A review by lispectorsexual
The Gospel According to Jesus Christ by José Saramago

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

To begin with, the narrative choice feels like a breath of fresh air, it feels as though you’re having a story told to you by somebody you’re familiar with and they constantly interact with you and make references that are outside of the story. This style is very much good at ensuring engagement with the book, and it truly doesn’t get boring. The pacing is slow, but it doesn’t result in the book seeming boring, everything slowly boils and you enjoy watching every bubble slowly emerge. Saramago is an atheist but you’d never catch that the way he beautifully writes this book and its events regarding religion and the subject of God. It does render a newer perspective to the person of Jesus, not as the son of God, but as the son of Joseph.

As the story progresses and we’re presented with a young Jesus, we see his faith being continuously shaken, he asks questions to his scribe and many other characters within the story and the answers given to him become unsatisfactory, and yet he’s fearful and devout to God so his frustrations are never directly towards God and whatever his will might be. One of the most intriguing parts of the story is when Jesus is at conflict with himself, having to choose between obeying divine authority and his own morality. His encounter with God is really where the story does a complete shift especially with Jesus’ character, the only thing that is able to keep him grounded is Mary Magdalene, his relationship with her is thus far the only thing that is still intact, whatever the lord promised him in the future or the said glory after his death, has gotten to him and we see him being driven by power.
“Jesus: But I'm not sure I am the son of God.
John: How can the devil know if you don't. Jesus: A good question, but they alone can answer it. 
John: Who do you mean by they. 
Jesus: I mean God, whose son the devil claims I am, and the devil, who could only have been told by God.”
And so he, and us the reader as well, wonder what relationship does God have with the devil.