tesshope's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
ghostpaladin's review against another edition
5.0
The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas is a masterpiece. It’s a phenomenal blend of romance, innovative form and hare-brained philosophy, all bound together by a wonderfully acerbic wit.
alyssab2898's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
amongstchaosshereads's review against another edition
'To the worm that first gnawed at the cold flesh of my cadaver, I dedicate as a fond remembrance these posthumous memoirs'
That dedication had me right away and perfectly set the tone for the rest of the book.
It was fast paced and erratic, full of humour and sarcasm and the playfulness of the style made it so engaging but also amongst all this there were a lot of deep and meaningful things being discussed.
Such a unique, strange and quirky book and one, that considering it was published in 1881, was way ahead of its time.
I have to admit a lot of the historical references were a little lost on me so I was really really appreciative of the endnotes. I will definitely read again in the near future. Highly recommend.
'I am beginning to regret that I ever took to writing this book. Not that it tires me; I have nothing else to do, and dispatching a few meager chapters into the other world is invariably a bit of a distraction from eternity. But the book is tedious, it reeks of the grave, it bears a cadaveric grimace; this is a grave defect, and yet a minor one on the whole, for this book's greatest flaw is you, reader. You are in a hurry to grow old, and the book moves slowly; you love direct, robust narration and a smooth and regular style, and this book and my style are like drunkards, they veer right and left, stop and go, grumble, bellow, cackle, threaten the skies, slip, and fall...'
'I may do away with the previous chapter; among other reasons, in the last few lines there is a phrase that verges on nonsense, and I have no intention of providing fodder for future critics.'
That dedication had me right away and perfectly set the tone for the rest of the book.
It was fast paced and erratic, full of humour and sarcasm and the playfulness of the style made it so engaging but also amongst all this there were a lot of deep and meaningful things being discussed.
Such a unique, strange and quirky book and one, that considering it was published in 1881, was way ahead of its time.
I have to admit a lot of the historical references were a little lost on me so I was really really appreciative of the endnotes. I will definitely read again in the near future. Highly recommend.
'I am beginning to regret that I ever took to writing this book. Not that it tires me; I have nothing else to do, and dispatching a few meager chapters into the other world is invariably a bit of a distraction from eternity. But the book is tedious, it reeks of the grave, it bears a cadaveric grimace; this is a grave defect, and yet a minor one on the whole, for this book's greatest flaw is you, reader. You are in a hurry to grow old, and the book moves slowly; you love direct, robust narration and a smooth and regular style, and this book and my style are like drunkards, they veer right and left, stop and go, grumble, bellow, cackle, threaten the skies, slip, and fall...'
'I may do away with the previous chapter; among other reasons, in the last few lines there is a phrase that verges on nonsense, and I have no intention of providing fodder for future critics.'
analice's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
ozielbispo's review
4.0
O defunto Braz Cubas conta toda sua vida desde o seu nascimento até a sua morte num estilo inovador e inédito até então. Conta seus amores frustados com Marcela e Virgília , conta sua tentativa de entrada na vida política e a sua procura de dar sentido na sua vida enveredando na filosofia falida de Quincas Borba.
Um ótimo livro que adorei reler!
Um ótimo livro que adorei reler!