Here in Portugal we have a city named Porto, which is known for its river but I am not talking about that, now I am talking about a building, [this building](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/Centro_Portugu%C3%A9s_de_Fotograf%C3%ADa%2C_Oporto%2C_Portugal%2C_2012-05-09%2C_DD_01.JPG) exactly, which was known in the past for being the *Cadeia de Relação* (a.k.a the city prison). On this feared building the most complicated book of all Portugal was born in the year 1861, written by a man who cheated on his wife but famous enough to not be forgotten…
I am talking about, yes, *Amor de Perdição* by Camilo Castelo Branco.
This book is really complicated and I was never capable to understand the whole plot but here is what I can describe:
* It begins by describing the story of a wealthy judge and his lunatic son, named Simão Botelho, who was liberated from prison because daddy was a judge.
* Simão (who is 17 years old) falls in love with a girl, Teresa (15 years old).
* The families dont agree and Teresa’s father forces his daughter to marry her cousin.
* Teresa is forced to go to another city and Simão goes to the same city to visit her.
* Simão falls in love with other girl (Mariana)
* Simão, who is a lunatic, kills Teresa’s cousin.
* Simão is sentenced to hanging but daddy saves him and instead he is expelled from Portugal.
* Mariana infiltrates Simão’s ship, where Simão dies and Mariana commits suicide.
I dont know what are the benefits and good things of this book, but if you want to read a predictable and complicated story then *Amor de Perdição* is the best option.
I would like to end this text with a quote associated with this book that many portuguese people know: *Amou, perdeu-se e morreu amando*. (He loved, got lost and died loving) that defines the mental health of Simão Botelho, Portugal’s favourite lunatic.
So, if you end up for some random reason at the city of Porto and you find a place named *Largo Amor de Perdição* and the giant yellow building that appears at the beggining of this post know that one of Portugal’s worst books was born there…
by CRNXD38