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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
This was much more difficult book for me than 'Blindness'. I wonder if it has something to do with the language, I read 'Blindness' as a Finnish translation. Saramago's way of telling isn't easy - long sentences made me confused many times while reading this book. Anyway, there's something captivating in Saramago's texts - I decided to continue my Easter vacations with another book by him, 'Oikukas kuolema'!
That's an astonishing political fiction by the 1998 Nobel Laureate for Literature.
It is about a capital where the inhabitants voted "white," with more than 80%. What will the government do? Are we looking for the culprits with the help of spies and informants? Are we trying an advertising campaign? How about sending the army? But is not voting according to one's choice an inalienable right?
It fills with humor and caricatures of politicians; it is also full of reflections on democracy, citizens' rights and duties, and even the meaning of life.
Everything would be delightful and accessible if it weren't for the particular writing. Indeed, at Saramago, we avoid white; we occupy all the space with characters: and there are very few paragraphs. Dashes or quotes never accompany the many dialogues; commas separate the lyrics. These lyrics give the text an impression of opacity, which, unfortunately, puts off the reader. Pity!
When it's our turn to go to the polls, faced with shenanigans and dubious electoral promises, we often choose, with clarity, the slightest wrong candidate. Is it better than voting "white"?
It is about a capital where the inhabitants voted "white," with more than 80%. What will the government do? Are we looking for the culprits with the help of spies and informants? Are we trying an advertising campaign? How about sending the army? But is not voting according to one's choice an inalienable right?
It fills with humor and caricatures of politicians; it is also full of reflections on democracy, citizens' rights and duties, and even the meaning of life.
Everything would be delightful and accessible if it weren't for the particular writing. Indeed, at Saramago, we avoid white; we occupy all the space with characters: and there are very few paragraphs. Dashes or quotes never accompany the many dialogues; commas separate the lyrics. These lyrics give the text an impression of opacity, which, unfortunately, puts off the reader. Pity!
When it's our turn to go to the polls, faced with shenanigans and dubious electoral promises, we often choose, with clarity, the slightest wrong candidate. Is it better than voting "white"?
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Por onde começar? Saramago escreve uma sequela de um dos meus livros do coração. Se correspondeu às expectativas? Sim e não.
Sim porque mais uma vez temos uma mão cheia de críticas mordazes à Humanidade e à sua organização, personagens com quem podemos empatizar e que podemos compreender, reflexões hilariantes e/ou lindíssimas, etc. (para além dos paralelos ou referências ao Ensaio sobre a Cegueira!).
Não porque penso que o livro não precisava (de todo) de ser tão extenso e ainda estou a tentar compreender o porquê de José Saramago ter decidido contar esta história desta maneira, focando-se em certas coisas e não noutras, seguindo certas personagens e/ou cenários por algum tempo para depois as ‘descartar’ (dando-lhes voz e/ou protagonismo durante certos momentos ou secções do livro), etc.. Quem me dera poder sentar-me com ele e falar sobre este livro.
Mas pondo tudo isto à parte, é claramente um livro que devia ser lido por muitos (senão todos). As reflexões que propõe, especialmente as relacionadas com a democracia, deveriam ser obrigatórias.
Não estava a gostar muito das últimas páginas, senti a escrita um pouco apressada e os acontecimentos não estavam a ter a devida atenção, mas a última frase valeu por tudo. Fiquei todo arrepiado.
A ver vamos se consigo ler um Saramago ao ano!
“(…) Senhor presidente, a minha boca está e estará fechada, E a minha também, e a minha também, mas há ocasiões em que me ponho a imaginar o que este mundo poderia ser se todos abríssemos as bocas e não as calássemos enquanto, Enquanto quê, senhor presidente, Nada, nada, deixe-me só.”
Sim porque mais uma vez temos uma mão cheia de críticas mordazes à Humanidade e à sua organização, personagens com quem podemos empatizar e que podemos compreender, reflexões hilariantes e/ou lindíssimas, etc. (para além dos paralelos ou referências ao Ensaio sobre a Cegueira!).
Não porque penso que o livro não precisava (de todo) de ser tão extenso e ainda estou a tentar compreender o porquê de José Saramago ter decidido contar esta história desta maneira, focando-se em certas coisas e não noutras, seguindo certas personagens e/ou cenários por algum tempo para depois as ‘descartar’ (dando-lhes voz e/ou protagonismo durante certos momentos ou secções do livro), etc.. Quem me dera poder sentar-me com ele e falar sobre este livro.
Mas pondo tudo isto à parte, é claramente um livro que devia ser lido por muitos (senão todos). As reflexões que propõe, especialmente as relacionadas com a democracia, deveriam ser obrigatórias.
Não estava a gostar muito das últimas páginas, senti a escrita um pouco apressada e os acontecimentos não estavam a ter a devida atenção, mas a última frase valeu por tudo. Fiquei todo arrepiado.
A ver vamos se consigo ler um Saramago ao ano!
“(…) Senhor presidente, a minha boca está e estará fechada, E a minha também, e a minha também, mas há ocasiões em que me ponho a imaginar o que este mundo poderia ser se todos abríssemos as bocas e não as calássemos enquanto, Enquanto quê, senhor presidente, Nada, nada, deixe-me só.”
reflective
slow-paced
In the first chapters, it seems kinda boring and hard to keep reading, but in the last chapters it changes your mind especially with a perfect ending.
A real slow burn of a book, Seeing just didn't live up to its prequel, Blindness. Following a story full of commentary and action and humanity, Seeing just felt sanitized. It always felt like we were waiting for something to happen for 98% of the book. The shoe only drops within the last few pages, and leaves you stunned, but not entirely surprised.
Blindness exposes us to humanity's worst. It shows us how the playing field still isn't level, even when all players - doctors, sex workers, military men, government officials, the young, the old - are neutralized. It's a powerful story that makes you think and reflect at every turn.
In Seeing, we tag alongside various government workers from poll station officials all the way to the prime minister, all with their faculties and senses fully intact. There's still some commentary in how people treat each other, especially when in different positions of power, and commentary on the freedom of press, but they all feel fleeting and never fully hashed out.
The final action comes quickly, as if you turned a sharp corner and were suddenly face to face with it - thus the stunned sentiment. But it's not entirely surprising, because by this point, we completely expect these government officials to act this way, bulldozing any opposition by any means necessary. Perhaps through all that, Saramago wants us to see that despite descending into primal chaos in Blindness, humans can recover, but never really grow or improve. Instead, we are doomed to revert back to our sinister, chaotic ways.
Blindness exposes us to humanity's worst. It shows us how the playing field still isn't level, even when all players - doctors, sex workers, military men, government officials, the young, the old - are neutralized. It's a powerful story that makes you think and reflect at every turn.
In Seeing, we tag alongside various government workers from poll station officials all the way to the prime minister, all with their faculties and senses fully intact. There's still some commentary in how people treat each other, especially when in different positions of power, and commentary on the freedom of press, but they all feel fleeting and never fully hashed out.
The final action comes quickly, as if you turned a sharp corner and were suddenly face to face with it - thus the stunned sentiment. But it's not entirely surprising, because by this point, we completely expect these government officials to act this way, bulldozing any opposition by any means necessary. Perhaps through all that, Saramago wants us to see that despite descending into primal chaos in Blindness, humans can recover, but never really grow or improve. Instead, we are doomed to revert back to our sinister, chaotic ways.
این کتاب رو باید بی درنگ پس از کوری خوند تا به قدرت نویسندگی ساراماگو پی برد.
اوایل کتاب کمی حوصله سر بر بود و حتی میخواستم بذارمش کنار! ولی هر چی بیشتر جلو میرفتم، داستان جالب تر میشد تا اینکه از نیمه به بعد، شخصیتهای کتاب کوری وارد شدن. با ورود اونا، سیاست هم خودش رو بیش از پیش وارد ماجرا کرد تا نقش کثیف خودش در جوامع و تصمیم گیری ها رو به همه نشون بده! تصمیمات و حرفهایی که حتی به دروغ به خورد مردمش میده!
اوایل کتاب کمی حوصله سر بر بود و حتی میخواستم بذارمش کنار! ولی هر چی بیشتر جلو میرفتم، داستان جالب تر میشد تا اینکه از نیمه به بعد، شخصیتهای کتاب کوری وارد شدن. با ورود اونا، سیاست هم خودش رو بیش از پیش وارد ماجرا کرد تا نقش کثیف خودش در جوامع و تصمیم گیری ها رو به همه نشون بده! تصمیمات و حرفهایی که حتی به دروغ به خورد مردمش میده!
“(...) não teria importância de maior se tivessem sido só os do costume, mas foram muitos, foram demasiados, foram quase todos, que mais dá que seja um direito teu inalienável se te dizem que esse direito é para usar em doses homeopáticas, gota a gota, não podes vir por aí com um cântaro cheio a transbordar de votos em branco (...)”
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated