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cestmagritte's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.75
ahalsnad's review
5.0
The story is about a man, Gregorious, who walks out of his secure life on an impulse after meeting a mysterious Portuguese woman. As he wanders around a secondhand bookstore, he discovers a book that speaks to his soul. The rest of the story follows him as he travels to Portugal to get to know the author, Prado, of such powerful prose.
There were a couple of lines in the first few pages that decided the book for me.
It is a thought-provoking and gripping novel that explores several facets of human thoughts and emotions. It makes one question the truth and deceptions of the self. Personally, it made me wonder, at times scared, how it would be to live a life of such self-scrutiny.
It was a slow, gripping, and not an easy read recommended for those who would like to go on such a trip.
There were a couple of lines in the first few pages that decided the book for me.
"Given that we can live only a small part of what there is in us – what happens to the rest?"
"Do wrong to thyself, do wrong to thyself, my soul; but later thou wilt no longer have the opportunity of respecting and honouring thyself. For every man has but one life. But yours is nearly finished, though in it you had no regard for yourself but placed thy felicity in the souls of others … But those who do not observe the impulses of their own minds must of necessity be unhappy." - Marcus Aurelius
It is a thought-provoking and gripping novel that explores several facets of human thoughts and emotions. It makes one question the truth and deceptions of the self. Personally, it made me wonder, at times scared, how it would be to live a life of such self-scrutiny.
It was a slow, gripping, and not an easy read recommended for those who would like to go on such a trip.
rkaufman13's review
5.0
Man, this book.
There is essentially no plot and most of the supporting characters are not just implausible but also indistinguishable from one another, so there's that going for it.
But Gregorius is so compelling, so likeable, and so empathizeable that I can't help but give this five stars.
A work of philosophy very poorly concealed behind a mystery. I will be thinking about this book for a long time after putting it down.
There is essentially no plot and most of the supporting characters are not just implausible but also indistinguishable from one another, so there's that going for it.
But Gregorius is so compelling, so likeable, and so empathizeable that I can't help but give this five stars.
A work of philosophy very poorly concealed behind a mystery. I will be thinking about this book for a long time after putting it down.
chrys_marin's review
3.0
Very well-written and thoughtful. Makes you think about yourself, about others, and about life in general. Very slow though; it took me a long time to get into it, and about three months to finish it. However, it deeply touched me toward the end, to the point that I cried. I think it is a very sad, very beautiful story, not meant for everyone, but worth reading if you are into philosophical books about life.
basianat's review against another edition
Specjalnie dla tej książki stworzyłam kategorię "niedokończone". Przeczytałam jakieś 40% i podziękowałam, uznawszy, że dalej nie warto już tracić czasu.
lauracooleyjohnson's review
4.0
I chose this book because of our trip to Portugal. But I was on vacation and this book isn’t a vacation read. It’s a book you read with a highlighter and notes to prepare to write a very insightful literary analysis. I neither highlighted nor took notes, and probably didn’t get out if it what you’re supposed to. Here are the things I liked. I loved that the book cradled languages. The main character is a professor of ancient languages living in Switzerland (so speaking German and French) but who decides to travel to Portugal and learn Portuguese. It was beautifully written, with delicious words in all sorts of languages just dropped in the text. Kudos to the translator who somehow did it justice in English. I also enjoyed the philosophy puzzles. Is life what we live? Or what we imagine living? Is memory real or a story we tell ourselves? Can anyone truly know themselves or someone else? Is the written word really what is the enlightenment of mankind?
But it wasn’t a vacation read. The story is a journey inward, and not really an exciting journey. And it unsurprisingly doesn’t resolve anything in the end. So I recommend it but only when you’re in the mood for a deep think and do not need a page turner.
But it wasn’t a vacation read. The story is a journey inward, and not really an exciting journey. And it unsurprisingly doesn’t resolve anything in the end. So I recommend it but only when you’re in the mood for a deep think and do not need a page turner.
agamakota's review against another edition
3.0
Taka to, ani nudna. Fajna to też za dużo powiedziane. Co kto lubi.
kartoffel's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5