Ana Paula Maia aterroriza o Book Prize

·25 min·2 clips

Ana Paula Maia discusses being the first Brazilian woman nominated for the Book Prize and her horror novel set in a cursed prison.

The episode features an interview with writer Ana Paula Maia, hosted by Lucas Salum on Conversa Bem Viver. Ana discusses her nomination for the Book Prize, noting she is the first Brazilian woman to receive this recognition. She explains her novel 'So on Earth as Under the Earth' is a horror story set in a prison with a cursed past, involving supernatural elements and fires. Ana connects the prison system to Brazil's history of slavery, citing that Brazil has the third-largest prison population globally. She shares personal anecdotes, including that her family has both slave-owning and enslaved sides, and her indigenous great-grandmother was kidnapped as a child. Ana describes her writing as exploring violence, miscegenation, and Brazil's tenebrous past. The host asks about her horror aesthetics, and Ana mentions the New York Times classified her book as horror in 2025. She talks about building a literary universe with interconnected stories and characters like Branco Gil. Ana addresses why she writes male protagonists, stating it fits the violent spaces she depicts, though she could write about violent women. The discussion touches on biblical references in her work, linking them to rural Brazilian religiosity. Ana notes her books are part of a larger project, with her tenth book releasing soon. The episode ends with congratulations and a hopeful note about the prize outcome.

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