A review by textualorientation
Death with Interruptions by José Saramago

4.0

This book was just lovely. I think I enjoyed it more than The History of the Siege of Lisbon, although I gave it the same rating.

Death With Interruptions is divided into two sections: first we discover that death has abandoned a country, and we get to observe the way in which a government and its people deal with this phenomenon; second, the story is described from death's point of view when she is unable to kill a certain cellist and falls in love with him instead.

Although I'm very much a rookie in regards to Saramago's writing, I imagine this book is more satirical and ridiculous than his others, certainly more so than The History of the Siege of Lisbon. I love the way Saramago challenges our cultural notions surrounding death, as demonstrated by the polarized attitudes that present themselves when eternal life becomes the norm. Then playing with the concept of death falling in love was something that was just so enjoyable to witness, something that made the book truly original.

I'll be taking a break from Saramago for a while yet, but he's fast becoming an author I can rely on not to disappoint.