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solusipse's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Misogyny, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and War
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Slavery, and Blood
Minor: Cursing, Incest, Infertility, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Self harm, and Pandemic/Epidemic
katreads2022's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I find it extremely difficult to rate this book. While I personally do not enjoy Saramago’s dense writing, I appreciate its intelligence. Even though I trudged and, admittedly skipped—there is a whole section detailing medieval tortures allotted to alphabetically listed victims—through its intimidating blocks of text I recognize that the whole experience was marginally worth the time. It’s indeed a challenge to get through this deceivingly mid-sized novel. Chunks of texts drag on for pages upon pages, sentences rarely allowing one to take a breath. And quotation-less quotations. Unforgiving? Definitely.
Obviously, a non-canonical “Gospel” is blasphemous. The inversions presented in this novel are compelling because they offer a different chronology of a story so familiar. The narrator, an omnipresent yet strangely reminiscent figure, guides the reader through a retelling of Jesus Christ’s life that will surely scandalize some. At times vaguely satirical, Saramago captures a Biblical setting fairly well despite some clumsy modern flourishes. EGREGIOUS sexist commentary further drags down the writing.
“Gospel” is interesting, with a few interesting insights in to Christian theology because of its creative reversals. Both the content and prose are heavy, making this novel inaccessible and perhaps not worthwhile for most.
Obviously, a non-canonical “Gospel” is blasphemous. The inversions presented in this novel are compelling because they offer a different chronology of a story so familiar. The narrator, an omnipresent yet strangely reminiscent figure, guides the reader through a retelling of Jesus Christ’s life that will surely scandalize some. At times vaguely satirical, Saramago captures a Biblical setting fairly well despite some clumsy modern flourishes. EGREGIOUS sexist commentary further drags down the writing.
“Gospel” is interesting, with a few interesting insights in to Christian theology because of its creative reversals. Both the content and prose are heavy, making this novel inaccessible and perhaps not worthwhile for most.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Rape