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tesschair's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
3.75
mnieto's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
stef369's review against another edition
4.0
Gelezen in de Nederlandse vertaling: "De droom van een Ier"
Roger Casement.
Wie had er ooit over deze man horen vertellen? Staat hij in de geschiedenisboeken? Hebben we over hem geleerd op school?
Vargas Llosa kiest deze ene persoon uit en schildert hem met veel liefde en sympathie af als de eerste grote voorvechter voor mensenrechten in de Europese samenleving. Een man die dingen zag - afschuwelijke dingen: mishandelde slaven in Congo en in het Amazonewoud. Hij zag die dingen en hij walgde ervan. Het maakte hem letterlijk ziek. Hij voelde dat hij iets moest doen voor die mensen - in die tijd, toen Afrikaanse inwoners quasi als beesten werden beschouwd, niet zo een evidente keuze... Hij opent de ogen van Westerse kolonisten voor het onrecht dat zij rechtstreeks en onrechtstreeks aanrichten... met succes. Er wordt naar hem geluisterd. Met veel vallen en opstaan bereikt Casement zijn doel. Hij heeft een groot deel bijgedragen tot de algemene aanvaarding van de mensenrechten...
Tot... hij een "verkeerde" keuze maakt. Na het zien van al dat onrecht in Congo en Peru, "transponeert" hij dat onrecht naar de Ierse bevolking. Ook de Ieren werden onderdrukt door de Engelse bevolking, weliswaar op minder barbaarse wijze, maar wel op een heel subtiele manier. Roger wordt - een beetje tegen zijn natuur in - een fervente aanhanger van het nationalisme. Middenin in W.O. I besluit hij de Duitsers om hulp te vragen voor een gezamenlijke actie tegen de Engelsen. Fout dus... Hij wordt opgepakt, veroordeeld wegens hoogverraad, en opgehangen in een lugubere gevangenis.
Het meeleven van Vargas Llosa met deze man is immens. Zo mooi dat hij deze figuur terug in ere herstelt met deze roman. Het hele boek lang zit Casement in de cel, wachtend op zijn executie. Intussen lezen we zijn hele verhaal. Echt hartverscheurend, dramatisch. Het citaat in het begin van het boek is heel treffend...
Het einde - de executie zelf - wordt met weinig woorden en sober beschreven, en toch... wat een impact! Ik heb er een hele nacht niet van geslapen...
Een meesterlijke roman!
Roger Casement.
Wie had er ooit over deze man horen vertellen? Staat hij in de geschiedenisboeken? Hebben we over hem geleerd op school?
Vargas Llosa kiest deze ene persoon uit en schildert hem met veel liefde en sympathie af als de eerste grote voorvechter voor mensenrechten in de Europese samenleving. Een man die dingen zag - afschuwelijke dingen: mishandelde slaven in Congo en in het Amazonewoud. Hij zag die dingen en hij walgde ervan. Het maakte hem letterlijk ziek. Hij voelde dat hij iets moest doen voor die mensen - in die tijd, toen Afrikaanse inwoners quasi als beesten werden beschouwd, niet zo een evidente keuze... Hij opent de ogen van Westerse kolonisten voor het onrecht dat zij rechtstreeks en onrechtstreeks aanrichten... met succes. Er wordt naar hem geluisterd. Met veel vallen en opstaan bereikt Casement zijn doel. Hij heeft een groot deel bijgedragen tot de algemene aanvaarding van de mensenrechten...
Tot... hij een "verkeerde" keuze maakt. Na het zien van al dat onrecht in Congo en Peru, "transponeert" hij dat onrecht naar de Ierse bevolking. Ook de Ieren werden onderdrukt door de Engelse bevolking, weliswaar op minder barbaarse wijze, maar wel op een heel subtiele manier. Roger wordt - een beetje tegen zijn natuur in - een fervente aanhanger van het nationalisme. Middenin in W.O. I besluit hij de Duitsers om hulp te vragen voor een gezamenlijke actie tegen de Engelsen. Fout dus... Hij wordt opgepakt, veroordeeld wegens hoogverraad, en opgehangen in een lugubere gevangenis.
Het meeleven van Vargas Llosa met deze man is immens. Zo mooi dat hij deze figuur terug in ere herstelt met deze roman. Het hele boek lang zit Casement in de cel, wachtend op zijn executie. Intussen lezen we zijn hele verhaal. Echt hartverscheurend, dramatisch. Het citaat in het begin van het boek is heel treffend...
Het einde - de executie zelf - wordt met weinig woorden en sober beschreven, en toch... wat een impact! Ik heb er een hele nacht niet van geslapen...
Een meesterlijke roman!
amslersf's review against another edition
3.0
I was so thrilled to find that Llosa had written a book about one of my heros, Roger Casement. Casement was an Irish revolutionary who also became one of the leaders in the first wave of international human rights work out of Europe. He documented colonial atrocities in the Congo and in the Amazon. Although he had a privileged upbringing in the North of Ireland, it was from the people of the Congo and the Amazon that Casement learned the both the physical costs of the colonial economy but also of the process of dehumanization. He would then return to England and Ireland and fight colonialism closer to home.
Llosa does a brilliant job imagining a particular aspet of the the life of Casement; how Casement's personal journal including no small amount of gay sex, becomes his undoing. I had first heard of Casement while in Ireland, although historians had embarrassingly kept him in the closet till late in the twentieth century. However it wasn't until reading Hochschild's King Leopold's Ghost that I discovered his internationalism. Gay or not, his radical international solidarity should have put him in the mainstream of political thinking when I was visiting Belfast in the 1990s. There, republicans clearly saw their desire for independence from England as connected to international struggles for liberation in Palestine, Africa and the Americas.
Llosa's tale is a bit long winded. The Irish in Ireland have had to find peace with martyrs, but in America, I can't help looking for a more optimistic end. I'm a bit happier when I can see the arc, though long, bending towards justice. I'll be keeping my eyes open for a biography.
Llosa does a brilliant job imagining a particular aspet of the the life of Casement; how Casement's personal journal including no small amount of gay sex, becomes his undoing. I had first heard of Casement while in Ireland, although historians had embarrassingly kept him in the closet till late in the twentieth century. However it wasn't until reading Hochschild's King Leopold's Ghost that I discovered his internationalism. Gay or not, his radical international solidarity should have put him in the mainstream of political thinking when I was visiting Belfast in the 1990s. There, republicans clearly saw their desire for independence from England as connected to international struggles for liberation in Palestine, Africa and the Americas.
Llosa's tale is a bit long winded. The Irish in Ireland have had to find peace with martyrs, but in America, I can't help looking for a more optimistic end. I'm a bit happier when I can see the arc, though long, bending towards justice. I'll be keeping my eyes open for a biography.
jasonfurman's review
4.0
My third historical novel in a row. And it was not nearly as good as Hilary Mantel's Bring Up the Bodies or Laurent Binet's HHhH (not to mention Vargas Llosa's absolutely brilliant The Feast of the Goat or epic The War at the End of the World). Although it was still worth reading.
Bring Up the Bodies is deeply immersed in its history, but tells its story as a novel, largely dialogue between the characters, that makes their psychologies and motivations come alive--all while wearing its history lightly with little exposition or digressions into history. HHhH is an experimental novel that tries to faithfully recount its history, reluctantly follows novelistic conventions for short spurts (and quite well), but then retreats into the narrator's voice to apologize for fabricating anything.
In contrast, the majority of The Dream of the Celt reads more like a history book or biography than a novel. Those parts have little dialogue, few invented characters, and very extended descriptions of Roger Casement's trips to investigate and report on the epic atrocities in King Leopold's Congo and the Putumayo region of Peruvian Amazonia. These parts are almost always interesting (and horrifying), rarely tedious, but are not infused with anything of the special possibilities that is afforded by the novel of going deeper into a character's head, shifting perspectives, showing through stories, a plot, developing multiple characters, or just about anything else.
These historical chapters alternate with somewhat shorter chapters that depict Casement's final days before his execution for treason in Pentonville prison. These are more novelistic, with dialogue, somewhat more interesting characters (e.g., the prison's sheriff), and lots of flashbacks to Casement's role in what eventually became the Easter Uprising. These are perfectly fine, fast reading, but do not come anywhere close to The Feast of the Goat.
Altogether much of the interest of the book comes from learning about Roger Casement (who was largely new to me), more about the Congo and Putumayo, and the Easter Uprising and how that period in Ireland's struggle for independence intersected with the First World War. All interestingly told. And this is reason enough to read the novel.
Bring Up the Bodies is deeply immersed in its history, but tells its story as a novel, largely dialogue between the characters, that makes their psychologies and motivations come alive--all while wearing its history lightly with little exposition or digressions into history. HHhH is an experimental novel that tries to faithfully recount its history, reluctantly follows novelistic conventions for short spurts (and quite well), but then retreats into the narrator's voice to apologize for fabricating anything.
In contrast, the majority of The Dream of the Celt reads more like a history book or biography than a novel. Those parts have little dialogue, few invented characters, and very extended descriptions of Roger Casement's trips to investigate and report on the epic atrocities in King Leopold's Congo and the Putumayo region of Peruvian Amazonia. These parts are almost always interesting (and horrifying), rarely tedious, but are not infused with anything of the special possibilities that is afforded by the novel of going deeper into a character's head, shifting perspectives, showing through stories, a plot, developing multiple characters, or just about anything else.
These historical chapters alternate with somewhat shorter chapters that depict Casement's final days before his execution for treason in Pentonville prison. These are more novelistic, with dialogue, somewhat more interesting characters (e.g., the prison's sheriff), and lots of flashbacks to Casement's role in what eventually became the Easter Uprising. These are perfectly fine, fast reading, but do not come anywhere close to The Feast of the Goat.
Altogether much of the interest of the book comes from learning about Roger Casement (who was largely new to me), more about the Congo and Putumayo, and the Easter Uprising and how that period in Ireland's struggle for independence intersected with the First World War. All interestingly told. And this is reason enough to read the novel.
bgg616's review
4.0
For me, this was a fascinating read as I knew very little about Roger Casement's life. I really was unaware of the pioneering human rights work he did in Africa, and later in Peru. His time, travels and work on those continents led to later infirmities, and likely carried a psychological toll as well as he observed some horrible atrocities. The reports he wrote on returning from these continents were important in shifting European's attitudes about colonialism and it's purposes. To enlighten and educate people living 'beyond civilization' or to mistreat them and abuse them while stealing all their natural wealth. The story of Casement's fervor for Irish nationalism is not as detailed but because that was the most familiar to me, I didn't feel I needed more here. Casement was a gay man living in a time when his sexuality was completely unaccepted. Casement at times yearns for the lives he sees friends with spouses and children lead. He was lonely for most of his life, and the one person included in the story whom he reportedly loved, may not have been who and what he thought.
I didn't initially know why Vargas Llosa chose to write about Casement because I didn't know of Casement's work in Peru to stop the exploitation of indigeous people in the production of rubber.Vargas Llosa does Casement a service by focusing in detail on the human rights work he did in great detail, while not avoiding the controversy in his life including his 'secret' diaries, his sexuality and his working with the Germans during World War I to get support for an Irish rebellion.
I didn't initially know why Vargas Llosa chose to write about Casement because I didn't know of Casement's work in Peru to stop the exploitation of indigeous people in the production of rubber.Vargas Llosa does Casement a service by focusing in detail on the human rights work he did in great detail, while not avoiding the controversy in his life including his 'secret' diaries, his sexuality and his working with the Germans during World War I to get support for an Irish rebellion.
ray_mikers's review
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
omustata's review
dark
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This book is not really a novel. It is more of a biography of Robert Caseman, a person I knew nothing about but whom I now admire.
st4rlight's review against another edition
4.0
حلم السلتي - ماريو بارغاس يوسا
هنا سيرة ذاتية تحولت على يد يوسا لعمل روائي مدهش.
السيرة الذاتية للسير روجر كيسمنت (1864-1916).
يسلط العمل الضوء على حياة كيسمنت وعلى ثلاثة مراحل هامة :
الكونغو والأمازون وايرلندا..
تحتل رحلته وحياته في الكونغو والأمازون مساحة هائلة.
توضح بدايته في الكونغو كـ شاب حالم أراد أن يغير العالم البسيط والبدائي الذي يعيشه مواطنو الكونغو خاصة وأفريقيا عامة ولكنه يصدم أن الغرب الأوروبي لم يأت إلى هناك من أجل ايصال الحضارة (كما يدعون) بل من أجل الاسستعمار والنهب واستعباد مواطني تلك الدول .
وفي الأمازون التي أرسل إليها لاحقًا، بصفته مبعوثًا نيابة عن الحكومة البريطانية ليتحرى عن إساءة معاملة السكان الأصليين واستغلالهم شر استغلال في استخراج المطاط أيضًا .
لتحل عليهم لعنة الثروات التي تنعم بها بلدانهم ولا يعرفون عنها شيئا..
المطاط اللعنة التي حلّت على مواطني الكونغو والأمازون، المادة السوداء الخام التي كانت مطلوبة في السوق العالمي حينها .
في وقت لاحق ينخرط كيسمنت بحماس في النضال الإيرلندي ضد انكلترا، وهنا يأتي الفصل الذي كان سريعًا وبسيطًا (تمنيت لو طال هذا الجزء)، ربما يعود هذا لكمية القرارت الغريبة التي اتخذها كيسمنت بتسرع وتهور في كل منعطف في السنتين الأخيرتين من حياته .
هل كان السلتي خائنًا في النهاية؟
من الصعب الإحابة على هذا السؤال ..
الأكيد أنّ روجر كيسمنت كانَ المواطن العالمي الأول، الرجل الذي حارب من أجل الحريات وحقوق الإنسان قبل أن تصبح مجرد كلمات يتشدق بها الكل .
العمل مذهل حتى وإن افتقر للجانب الأدبي بشكل كبير ، لأنه من المفترض أن يوسا كتب لنا رواية هنا وليس سيرة ذاتية محضة .
هنا سيرة ذاتية تحولت على يد يوسا لعمل روائي مدهش.
السيرة الذاتية للسير روجر كيسمنت (1864-1916).
يسلط العمل الضوء على حياة كيسمنت وعلى ثلاثة مراحل هامة :
الكونغو والأمازون وايرلندا..
تحتل رحلته وحياته في الكونغو والأمازون مساحة هائلة.
توضح بدايته في الكونغو كـ شاب حالم أراد أن يغير العالم البسيط والبدائي الذي يعيشه مواطنو الكونغو خاصة وأفريقيا عامة ولكنه يصدم أن الغرب الأوروبي لم يأت إلى هناك من أجل ايصال الحضارة (كما يدعون) بل من أجل الاسستعمار والنهب واستعباد مواطني تلك الدول .
وفي الأمازون التي أرسل إليها لاحقًا، بصفته مبعوثًا نيابة عن الحكومة البريطانية ليتحرى عن إساءة معاملة السكان الأصليين واستغلالهم شر استغلال في استخراج المطاط أيضًا .
لتحل عليهم لعنة الثروات التي تنعم بها بلدانهم ولا يعرفون عنها شيئا..
المطاط اللعنة التي حلّت على مواطني الكونغو والأمازون، المادة السوداء الخام التي كانت مطلوبة في السوق العالمي حينها .
في وقت لاحق ينخرط كيسمنت بحماس في النضال الإيرلندي ضد انكلترا، وهنا يأتي الفصل الذي كان سريعًا وبسيطًا (تمنيت لو طال هذا الجزء)، ربما يعود هذا لكمية القرارت الغريبة التي اتخذها كيسمنت بتسرع وتهور في كل منعطف في السنتين الأخيرتين من حياته .
هل كان السلتي خائنًا في النهاية؟
من الصعب الإحابة على هذا السؤال ..
الأكيد أنّ روجر كيسمنت كانَ المواطن العالمي الأول، الرجل الذي حارب من أجل الحريات وحقوق الإنسان قبل أن تصبح مجرد كلمات يتشدق بها الكل .
العمل مذهل حتى وإن افتقر للجانب الأدبي بشكل كبير ، لأنه من المفترض أن يوسا كتب لنا رواية هنا وليس سيرة ذاتية محضة .