Rating: 
Summary: A Wonderful Book
Review: Don't let the format of the book scare you. While it looks like a "tough read," the pages really fly by once you start. The text is beautifully written -- a fascinating take on a story most of us already know.No matter what your religious beliefs are, this book will give you food for thought. It's clever beyond words, fun to read, and even more fun to discuss.
Rating:
Summary: excellent read
Review: This is a masterpiece. It's interesting to read other reviews. Although most agree that it's an amazing read, they disagree on what they get out of it. One, it reaffirms his faith. Another is proud to be an atheist. This book is simply a different take on a story most of us are at least passingly familiar with. The theme of guilt for the sins of our fathers seems to move all through the book. The style of writing is different, but very good. If you're going to read one book by Saramago, read this one, it's much better than Blindness.
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Summary: The story about the God who wanted to take over the world
Review: I'm Portuguese too, but I think that this book is simply awesome. True, Saramago is somewhat difficult to read, but after some time you become accustomated to the long sentences. I also read the Blindness before, but found it much inferior to this masterpiece. Finally someone who takes the mask off the Gospels and shows what really happened: nothing very much divine. An evil, blood-thursting God wants to take over the world an choses therefor some human, Jesus, whose dilemma is the love for his God and the obvious evilness of this same God. I think that this vision of God is much more accurate, considering the world we live in. Even Satan looks human compared to this God. The best scene is of course the discusiion between God, Jesus and Satan, where God shows how little human sacrifices mean to him. Since I've read this book, I enjoy being Atheist.
Rating:
Summary: refreshing
Review: I didn't really like the first chapter, but this book gets better and better with every word you read. The end is splendid. I only read three of Saramogo's novels, but I believe this is the best one. By reading this book it's very likely you'll want to read the 'real' gospel too! A wonderful style with refreshing ideas. The parts were Saramago quotes the gospels are the best.
Rating: 
Summary: YOU WILL LOVE THIS OPPORTUNITY
Review: If you have 20 dollars to spare, do yourself a favor: buy this book and start asking yourself why in the world did the nobel prize go to Saramago. This way you'll never again spend a second reading such a terrible writer. I am from Portugal, and have long ago tried reading Saramago. I was very willing to appreciate the work of a portuguese author well known in other countries, but after trying two different books, I gave up. First, Saramago tries to "invent" a new style of writing which consists of eliminating any type of punctuation. It is very difficult to find a sentence he writes with less than 1000 words. People call him a genius for that "innovative" style. I call it opportunistic. Well, we are talking about a man who admires the Castro regime, and who sees himself as the ultimate intellectual of our days...what would you expect? His success is a proof about how "going against the norm" is often associated with being talented, and how the common people need such public figures, although talent is, in fact, non-existent.
Rating:
Summary: Outrageously good
Review: Everyone compares this book to "The Last Temptation of Christ," but I found it closer in spirit to Timothy Findley's "Not Wanted on the Voyage," especially in its fusion of compassion with grim realism and clear-eyed awareness of what organized religion is really all about. It's beautifully written (although I'm sure the translation falls far short of the original), and the characters are so vividly realized that the reader genuinely cares about them and grieves at their tragedies. Saramago plays off the familiarity of the story to surprise us continually. And, in spite of the story's inevitable tragic ending, he manages to make a powerful statement about human spiritual integrity, vs. what a religion (as an institution) tries to make of it. (As a footnote, I'm a former Catholic raised in a strongly Portuguese community, so I know exactly where Saramago was coming from!) A very well-deserved Nobel Prize.
Rating:
Summary: very intelligent book, gives intellectual pleasure to read
Review: i read it in hebrew wich gives it another dimention, with all the quotations. I think the part where he meets god and satan is not as good as the rest of the book, but of course, it's a difficult part. Very interesting and again, a pleasure both to the mind and the spirit.
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Summary: Delicadeza y fuerza en una historia conocida pero nueva
Review: Estamos ante una novela con una sensibilidad sutil a la vez que arrolladora. Una historia contada con delicadeza, fortaleza y sugerencia. Con el detalle del mejor de los orfebres, Saramago coloca la palabra precisa en todo momento de manera que la historia parece susurrada al oído del lector. Los personajes inquietan así como inquieta lo familiar cuando se desvía de la versión que se maneja. ¿Cómo narrar una historia por todos conocida? Saramago parece lograrlo con una espontaneidad y una dulzura que cautivan, con diálogos hermosos y con la integración de todos los elementos esencialmente humanos: el amor, el dolor, la compasión, la ira, la duda, y, de manera sorprendente, el humor. ¡UNA LECTURA QUE SE DISFRUTA COMO POCAS!
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Summary: Vatican objected to his Nobel Literature Prize Awarding
Review: When Jose Saramago was awarded the Nobel Prize of Literature, the Holy See (Vatican State) made public an statement objecting to the awarding. Inquisition still lives on in this century. About this book, a must read. Specially, if the reader knows the portuguese language, suggest you read the original portuguese text. The delicious taste is, of course, absent in the translated edition.
Rating:
Summary: Saramago scintillates!!!
Review: What a terrific read. I was captivated by the realism of the characters and the attention to details of their surroundings. Everyone should read this powerful work of fiction.
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