughts on literature: “Literature is the only chance for a true liar to attain any sort of social acceptance” (p. 68). In Felix’s opinion, his job is just him writing a story and sending it out to the real world. He is an author of who creates new people.

Question of the week:

Who was your favourite character in the novel and why?