Despite its relatively short length (less than 350 pages for the story itself), McDonald does not give short shrift to any of his ideas. Moreover, he takes his time revealing the quantum connection among the three timelines. This is not wasted time. Instead, the British author creates a real sense of place for each tale, one that may not be fundamental to the premise but which creates the structural frame for it. And the ultimate premise is one that blurs the lines between mysticism and science and between reality and nonexistence.

While McDonald does a good job explaining the quantum mechanics that beget the ultimate premise, that doesn't mean a reader doesn't have to do a bit of work. Brasyl uses a variety of Brazilian terms, slang and ideas that will send any attentive reader to the Internet to research, particularly those of us who evidently are not attentive enough to find the glossary in the back of the book until we got to that page. Even then, there's a variety of terms and concepts the glossary does not cover. (McDonald also displays the role of music in the novel by including a playlist of 20 songs by Brazilian artists.) While some may be critical of an approach that might send the reader outside the four corners of the written page, the language is essential to creating the sense of person and place in each of the timelines. Besides, who ever said you shouldn't actually learn about another culture in reading a science fiction novel?

McDonald's last novel, River of Gods, portrayed Indian society in 2047. It earned nominations for both the 2005 Hugo Award and the 2005 Arthur C. Clarke Award, given for the best science fiction novel published in the United Kingdom. Not only should his deft touch and vision of multiverses earn Brasyl those nominations again, no one should be surprised if it earns him the awards themselves.