Portugal & the Uncanny: Grief, Wonder, and Strange Pilgrimages

Book: The High Mountains of Portugal — Yann Martel

Part fable, part mystery, part spiritual road trip—this novel moves through three interconnected stories where loss bends reality and small miracles feel plausible. We’ll unpack Martel’s structure, recurring symbols, and why the book uses humor and strangeness to speak about grief, meaning, and the human need to make sense of what can’t be fixed.