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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
challenging
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Saramago's writing style is so annoying and yet so beautiful. His way of phrasing things is unique, easily recognized and can be so incredibly perfect sometimes and yet so infuriating in other moments.
His writing style is different, unique and that surely makes him special. But his books wouldn't thrive if it didn't work. And whereas it is true that the only reason why the book got only 3.25 stars was the writing style that made it so hard to understand what was being told sometimes, it's also true that I can't imagine a better person to describe some of the scenes. Beautiful, poignant descriptions of times, people and places that envoke the images in your head with such vividness you can't help being surprised by that.
I complained so much in the beginning about the title of the English version. And while I still think that the original is a better one as more than about the lives of those two characters that make the English version title, this book is about that convent and all the lives lost, all the men forced to leave their homes to honor a promise they didn't make. To honor the promise of the King that would get all the credits in the end while the common people is forgotten. But Baltasar and Blimunda isn't that bad of a title either. And their love story, although with a quiet weird and undoubtely too rushed beginning, is an unforgetable and extraordinarily beautiful one. Especially in the end the descriptions are absolutely heartwarming and that end (which I believed that I knew, only to realize it was actually the other way around) is at the samd time heartwarming and heartbreaking, mixing both in one single emotion impossible to describe, but that Saramago painted magnificently in his last scene.
Saramago's writing style isn't for everyone, his books are not for everyone. But if you are willing to give him a chance, you will, sooner or later, realize the beauty hidden in the complexity of his writing style, the beauty that shines in those descriptions made like no one else can because no one has a writing style as unique as his.
And if you give this book a chance, if you open it willing to read it till the end, I am sure you will find its beauty too and actually enjoy the time you spend reading it, even when it takes longer than you expected, because beautiful or not, his writing style sometimes becomes to much.
Full review coming soon!
His writing style is different, unique and that surely makes him special. But his books wouldn't thrive if it didn't work. And whereas it is true that the only reason why the book got only 3.25 stars was the writing style that made it so hard to understand what was being told sometimes, it's also true that I can't imagine a better person to describe some of the scenes. Beautiful, poignant descriptions of times, people and places that envoke the images in your head with such vividness you can't help being surprised by that.
I complained so much in the beginning about the title of the English version. And while I still think that the original is a better one as more than about the lives of those two characters that make the English version title, this book is about that convent and all the lives lost, all the men forced to leave their homes to honor a promise they didn't make. To honor the promise of the King that would get all the credits in the end while the common people is forgotten. But Baltasar and Blimunda isn't that bad of a title either. And their love story, although with a quiet weird and undoubtely too rushed beginning, is an unforgetable and extraordinarily beautiful one. Especially in the end the descriptions are absolutely heartwarming and that end (which I believed that I knew, only to realize it was actually the other way around) is at the samd time heartwarming and heartbreaking, mixing both in one single emotion impossible to describe, but that Saramago painted magnificently in his last scene.
Saramago's writing style isn't for everyone, his books are not for everyone. But if you are willing to give him a chance, you will, sooner or later, realize the beauty hidden in the complexity of his writing style, the beauty that shines in those descriptions made like no one else can because no one has a writing style as unique as his.
And if you give this book a chance, if you open it willing to read it till the end, I am sure you will find its beauty too and actually enjoy the time you spend reading it, even when it takes longer than you expected, because beautiful or not, his writing style sometimes becomes to much.
Full review coming soon!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Fire/Fire injury
In the lack of a more clear option, I chose Fire/Fire injury, which is meant tomake reference to death by fire, in result of the Inquistion trials, which were refered and briefly described twice.
challenging
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
Saramago apresenta-se no geral como um grande desafio, um bicho de sete cabeças, fama essa que me afastou de ler o autor por vários anos porque receava não ser intelectualmente capaz de compreender o livro. Hoje entendo que os livros são diferentes para cada pessoa que os lê: não há paninhos quentes, além dos pontos de análise objetivos, muito de uma obra é deixado a cargo das interpretações e da relação do leitor com a história. O Memorial do Convento é um livro exímio, não só representa a maturidade da prosa de Saramago brilhantemente, mas também é o retrato de um povo que muito sofreu à custa de um regime monárquico, que de resto o autor não se cansa de criticar ou satirizar. 'Memorial' porque é a memória de um povo que fica esquecido nos livros de História - dizem que foi D. João V quem construiu o convento de Mafra mas, "formas de dizer" aparte, o rei não levantou uma única pedra para construir aquele que é hoje o monumento mais emblemático da cidade de Mafra. Nesse sentido, os protagonistas deste livro são Baltasar e Blimunda, um casal singular que se cruza num Auto de Fé, e cuja vida vai acabar por se enredar com o próprio convento em determinado momento. Baltar Sete-Sóis é um soldado que regressa da guerra sem a mão esquerda (alvo de uma das passagens mais hilárias do livro todo, na minha opinião) e Blimunda, mais tarde apelidada de Sete-Luas, é uma mulher com um poder desconcertante. A este enredo junta-se o padre Bartolomeu que sonha em poder voar e desafiar portanto as leis terrenas e todas as probabilidades, o que não de certeza é muito conveniente num tempo de repressão religiosa tão forte em Portugal. Não há muito que se possa dizer para fazer jus a esta livro - Saramago escreve como ninguém, não há forma de alguém se assemelhar ao seu estilo porque é algo demasiado intricado, inimitável. Sei que um livro é importante para mim quando abdicava de o ler por vezes porque naquele momento não estava com capacidade de dar a devida atenção a cada palavra que Saramago escreveu, apesar de o ter feito várias vezes. A crítica à Igreja e às religião talvez tenha sido das minhas partes favoritas da obra. O autor é mordaz e provocador e o narrador, a persona que Samarago cria para contar esta história confere uma outra vida ao romance.
Devemos muito a Saramago enquanto portugueses - este livro é, além de como já mencionei, a memória de um povo, também a lembrança do que hoje somos ou continuamos a ser e do que precisamos de mudar.
Devemos muito a Saramago enquanto portugueses - este livro é, além de como já mencionei, a memória de um povo, também a lembrança do que hoje somos ou continuamos a ser e do que precisamos de mudar.
Muito bom!!! Primeiro livro lido de José Saramago e gostei muito :)
adventurous
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
wow, based on real people -- a one-armed veteran, a clairvoyant and a priest who thinks he can fly during the time of the inquisition in Portugal.
Knowing this was based on real people (something I wouldn't have known if I hadn't read the last page first) added heft to this book.
The author uses non-standard punctuation (periods apparently cost double) -- I didn't notice until I tried to read it out loud. This lends a sense of breathlessness & forward momentum to the prose.
Knowing this was based on real people (something I wouldn't have known if I hadn't read the last page first) added heft to this book.
The author uses non-standard punctuation (periods apparently cost double) -- I didn't notice until I tried to read it out loud. This lends a sense of breathlessness & forward momentum to the prose.
Finally it's over! Só li este livro porque era preciso para a escola, de outra maneira nem nunca tinha olhado duas vezes para ele, nao é o meu genero de livro, muito grande com muitas descriçoes e cansativo, ainda por cima a minha ediçao tem letras super pequenas e muito juntas. Saramago por agora para mim esta arrumado, talvez um dia mude de ideias e tenha curiosidade em ler outro livro dele, mas por agora isso está muitooo distante!
Sobre o historia propriamente dita, as partes com o Baltazar e a Blimunda até eram interessantes, e as que tinham o padre, as outras não era nada interessantes e custavam imenso a ler, e para piorar o Baltasar morre! Tive que ler aquilo tudo e no fim nem juntos ficam, sinceramente! Apesar de eu não gostar muito do Capitão Gancho.
Concluindo, estou feliz que esteja acabado!
Sobre o historia propriamente dita, as partes com o Baltazar e a Blimunda até eram interessantes, e as que tinham o padre, as outras não era nada interessantes e custavam imenso a ler, e para piorar o Baltasar morre! Tive que ler aquilo tudo e no fim nem juntos ficam, sinceramente! Apesar de eu não gostar muito do Capitão Gancho.
Concluindo, estou feliz que esteja acabado!