Reviews

O Evangelho Segundo Jesus Cristo by José Saramago

starswallowingsea's review against another edition

challenging reflective slow-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

franciscouto_almeida's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

flexluthor's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This shit is insane. At times reading this it felt like watching language being invented. Saramago is truly a wizard. Jesus comes fully to life in this book, and I got to share in his confusion, sorrow, love, guilt, all his emotions. There's a pivotal moment towards the end where Jesus speaks to the Devil and God to learn the ultimate plan for himself. Some of the most incredible writing ever here, with characters who are basically ubiquitous in much of the world transformed into jealous, vulnerable, self-obsessed images of themselves. Truly beautiful stuff, this has to be in my top 10 ever. 

menas_books's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

burgundy_fairy's review against another edition

I realized it was just repeated shock value and it turned me off the book completely. I have actually stopped reading it since last year but I didn't care to admit it to myself cause I was so far along...

olichoreno's review against another edition

3.0

It doesn't come close to Cain's narrative, but it shows us the humanism of a glorified character from an atheistic perspective

nicolabevilacqua92's review against another edition

4.0

Saramago riuscirebbe a farmi interessare a qualsiasi cosa, anche alla vita di Gesù Cristo. Da leggere anche solo per cultura, ancor più se non si crede in alcuna Religione.

finding_me's review against another edition

5.0

I have no clue how he had this brilliant idea. As someone who was raised in a Catholic family, I knew the whole story, that was told me over and over again - birth, miracles, apostles and everything else. However, it was not supposed to be genuine, since the Christ - the divine - always outshined Jesus - the human being.

I am completely mesmerised for the way Saramago retold Jesus's story, whitout leaving aside the irony and sagacious that distinguish him as one of the most gifted authors of the Portuguese language.

Although I haven't been Catholic since I was a teenager, it was one of the best books I've read so far, both for its boldness and for the author's perspicacity in portraying the conflicts that the human and the divine have always had, and which would not be different in such a peculiar situation.

Finally, I would like to point out the desconstruction of some well-known characters, who were not the flat types we've always heard of (such as Jesus's relatives, Maria de Magdala, Judas de Iscariotes) and were resignified.

antoman's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

silviabrochet's review against another edition

Onestamente uno dei libri più belli che ho mai letto in vita mia. Non so nemmeno spiegare quanto il libro mi ha coinvolta ed emozionata nel profondo, in maniera intima come non mi era mai successo. La scrittura di Saramago fa galoppare l'immaginazione, fa riflettere, fa fare domande e fa anche sorridere in alcuni punti. Tutto questo per raccontare la vita di un uomo in cui ognuno si può in parte immedesimare. Una storia in tutto e per tutto di e sulla riflessione umana. È un libro che girata l'ultima pagina ricomincerei dalla prima.