Like other great nineteenth century novels -- The Scarlet Letter, Anna Karenina, Madame Bovary -- Machado de Assis's Dom Casmurro explores the themes of marriage and adultery. But what distinguishes Machado's novel, and what makes it such a delightful discovery for English-speaking readers, is its eccentric and wildly unpredictable narrative style. As he recounts the events of his life from the vantage of a lonely old age, the narrator Bento continually interrupts his story to reflect on the writing of it. But the novel is more than a performance of stylistic acrobatics. It is an ironic critique of Catholicism, in which God appears as a kind of divine accountant whose ledgers may be balanced in devious as well as pious ways. It is also a story about love and its obstacles, about deception and self-deception, and about the failure of memory to make life's beginning fit neatly into its end.
Showing posts with label Brazil. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brazil. Show all posts
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Brazil
R-Lo said, "I've just read and reviewed Machado de Assis' great 1899 novel Dom Casmurro for my Book around the World selection for Brazil. My review is here for anyone interested."
Like other great nineteenth century novels -- The Scarlet Letter, Anna Karenina, Madame Bovary -- Machado de Assis's Dom Casmurro explores the themes of marriage and adultery. But what distinguishes Machado's novel, and what makes it such a delightful discovery for English-speaking readers, is its eccentric and wildly unpredictable narrative style. As he recounts the events of his life from the vantage of a lonely old age, the narrator Bento continually interrupts his story to reflect on the writing of it. But the novel is more than a performance of stylistic acrobatics. It is an ironic critique of Catholicism, in which God appears as a kind of divine accountant whose ledgers may be balanced in devious as well as pious ways. It is also a story about love and its obstacles, about deception and self-deception, and about the failure of memory to make life's beginning fit neatly into its end.
Like other great nineteenth century novels -- The Scarlet Letter, Anna Karenina, Madame Bovary -- Machado de Assis's Dom Casmurro explores the themes of marriage and adultery. But what distinguishes Machado's novel, and what makes it such a delightful discovery for English-speaking readers, is its eccentric and wildly unpredictable narrative style. As he recounts the events of his life from the vantage of a lonely old age, the narrator Bento continually interrupts his story to reflect on the writing of it. But the novel is more than a performance of stylistic acrobatics. It is an ironic critique of Catholicism, in which God appears as a kind of divine accountant whose ledgers may be balanced in devious as well as pious ways. It is also a story about love and its obstacles, about deception and self-deception, and about the failure of memory to make life's beginning fit neatly into its end.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Brazil
C.B. James said, "I notice there's nothing from Brazil yet. I recommend Keeper by Mal Peet. This is a young adult novel set in a lumber town in the Brazilian rainforest. The hero meets a mysterious man in the jungle who may be a ghost who teaches him how to be a goal keeper. The hero then goes on to become a world cup winning goal keeper. The combination of soccer how to book, ghost story, coming of age story worked very well for me. I found the book hard to put down even though I know nothing about soccer."
When Paul Faustino of LA NACION flips on his tape recorder for an exclusive interview with El Gato — the phenomenal goalkeeper who single-handedly brought his team the World Cup — the seasoned reporter quickly learns that this will be no ordinary story. Instead, the legendary El Gato narrates a spellbinding tale that begins in the South American rainforest, where a ghostly but very real mentor, the Keeper, emerges to teach a poor, gawky boy the most thrilling secrets of the game. A seamless blend of magic realism and exhilarating soccer action, this evocative novel will haunt readers long after the story ends.
When Paul Faustino of LA NACION flips on his tape recorder for an exclusive interview with El Gato — the phenomenal goalkeeper who single-handedly brought his team the World Cup — the seasoned reporter quickly learns that this will be no ordinary story. Instead, the legendary El Gato narrates a spellbinding tale that begins in the South American rainforest, where a ghostly but very real mentor, the Keeper, emerges to teach a poor, gawky boy the most thrilling secrets of the game. A seamless blend of magic realism and exhilarating soccer action, this evocative novel will haunt readers long after the story ends.
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