''A Luneta Mágica'' ( en, The Magical Glasses) is a

1869 Events January–March * January 3 – Abdur Rahman Khan is defeated at Tinah Khan, and exiled from Afghanistan. * January 5 – Scotland's oldest professional football team, Kilmarnock F.C., is founded. * January 20 – E ...

novel A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itsel ...

written by

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

ian

Romantic Romantic may refer to: Genres and eras * The Romantic era, an artistic, literary, musical and intellectual movement of the 18th and 19th centuries ** Romantic music, of that era ** Romantic poetry, of that era ** Romanticism in science, of that e ...

writer

Joaquim Manuel de Macedo Joaquim Manuel de Macedo (June 24, 1820 – May 11, 1882) was a Brazilian novelist, doctor, teacher, poet, playwright and journalist, famous for the romance '' A Moreninha''. He is the patron of the 20th chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters. ...

. It is considered to be one of the first Brazilian fantastic novels ever, comparable to the works of

E. T. A. Hoffmann Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann (born Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann; 24 January 1776 – 25 June 1822) was a German Romantic author of fantasy and Gothic horror, a jurist, composer, music critic and artist. Penrith Goff, "E.T.A. Hoffmann" in E ...

Plot

The book tells the story of Simplício, a naive and

nearsighted Near-sightedness, also known as myopia and short-sightedness, is an eye disease where light focuses in front of, instead of on, the retina. As a result, distant objects appear blurry while close objects appear normal. Other symptoms may include ...

man who lives with his brother Américo, an up-and-coming politician, his cousin Anica, his extremely religious aunt Domingas, and his fervent desire to regain his sight one day. One of Simplício's friends, an old man named Nunes, takes him to Reis, an

optometrist Optometry is a specialized health care profession that involves examining the eyes and related structures for defects or abnormalities. Optometrists are health care professionals who typically provide comprehensive primary eye care. In the Uni ...

renowned for creating powerful lenses. Despite Reis's efforts, none of the lenses he crafts can restore Simplício's vision. Desperate for a solution, Reis suggests that Simplício seek out an unnamed

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...

magician, a friend of his, who possesses the ability to create magical lenses. To Simplício's delight, the Armenian magician grants him the gift of sight once more. However, he warns Simplício that if he gazes at someone or something for more than three minutes, he will perceive the inherent evil lurking within them. Disregarding the Armenian's cautionary words, Simplício begins to see the malevolent aspects of all things. Branded as crazy and ostracized by society, he becomes a recluse. One fateful day, Simplício accidentally destroys the lenses that reveal what he perceives as evil. Realizing the consequences of his actions, he seeks out the Armenian magician once again. This time, the magician bestows upon Simplício a new pair of lenses that allow him to see the inherent goodness in everything. However, manipulated and deceived by those around him, Simplício experiences numerous misfortunes. After enduring countless trials and tribulations, Simplício eventually acquires the "sanity" lenses, enabling him to perceive the world with clarity and find happiness once more. 1869 novels Brazilian fantasy novels Portuguese-language novels {{Brazil-lit-stub