A Noite Desceu em Dezembro — Continuity and Evolution of an Author’s Depiction of His Native City

The last novel by Henrique de Senna Fernandes, A Noite Desceu em Dezembro, was first published in its entirety in 2015, although parts of it had previously appeared in instalments in the Macao weekly, Ponto Final, as part of a project to resurrect the feuilleton genre and, more generally, encourage Portuguese literature in Macao. Although unfinished, this novel contains themes that are consistent with the author’s more well-known works, such as the novels, A Trança Feiticeira and Amor e Dedinhos de Pé, as well as his shorter fictions. It also signals an evolution in his attitude, as a Macanese, towards the overwhelming Chinese presence in the city, as well as in his consideration of the role of females in Macao society. This contribution discusses the development of the author’s treatment of such themes and includes a translation of an excerpt from the novel by way of an illustration.