At 23, autistic writer turns sexual assault and mental health scars into raw, lyrical poetry about survival and feminine power.
In “Candura”, published by Toma Aí Um Poema (TAUP), Alice Puterman revisits six years of writing to craft a hauntingly beautiful testimony about sexual violence, mental illness, and the body as a space of resistance. Written after surviving a gang rape at 17, the book was born from her will to keep breathing.
“Rape is something one can’t speak about. I hope my book becomes a place where our pain can exist,” Alice says.
Through verses that oscillate between vulnerability and defiance, the female body appears as both a violated home and a reclaimed territory. The idea of “candor”, which names the book, becomes a metaphor for strength — not frailty. “No matter how many blows I take, it’s candor that keeps me standing,” she writes.
Diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, Alice writes about suicide attempts, hospitalizations, and the fragile process of recovery. Her poetry reclaims pain as a form of resistance, transforming trauma into art and survival.
“Candura” will be officially launched at Casa Gueto during the 2026 Paraty International Literary Festival (Flip). The book is available through TAUP and major online bookstores.
Event Info
- Title: Candura: a story of feminine survival
- Author: Alice Puterman
- Publisher: TAUP (Toma Aí Um Poema)
- Genre: Poetry
- Release year: 2025
- Pages: 94
- Available at: https://bit.ly/4rUZ6VO
- Launch: Casa Gueto, Flip 2026 (July)
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