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evankouk3's review against another edition
5.0
Ολόκληρο το βιβλίο, αλλά ειδικά τα τελευταία κεφάλαια, αφότου ο Ιούδας τον προδίδει και όταν ο Ιησούς βρίσκεται στο όνειρο κατά τη διάρκεια της σταύρωσης πριν πεθάνει και βιώνει τον τελευταίο πειρασμό είναι συγκλονιστικά, βάζουν τον αναγνώστη στο επίκεντρο χρόνιων προβληματισμών τόσο για τη φύση του ανθρώπου όσο και για την αναγκαιότητα της θρησκείας του Χριστιανισμού και της πίστης και φυσικά τον μυούν στο δυϊσμό που διείπε τον Καζαντζάκη στο έργο του με το πάντα παρόν ερώτημα της πορείας που πρέπει να χαράσσει ο κάθε άνθρωπος στη ζωή του.
domproc's review
challenging
emotional
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
soinavoice's review
5.0
Probably the best book I've read this year.
I'm very decidedly not a Christian, though I've studied it a reasonable amount in a historical context. I would, in fact, call my self an atheist. But this book is the closest I've come to *getting it,* which is a bit ironic, since I think the things that most appealed to me (spiritually) about this book are the things which got it banned and its author excommunicated. This novel takes the familiar cast of the New Testament and reimagines them as petty, selfish, flawed boors, either lacking (at least at the beginning) in strong convictions or too cowardly to pursue them. Jesus himself is terrified of his destiny and does everything he can to resist, going so far as to build crosses as a kind of screw you to the guy in the sky. Yet in spite of this, he takes up his mantle as prophet and messiah; in spite of this, Peter, Andrew, John, James and all the rest leave their lives behind and follow him; in spite of this the passion takes place. I think what I loved most about this book was its humanity, the way its characters could be so manifestly flawed and still pursue--even achieve--grace. (Also, Judas's role in this made me happy in a way I can't begin to pick apart)
It's a novel as concerned with the grotesque as with the beautiful--perhaps with the coexistence of the grotesque and the beautiful, something helped mightily along by the gloriously robust prose. Kazantzakis's language is so powerful and so idiosyncratic that it retains a unique force and character even in translation, intensely metaphorical in an earthy kind of way: I can't remember the last time I saw people's "bowels" so much discussed, but here, they seem to be the primary seat of emotion. If you have an interest (either personal/spiritual or academic, like mine) in Christianity and the Abrahamic religions, if you enjoy novels centering around personal struggle and incredibly flawed characters, or if you just really like good prose, I definitely recommend this novel.
I'm very decidedly not a Christian, though I've studied it a reasonable amount in a historical context. I would, in fact, call my self an atheist. But this book is the closest I've come to *getting it,* which is a bit ironic, since I think the things that most appealed to me (spiritually) about this book are the things which got it banned and its author excommunicated. This novel takes the familiar cast of the New Testament and reimagines them as petty, selfish, flawed boors, either lacking (at least at the beginning) in strong convictions or too cowardly to pursue them. Jesus himself is terrified of his destiny and does everything he can to resist, going so far as to build crosses as a kind of screw you to the guy in the sky. Yet in spite of this, he takes up his mantle as prophet and messiah; in spite of this, Peter, Andrew, John, James and all the rest leave their lives behind and follow him; in spite of this the passion takes place. I think what I loved most about this book was its humanity, the way its characters could be so manifestly flawed and still pursue--even achieve--grace. (Also, Judas's role in this made me happy in a way I can't begin to pick apart)
It's a novel as concerned with the grotesque as with the beautiful--perhaps with the coexistence of the grotesque and the beautiful, something helped mightily along by the gloriously robust prose. Kazantzakis's language is so powerful and so idiosyncratic that it retains a unique force and character even in translation, intensely metaphorical in an earthy kind of way: I can't remember the last time I saw people's "bowels" so much discussed, but here, they seem to be the primary seat of emotion. If you have an interest (either personal/spiritual or academic, like mine) in Christianity and the Abrahamic religions, if you enjoy novels centering around personal struggle and incredibly flawed characters, or if you just really like good prose, I definitely recommend this novel.
gabbyhm's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
ancienquarks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
spadeano's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
germancho's review
4.0
Tough to get into, but 150 pages in it grips you. I can really understand now why it's a dangerous book, not because of the Jesus-as-human thing, but because Kazantzakis presents the hopes and dreams of the Jewish people (and Jesus himself) under a modern light, which shows that Christianism fucked humanity big time, instead of bringing peace and love to the world.
yetilibrary's review
5.0
This book is brilliant. The theology isn't quite mine--indeed, I wouldn't call it orthodox--but the story is fascinating and, I think, a worthy read for any Christian or non-Christian. It is similar to Anita Diamant's The Red Tent in that it takes a set of well-known stories from the Bible and retells them from perspective(s) that are not present in Scripture. For many readers, this will bring new life into an old story; for others, it will raise new questions; for still others, it will allow them to experience an entertaining what-if narrative. An epic, excellent, exceptional book.