Rating: 
Summary: Good
Review: This is a good book, but not as seminal as Camus's 'The Plague' and Saramago's own 'The Year in the death of Ricardo Reis'.
Rating: 
Summary: LIVRO MAGNIFICO
Review: UM LIVRO A LER NECESSARIAMENTE,EM PARTICULAR EM LINGUA PORTUGUESA.TRATA-SE DE UMA OBRA DENSA E DIFERENTE.ACONSELHAMOS OS LEITORES A LER EM PORTUGUES.
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Summary: Novelization of Social Psychology
Review: When we think of tragedy and what would happen if something like the situation in blindness actually occured, we would hope that the human animal would end up being noble and compassionate. So often, however, this is not the case. Upon reading the book, one may be forced to admit: 'you know, that is horrible, but that is exactly what would happen.' With great relief, I believe, we finally remember and realize our humanity (thankfully), even if it does take some time.This book is brilliant.
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Summary: A Great Book - But Not An Easy Read
Review: I just finished reading BLINDNESS and I must say it was very intriguing. It is not a book for the amateur reader, however. If I had the time, I would read it over again and underline the many phrases and lines that carry profund ideas and concepts. I'm sure that many people will write many critiques and essays on this book. It is a work that is made for the student of literature. In a way, its a book that its hard to say that you enjoyed because it takes humans back to the very basics of animal behavior. I would certainly recommend this book to the serious reader. If you liked Nevel Shute's ON THE BEACH, this book will be right down your alley.
Rating: 
Summary: Difficult to read but worth the effort.
Review: I read this book with my book-club and might not have made it through it on my own. Getting used to Saramago's unique punctuation isn't too difficult and actually adds to the story at times. Sometime I found myself bored with the many details that were added or the long dialog and at these times, I would 'space out' and miss entire paragraphs. The story was depressing at times and I didn't care for the ending, but it did make me think and really consider the effects of such a situation on society.
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Summary: A Phenomenal Study of Human Frailty
Review: "Blindness" is horrifying, frightening, amazing and thought provoking. Not for the feint of heart, this work plunges into incredible levels of human degradation before slowly ascending to illumination. This book clearly demonstrates why Saramago richly deserves his Nobel prize. A simply spectacular work.
Rating:
Summary: Open your eyes!!
Review: Obviously, I won't give the plot of the book...nor will I discuss what Saramago actually intended to pass. I just know i read this book one year ago and i still recommend it vividly. It is disturbing, it is profound, it is absorbing... and it surely is not about blindness alone... let yourself grow by the hands of this genius!!
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Summary: A haunting, important commentary
Review: Saramago wastes no time in entering the story. Within the first 2 paragraphs, you find first blind man. And reading at first like a literary thriller, the pace continues to build at a frenzied pace. Saramago's apparent view of humankind is bleak, indeed. Blindness strikes virtually everyone, and it is fascinating to read how each individual copes with their traumas. Men and women alike return to their supposed primitive selves - defecation, copulation, and other primoridal animal needs take over. We see what a world of true anarchy would be like, and it is frightening. I found the book fascinating and haunting, reminiscent of the bleak outlooks found in such books as Lord of the Flies and The Handmaid's Tale.
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Summary: Dante's Inferno transposed to our time
Review: In Dante's Divine Commedy , at the entrance of Hell, there's a sign which says "Lasciate qui ogni speranza voi chi entrate"( Leave all your hopes here, you who enter) Although the characters of "Blindness" are not condemned , so to speak , after Death, to eternal Hell, they are confronted with it in their lifetime."...blindness is also this, to live in a world where there is no more hope"(page 204 in the Portuguese edition). The constant comparison of light/darkness, white blindness/darkness,luminosity/filth, makes it bearable in this work of art to pass through the nine Circles of Hell as imagined by Dante Alighieri.
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Summary: Completely direct and at once metaphoric re. human condition
Review: I am haunted, yes visited by the images - the relationships, the community that 'Blindness' creates and evokes. The last lines were read days ago but the ideas - the metaphors evolve and regenerate. I only regret that I can't read Portuguese - and yet nothing is perceived as lost to me. Encouraging another to read a book is so risky - but I urge you...take the risk, take the time, immerse yourself in the horror and the hope. For those of us in the "West" - more specifically the U.S. - how much we take for granted - how fragile we are and yet never truley believe in our fragility. A beautiful, crafty, flowing, river of a story that seems to cross all borders and head straight to the ocean of the 'soul?' Read this.
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