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rpradier's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
franka07's review against another edition
4.0
Heel interessant verhaal, zeker een aanrader. Alleen had ik moeite lange stukken achter elkaar te lezen.
knod78's review against another edition
4.0
This completes February’s Western Europe read of Book Girls Guide's Read Around the World: Book Voyage Reading Challenge.
I think I give this book 3.5 stars. Starts out slow and has some rambling going on, but I couldn't put the book down once he got to Portugal. I just couldn't believe he left everything by randomly meeting a stranger on a train platform. I loved that he met all these people in Prado's life to learn about him.
But there were times when it was hard to determine which part was Prado and which was Gregorgius. Maybe that was the point. I wished we got to meet the girl again in the end. I feel like that really didn't have anything to do with the plot. I mean, yes, it kicked him off to think, but the book he found in a store is what made him go. I mean I felt like the author foreshadow, because many characters he met kept telling him to call her, but he didn't. And then it just ended. Does he have vertigo (which would have been cool to read since no one has my illness and problems) or does he have a terminal disease. Who knows, because it just freaking ended. Another thing constantly mentioned for no real reason was his desire to go to Isfrahan. What was the point in mentioning it if he doesn't go or doesn't make a plan? I just didn't get it.
Reviewers complained about translations and rambling, but I let that go since I think the book had a lot lost in translation. It does skip through and doesn't have smooth transitions. But it will make you want to go to Portugal. Seriously, I looked at tickets and things to do when I was reading it. I thought the concept was interesting and the ideas presented from any of the characters had some things to think about in life.
I think I give this book 3.5 stars. Starts out slow and has some rambling going on, but I couldn't put the book down once he got to Portugal. I just couldn't believe he left everything by randomly meeting a stranger on a train platform. I loved that he met all these people in Prado's life to learn about him.
But there were times when it was hard to determine which part was Prado and which was Gregorgius. Maybe that was the point. I wished we got to meet the girl again in the end. I feel like that really didn't have anything to do with the plot. I mean, yes, it kicked him off to think, but the book he found in a store is what made him go. I mean I felt like the author foreshadow, because many characters he met kept telling him to call her, but he didn't. And then it just ended. Does he have vertigo (which would have been cool to read since no one has my illness and problems) or does he have a terminal disease. Who knows, because it just freaking ended. Another thing constantly mentioned for no real reason was his desire to go to Isfrahan. What was the point in mentioning it if he doesn't go or doesn't make a plan? I just didn't get it.
Reviewers complained about translations and rambling, but I let that go since I think the book had a lot lost in translation. It does skip through and doesn't have smooth transitions. But it will make you want to go to Portugal. Seriously, I looked at tickets and things to do when I was reading it. I thought the concept was interesting and the ideas presented from any of the characters had some things to think about in life.
sunflwrmaria's review
takes too much energy and its too long, not the right time to finish it
pjv1013's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
4.5
furny's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.5
4.5 Stars
Raimund Gregorius is a Latin teacher at a Swiss college who one day—after a chance encounter with a mysterious Portuguese woman—abandons his old life to start a new one. He takes the night train to Lisbon and carries with him a book by Amadeu de Prado, a (fictional) Portuguese doctor and essayist whose writings explore the ideas of loneliness, mortality, death, friendship, love, and loyalty. Gregorius becomes obsessed by what he reads. His investigations lead him all over the city of Lisbon, as he speaks to those in Prado’s life. Gradually, the picture of an extraordinary man emerges—a doctor and poet who rebelled against Salazar’s dictatorship.
Gregorius is in his mid fifties, and quite a anxious character for him to do something like this is very unusual and he guesses of the shock impact it will have on his faculty, University, colleagues and students. The plot mixes the mid-life crisis narrative with a reflexion on identity and also with the discovery of the work and life of the mysterious author.
The anticipation builds with suspense and you can't help marvelling at the thought of someone in such high regard just 'getting up and going' and soul searching. I enjoyed the way the mystery was gradually unpicked and also Raimund’s journey of self-discovery as he confronts his own life in the same way that Prado had done in his writings.
It's a philosophical and reflective book which is no surprise when I read in to the authors background.
It requires concentration but your patience is fully rewarded.
Raimund Gregorius is a Latin teacher at a Swiss college who one day—after a chance encounter with a mysterious Portuguese woman—abandons his old life to start a new one. He takes the night train to Lisbon and carries with him a book by Amadeu de Prado, a (fictional) Portuguese doctor and essayist whose writings explore the ideas of loneliness, mortality, death, friendship, love, and loyalty. Gregorius becomes obsessed by what he reads. His investigations lead him all over the city of Lisbon, as he speaks to those in Prado’s life. Gradually, the picture of an extraordinary man emerges—a doctor and poet who rebelled against Salazar’s dictatorship.
Gregorius is in his mid fifties, and quite a anxious character for him to do something like this is very unusual and he guesses of the shock impact it will have on his faculty, University, colleagues and students. The plot mixes the mid-life crisis narrative with a reflexion on identity and also with the discovery of the work and life of the mysterious author.
The anticipation builds with suspense and you can't help marvelling at the thought of someone in such high regard just 'getting up and going' and soul searching. I enjoyed the way the mystery was gradually unpicked and also Raimund’s journey of self-discovery as he confronts his own life in the same way that Prado had done in his writings.
It's a philosophical and reflective book which is no surprise when I read in to the authors background.
It requires concentration but your patience is fully rewarded.
ayathamer12's review against another edition
5.0
رحلة ادبية فلسفية مرهقة
اماديو صائغ الكلمات الكاهن بلا رب ، غريغورس علّامة اللغات، والد اماديو القاضي الذي مزقته الالام ، جورج اوكلي صديق اماديو ونقيضه ، ادريانا التي نذرت حياتها لأخيها ،ميلودي التي كان يبدو ان قدميها لا تلامسان الارض، ماريانا ايسا وشاي أسام الاحمر ، يوحنا ايسا المعذب المسجون الوحيد، استيفانيا التي لم يرغب اماديو في انطفاءها
ذكرتني رحلة غريغورس للبحث عن اماديو دي برادو برحلة بحث دانيال عن خوليان كاراكس في ظل الريح
واتساءل عن كيفية بقاء المحيطين والمقربين من اماديو يجدونه مدهش مع اني اعتقدت ان هذه الدهشة تتولد عند رؤيتنا غريب قد نظنه يكون مدهشا ثم بعد الاقتراب تنطفئ الدهشة وتسود العادية
اظنه كان مدهشا فعلا
اماديو صائغ الكلمات الكاهن بلا رب ، غريغورس علّامة اللغات، والد اماديو القاضي الذي مزقته الالام ، جورج اوكلي صديق اماديو ونقيضه ، ادريانا التي نذرت حياتها لأخيها ،ميلودي التي كان يبدو ان قدميها لا تلامسان الارض، ماريانا ايسا وشاي أسام الاحمر ، يوحنا ايسا المعذب المسجون الوحيد، استيفانيا التي لم يرغب اماديو في انطفاءها
ذكرتني رحلة غريغورس للبحث عن اماديو دي برادو برحلة بحث دانيال عن خوليان كاراكس في ظل الريح
واتساءل عن كيفية بقاء المحيطين والمقربين من اماديو يجدونه مدهش مع اني اعتقدت ان هذه الدهشة تتولد عند رؤيتنا غريب قد نظنه يكون مدهشا ثم بعد الاقتراب تنطفئ الدهشة وتسود العادية
اظنه كان مدهشا فعلا
the_jenkins's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0