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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
emotional
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I can't believe I finally finished reading this. It took me a while! I felt like I was going to be reading this book forever. One of my daily chores was to read ten pages a day, and now I don't have to do that, which is weird. I won't have to read it super quickly when it's time for me to study it at school! I'll just have to reread the most important parts! Yay me, getting things done before they're due!
Anyway, let's move on to my actual thoughts and opinions...
First of all, I would like to announce this to the world: the second chapter? AMAZING. I was absolutely captivated by the story of Pedro da Maia and I'm sad that it didn't last longer. His story was so tragic, and Afonso da Maia went through so much. The poor dude had to go through his wife's death, followed by disowning his son because he sort of... abandoned him and married the woman who eventually ran away with another man (and took his daughter!). Then his son comes back and kills himself on the same night. YIKES, OLD MAN.
Second, I immediately removed a star because of what we in Portugal call "palha". So much palha. Palha is basically filler - those parts that are completely unnecessary to the plot. Because of that, I felt like the pacing of the novel was all over the place. The first chapter featured a LONG-ASS DESCRIPTION OF THE HOUSE THE MAIAS CAME TO INHABIT IN THE FALL OF 1875, along with Afonso's story. So that was a weird chapter. The second chapter is packed with the complete story of Pedro da Maia. Then, for the next 300 pages we get to see Carlos and Co. and their shenanigans, I guess. That chunk of pages between Pedro's death and Carlos meeting Maria Eduarda felt like it took forever and a lot of it felt unnecessary to the plot. I felt like the book could tell its story in 400 pages, if you removed all of the filler. So much of it was boring and such a chore to get through.
Let's talk about characters! These characters are, for the most part, both likeable and unlikeable at the same time. You see, you like them because they're trainwrecks, and you might even find that endearing, just like I did! Then one of them says something that makes you want to strangle them.
My favourite character at the start was Afonso, because he's the nice grandpa. Who doesn't like a nice chill grandpa? Then Ega got introduced, and to quote myself: "Ega is a bisexual icon and nothing can convince me otherwise. thanks for coming to my ted talk" (nothing really implies that he's bi, just abibe vibe.) However, Ega is kind of a dumbass and his opinions are mostly a) bullshit that he doesn't really believe in or b) bullshit that you wish he didn't believe in. In the end, I don't hate him, but I don't love him like I used to either.
So now, at the end, I think I can say for sure that my favourite character is Cruges! I don't even know his first name, but oh well, who cares? Cruges just likes to play his piano. Let me tell you the story that made me love him. Cruges, Alencar and Carlos went to Sintra, and Cruges really wanted some queijadas (pastries!) and kept reminding himself "Don't forget the queijadas...". What happens next, you may ask? HE FORGOT THE FREAKING QUEIJADAS. On page 256, they're going back home and he just screams and says "I FORGOT THE QUEIJADAS!" and me, being an absolute trainwreck, I could relate.
Carlos and Maria Eduarda meet on page 364 and the pacing picks up. You see, Maria is his long lost sister, but they don't know that, so they start seeing each other. And kissing. And having sexy-times. At one point, they're planning on marrying each other, which would be very YIKES.
Fortunately (or unfortunately, because sometimes ignorance is bliss, depends on your point of view), Ega finds out the truth and tells Carlos and they split up.
Here's the thing: I DID NOT EXPECT TO CRY WHILE READING A MANDATORY READ. Actually, scratch that, when I found out that Afonso dies, I expected to maybe shed a tear or two when it happened. I DID NOT EXPECT TO SOB ON THE FLOOR OF MY ROOM. The descriptions were fantastic and heartbreaking, and I have a soft spot for grandparents! I love all four of mine and seeing Carlos absolutely devastated at his grandfather's passing was enough to leave me devastated. Especially because he blamed himself.
Why did he blame himself? Yikes, my guy/gal/pal. Carlos actually shared the bed with his sister one last time while being aware of the truth and his grandpa found out. I WOULD DIE TOO. He also had a heart disease, so there's that.
TL;DR: Liked it, had some issues with it, don't know how to conclude reviews but the book is good!
Anyway, let's move on to my actual thoughts and opinions...
First of all, I would like to announce this to the world: the second chapter? AMAZING. I was absolutely captivated by the story of Pedro da Maia and I'm sad that it didn't last longer. His story was so tragic, and Afonso da Maia went through so much. The poor dude had to go through his wife's death, followed by disowning his son because he sort of... abandoned him and married the woman who eventually ran away with another man (and took his daughter!). Then his son comes back and kills himself on the same night. YIKES, OLD MAN.
Second, I immediately removed a star because of what we in Portugal call "palha". So much palha. Palha is basically filler - those parts that are completely unnecessary to the plot. Because of that, I felt like the pacing of the novel was all over the place. The first chapter featured a LONG-ASS DESCRIPTION OF THE HOUSE THE MAIAS CAME TO INHABIT IN THE FALL OF 1875, along with Afonso's story. So that was a weird chapter. The second chapter is packed with the complete story of Pedro da Maia. Then, for the next 300 pages we get to see Carlos and Co. and their shenanigans, I guess. That chunk of pages between Pedro's death and Carlos meeting Maria Eduarda felt like it took forever and a lot of it felt unnecessary to the plot. I felt like the book could tell its story in 400 pages, if you removed all of the filler. So much of it was boring and such a chore to get through.
Let's talk about characters! These characters are, for the most part, both likeable and unlikeable at the same time. You see, you like them because they're trainwrecks, and you might even find that endearing, just like I did! Then one of them says something that makes you want to strangle them.
My favourite character at the start was Afonso, because he's the nice grandpa. Who doesn't like a nice chill grandpa? Then Ega got introduced, and to quote myself: "Ega is a bisexual icon and nothing can convince me otherwise. thanks for coming to my ted talk" (nothing really implies that he's bi, just a
So now, at the end, I think I can say for sure that my favourite character is Cruges! I don't even know his first name, but oh well, who cares? Cruges just likes to play his piano. Let me tell you the story that made me love him. Cruges, Alencar and Carlos went to Sintra, and Cruges really wanted some queijadas (pastries!) and kept reminding himself "Don't forget the queijadas...". What happens next, you may ask? HE FORGOT THE FREAKING QUEIJADAS. On page 256, they're going back home and he just screams and says "I FORGOT THE QUEIJADAS!" and me, being an absolute trainwreck, I could relate.
Carlos and Maria Eduarda meet on page 364 and the pacing picks up. You see, Maria is his long lost sister, but they don't know that, so they start seeing each other. And kissing. And having sexy-times. At one point, they're planning on marrying each other, which would be very YIKES.
Fortunately (or unfortunately, because sometimes ignorance is bliss, depends on your point of view), Ega finds out the truth and tells Carlos and they split up.
Here's the thing: I DID NOT EXPECT TO CRY WHILE READING A MANDATORY READ. Actually, scratch that, when I found out that Afonso dies, I expected to maybe shed a tear or two when it happened. I DID NOT EXPECT TO SOB ON THE FLOOR OF MY ROOM. The descriptions were fantastic and heartbreaking, and I have a soft spot for grandparents! I love all four of mine and seeing Carlos absolutely devastated at his grandfather's passing was enough to leave me devastated. Especially because he blamed himself.
Why did he blame himself? Yikes, my guy/gal/pal. Carlos actually shared the bed with his sister one last time while being aware of the truth and his grandpa found out. I WOULD DIE TOO. He also had a heart disease, so there's that.
TL;DR: Liked it, had some issues with it, don't know how to conclude reviews but the book is good!
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"Num país em que a ocupação geral é estar doente, o maior serviço patriótico é saber curar."
Claro, tive de ler isto para português, e no início quando tentei ler, não consegui, não gostei nada, porque a reputação que andava por aí nas escolas sobre este livro não era a melhor (um livro com descrições enormes, com incesto, etc...). Mas depois acabei por me obrigar a ler quando o prazo já estava a chegar... E estranhamente gostei muito mais do que esperava. Adorei o Afonso da Maia, o Vilaça, a relação do avô com o neto, e várias outras relações e personagens, como o Ega, o Cruges ou o Reverendo Bonifácio. Algumas descrições achei desnecessárias, mas o facto de eles andarem sempre a jantar dava-me fome sempre que lia...
Só acho que depois de eles descobrirem que são irmãos, a história anda demasiado rápido comparada com o início.
Mas é certo que aprendi bastante sobre Portugal.
Claro, tive de ler isto para português, e no início quando tentei ler, não consegui, não gostei nada, porque a reputação que andava por aí nas escolas sobre este livro não era a melhor (um livro com descrições enormes, com incesto, etc...). Mas depois acabei por me obrigar a ler quando o prazo já estava a chegar... E estranhamente gostei muito mais do que esperava. Adorei o Afonso da Maia, o Vilaça, a relação do avô com o neto, e várias outras relações e personagens, como o Ega, o Cruges ou o Reverendo Bonifácio. Algumas descrições achei desnecessárias, mas o facto de eles andarem sempre a jantar dava-me fome sempre que lia...
Só acho que depois de eles descobrirem que são irmãos, a história anda demasiado rápido comparada com o início.
Mas é certo que aprendi bastante sobre Portugal.
even though it was a mandatory read for an essay and some rats were difficult to read some parts and characters were really funny
Levei quase dois meses para reler Os Maias, não por dificuldade ou aborrecimento, mas porque soube muito bem ter o livro sempre ao lado e poder voltar a ele sempre que realmente me apetecesse. Li-o pela primeira vez numa obrigação, na escola. A minha professora de Português soube deixar o bichinho pelo Eça de Queirós e pelos Maias, sendo que, desta vez, revi todas as aulas e todos os comentários entusiasmados e apaixonados. Voltei a ter 17 anos e voltei a ser uma miúda a descobrir uma escrita fantástica. Porém, foi uma leitura que soube a pouco, porque fiquei rendida, não pelo Carlos, mas pelo Afonso, e teria adorado conhecê-lo melhor e à sua vida. Já não me lembrava como tinha sido o seu fim, confesso que pensava que ele seria imortal, pelo menos na minha cabeça ele ficou. Não vou falar das excelentes críticas à sociedade, da ironia presente em todas as páginas, do facto do livro ser muito actual apesar de retratar o Portugal do século XIX, porque disso já toda a gente sabe. Esta leitura foi muito mais sentimental que racional, irónico que fui igual ao Ega e o Carlos, uma romântica pelo Eça, mas soube bem. Apesar dos meus esforços, este não se tornou no meu livro favorito do autor, O Primo Basílio continua a ser, de longe, o melhor.
challenging
funny
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
reflective