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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
墨西哥不具名地区的神父逃难记，他甚至没有个名字。“我是威士忌神父”——他在自我鄙视中这样说道。虔诚宗教信仰跟精神分裂症患者的幻觉一样，都可以用“one man's madness, another man's logic”来解释，但前者是众多信徒共享的系统（可以算是folie à plusieurs么？），所以告解、受洗、献身于上帝之举被认为是不可或缺之举。“威士忌神父”在逃亡，因为他的系统被彻底否定了。充满宗教色彩的小说似乎都离不开讽刺意味：神父拿走死孩子嘴边的糖块，他的通缉照跟一个杀人犯并排出现在警察局的墙上；不肯像何塞神父一样娶妻保身的他，在关键时刻还是被自己的私生女救下了。
A qualidade do livro é bem superior à clasificação que aqui lhe dou. Mas o critério classificativo do Goodreads é quanto se gostou.
Ora, o livro é uma obra-prima e isso parece-me subtraído a quaisquer dúvidas.
No entanto devo dizer que tenho tanta empatia relativamente a gente religiosa como aos defensores (e aplicadores) da pena capital: zero. Esta circunstância deixou-me todo um livro habitado de personagens por cujos destinos não nutro qualquer interesse, já que desprezo profundamente o que lhes é mais sagrado<7i>.
Ora, o livro é uma obra-prima e isso parece-me subtraído a quaisquer dúvidas.
No entanto devo dizer que tenho tanta empatia relativamente a gente religiosa como aos defensores (e aplicadores) da pena capital: zero. Esta circunstância deixou-me todo um livro habitado de personagens por cujos destinos não nutro qualquer interesse, já que desprezo profundamente o que lhes é mais sagrado<7i>.
It's not an exaggeration to say this is one of the best books I've ever read (top 10?). Thematically, the novel wrestles with the question of God & religion through the lens of the last priest running from the law in a region of Mexico where Catholicism has been outlawed. Further complicating the dynamic, the priest is not a good priest - but a drunkard who's created his own brand of Catholicism in the absence of religious structure. On the one hand, this nameless whisky priest can no longer bring himself to believe in the duties and language of the church while he judges pious laypeople - but on the other hand he believes in a God who sympathizes with and saves sinners who present themselves without pretense. This is a complicated tightrope to walk, presenting a priest who believes in God strongly enough to not recant and face life on the lam yet loving his sin too much to authentically ask for salvation. Bey and the rich thematic elements of this narrative, this novel is also perfect in these other areas:
-Imagery and plot. Reading this book feels cinematic, which makes sense as Graham also wrote screenplays
-Structure. The book is three parts each with four chapters - followed by a fourth part that serves as an epilogue. The first and fourth part view the priest through the eyes of people he meets, while the middle parts follow the perspective of the priest.
-Characterization. Beyond the priest himself, all the side characters in this book have rich characterization that is masterly done with few words
This book is short at 225p, but feels like it is intricate, rich, and requires re-reads to fully unpack
-Imagery and plot. Reading this book feels cinematic, which makes sense as Graham also wrote screenplays
-Structure. The book is three parts each with four chapters - followed by a fourth part that serves as an epilogue. The first and fourth part view the priest through the eyes of people he meets, while the middle parts follow the perspective of the priest.
-Characterization. Beyond the priest himself, all the side characters in this book have rich characterization that is masterly done with few words
This book is short at 225p, but feels like it is intricate, rich, and requires re-reads to fully unpack
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ever expanding depth. I wish there were more out to read about this book, the sparknotes suck and I think missed a lot. I took a lot from this, but am not sure if it was Greene's intention to leave me with what I thought about it.
I can feel the Catholic Guilt dripping off me after reading this, and I'm an Atheist!
dark
sad
8.5-9
Each character is presented with such empathy and care. No character is given the moral high ground, but many of them are given the low ground, and for many reasons (even despite their self-reflection). Some beautiful writing here too, reminiscent of McCarthy's Crossing (the part where the ex-priest speaks of his past). Brings up the questions continually - how can I best help others? what are my moral obligations? am I just serving my own interests, even through beneficence?
Clocks/time (the differences between the past and present, the stillness of time, stopping time, 'protecting'/lionizing the past), purpose (how much of it you choose vs what 'chooses you'), worthiness and duty (inflated self importance, comparing own presence to God's, Pride), vices (drinking, lying, pride, etc) and their control over you, nihilism vs religion (corrupted), fear (of pain, death, continued purposelessness, loss of status, responsibility - children/wife), love vs control, trust/faith (in spite of evidence/past, 'belief in God makes cowards'), despair vs hope (fighting against hopelessness/complacency), childhood purity/innocence corrupted by time/sinful world (similar to preserving something precious in the past/your own past self), finding beauty in sin (132).
Each character is presented with such empathy and care. No character is given the moral high ground, but many of them are given the low ground, and for many reasons (even despite their self-reflection). Some beautiful writing here too, reminiscent of McCarthy's Crossing (the part where the ex-priest speaks of his past). Brings up the questions continually - how can I best help others? what are my moral obligations? am I just serving my own interests, even through beneficence?
Clocks/time (the differences between the past and present, the stillness of time, stopping time, 'protecting'/lionizing the past), purpose (how much of it you choose vs what 'chooses you'), worthiness and duty (inflated self importance, comparing own presence to God's, Pride), vices (drinking, lying, pride, etc) and their control over you, nihilism vs religion (corrupted), fear (of pain, death, continued purposelessness, loss of status, responsibility - children/wife), love vs control, trust/faith (in spite of evidence/past, 'belief in God makes cowards'), despair vs hope (fighting against hopelessness/complacency), childhood purity/innocence corrupted by time/sinful world (similar to preserving something precious in the past/your own past self), finding beauty in sin (132).
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The flawed but appealing main character and the cast of strange but interesting people he encounters made the book a worthwhile read.