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lindseymorrow's review against another edition
4.25
This was very different from the topic to the writing style. I think because I basically read it over a bout of insomnia I really enjoyed it. The way it is written is very different but once you get the hang of it, you can really hear it. The story Was much darker than I was anticipating, but I am glad it had an actual resolution.
fireheart9's review against another edition
2.0
I slogged through this…I just couldn’t get used to the lack of paragraphs and quotations :/
holdensc65's review against another edition
4.0
Disturbing, thought provoking, and at times hopeful, this book is unlike anything I've read before. With any kind of social pretenses stripped away, it is an exploration of humans in their rawest form. As said at the end of the book, they were always blind, they just could not see. Greed, hatred, rape, selfishness, any ugly aspect of humanity is exaggerated and brought to the surface as a result of the blindness. Consequently, this also makes moments of kindness or heroism all the more poignant. As another reviewer had said, by the author not reacting the events of the book the audience is forced to have their own reactions. This book forces the reader to have an honest look into humanity and reveals many of the qualities we often turn a blind eye to. The only thing preventing me from giving this book a 5/5 rating is the writing style. By removing conventional writing structures, such as line breaks, quotation marks, and character names, Saramago mimics a sense of blindness and disorientation for the reader. While effective, it also has the effect of making the book difficult to read, and at times like a task.
gunnarstrange's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
tense
slow-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? No
3.0
giulia_zanotelli's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lizziekam's review against another edition
3.0
If you look in the comments on this book, my friend Erin warns me about this book, and I am here to say, Erin, you were right.
One of my worst ideas to date was to read a book about a blindness plague during the coronavirus epidemic. I recently listened to the NYT Book Review podcast where the reviewers commented that they no longer wanted to consider books through the lens of the current pandemic shit show and, well, kudos to them but this book had it moments that hit waaaaaaaay to hard and honestly, how can one not consider a plague book while you are living through a literal plague?
So, this is a good book. So good in fact that despite how deeply upsetting it was, I finished it.
But.
I cannot recommend that anyone read this book at the moment. Trust me, it’s a bad idea.
In 20 years, this book will have readers who did not live through the coronavirus pandemic, and they can ask us which parts felt real and true (I’ll tell you - the parts when the government’s ineffective containment plans spectacularly failed, the parts where people were separated from their families to never see them again, the parts where the characters try to grapple with their reduced circumstances and try to find meaning in their relationships) and the parts that felt not true (um....the end).
But in the meantime, honestly, you don’t need to read this book. If you’ve ever had the thought, “what’s the worst that could happen,” this book answers it and the answers are terrible. The fact that our civil society hasn’t completely broken out into violent and exploitative chaos, that filth and starvation aren’t rampant doesn’t make me feel better about our present circumstances.
One of my worst ideas to date was to read a book about a blindness plague during the coronavirus epidemic. I recently listened to the NYT Book Review podcast where the reviewers commented that they no longer wanted to consider books through the lens of the current pandemic shit show and, well, kudos to them but this book had it moments that hit waaaaaaaay to hard and honestly, how can one not consider a plague book while you are living through a literal plague?
So, this is a good book. So good in fact that despite how deeply upsetting it was, I finished it.
But.
I cannot recommend that anyone read this book at the moment. Trust me, it’s a bad idea.
In 20 years, this book will have readers who did not live through the coronavirus pandemic, and they can ask us which parts felt real and true (I’ll tell you - the parts when the government’s ineffective containment plans spectacularly failed, the parts where people were separated from their families to never see them again, the parts where the characters try to grapple with their reduced circumstances and try to find meaning in their relationships) and the parts that felt not true (um....the end).
But in the meantime, honestly, you don’t need to read this book. If you’ve ever had the thought, “what’s the worst that could happen,” this book answers it and the answers are terrible. The fact that our civil society hasn’t completely broken out into violent and exploitative chaos, that filth and starvation aren’t rampant doesn’t make me feel better about our present circumstances.
sgpinson's review against another edition
4.0
Heartbreaking and painful to read at points, but poignant and beautifully written.
1shoe34's review against another edition
3.25
got dragged to a neighborhood NYE party where i knew no one other than my parents and brother and sat in the corner reading the whole time and this book is super not NYE party material but oh well
it reminded me a bit of octavia butler's parable of the sower which was probably my most depressing read of 2023 and the first book of 2024 is also a strong contender for the years most depressing book. but they're both very powerful stories about humankind's ability to fall into evil and chaos as well as the power of community and resilience in the face of dire circumstances. unfortunately i am super not a fan of saramago's writing style, which has no quotation marks and very long, chained-together sentences.
it reminded me a bit of octavia butler's parable of the sower which was probably my most depressing read of 2023 and the first book of 2024 is also a strong contender for the years most depressing book. but they're both very powerful stories about humankind's ability to fall into evil and chaos as well as the power of community and resilience in the face of dire circumstances. unfortunately i am super not a fan of saramago's writing style, which has no quotation marks and very long, chained-together sentences.
z__ai's review against another edition
5.0
" المعجزة الوحيدة التي نستطيع تحقيقها هي أن نستمر في العيش،
نحافظ على هشاشة الحياة من يوم إلى آخر "
يالله كم هي رائعة هذه الرواية !!
تأخذ مشاعرك كلها وتستحوذ على أفكارك..
رواية حقيقة عن الكائن البشري،الحكومات، السلطة ، الجوع ،الخوف والحب ربما
lucillemeeps's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0