Baltasar's Hook

Baltasar's Hook is one of the most constant of objects in the novel of Baltasar and Blimunda. The hook and its companion, the spike, were made for the ex-soldier as he returned from battle in Northern Spain to replace his lost hand. A constant feature of the character of Baltasar, and one of the elements that sets him apart from his brethren, the hook marks his otherness and his ability to overcome his problems.

Blimunda's Bread

Through the course of the story we find out that Blimunda carries with her a bag of bread to eat a piece every morning, without fail. We discover that Blimunda has the magical gift of be able to see into the inner workings of things, bodies, and objects, unless she eats (so the protagonist chooses to eat every morning to avoid her ability). Apart from being used as a plot...