Helpful Score: 3
Couldn't get into it. Heard it was kindof deep and had sortof a "mysterious" ending...
Helpful Score: 2
It takes a bit to get accustomed his writing stylea variation of stream of consciousness. His paragraphs are long (often two pages or more), He rarely uses a period, He does not use quotation makes for dialog, His narrative and character dialog are only differentiated by a capital letter following a comma, The comma is used to separate sentences. Confused already? You wont be after 50 or 60 pages. After reading Moby Dick I felt as if I knew all I needed to find and land a whale; now I know everything about making pottery. This is a veritable textbook; and thats the main thread of the story. Oh yes, for you pedants, as in Moby Dick, there is a major allegory within it, as well as deep character studies. Youll miss the allegory if you havent studied Platos Republic beforehand.
Helpful Score: 1
Saramago, who has been called 'the world's greatest living novelist,' has created an allegorical novel of an elderly potter whose precarious existence is threatened when he can no longer sell his wares. Rave reviews from all the major critics.
Helpful Score: 1
Excellent story of a potter in Portugal. Great characters, touching story.
This is one of my favorite Saramago books. While his style of writing takes some adjustment, once you get the hang of his style I believe you'll love it. I like to tell people Saramago writes like we think; free-form. "The Cave" offers life lessons on the twenty-first century and how individuality has lost favor as well as the sense that family is everything. This is a refreshing book with so many lessons.
A genuinely brilliant novel by a winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature!
Really wonderful book. Quite different from any that I have read before.
Wow! Another great, deep-thought provoking book by Saramago. I will say that I think that it is not necessary for one to have read Platos 'The Republic' to 'get' the meanings behind this book. I find it hard to believe that it was written in 2000 as it seems in so many ways so current - but likewise, I find it mind blowing that Platos 'The Republic' was written approximately 350 BCE but yet seems to accurately define what was, what is, perhaps what will be as for systems of government which, of course, are made up of individuals. But I digress.
Saramagos 'The Cave' is not one of the books that I felt fevered to stay up 'all hours' reading; however, I always looked forward to have opportunity to again pick up and continue every chance. For me, this book is unlike Saramagos 'Blindness'.
Enjoyable read which seems quite laid back but delivers unto us a chance to learn much about pottery, nuclear families, and a behind the scenes look at ways the capitalist governments rule over much of our lives whether we are aware of this or not.
Saramagos 'The Cave' is not one of the books that I felt fevered to stay up 'all hours' reading; however, I always looked forward to have opportunity to again pick up and continue every chance. For me, this book is unlike Saramagos 'Blindness'.
Enjoyable read which seems quite laid back but delivers unto us a chance to learn much about pottery, nuclear families, and a behind the scenes look at ways the capitalist governments rule over much of our lives whether we are aware of this or not.
An elderly potter lives in the country with his daughter and son-in-law who is a security guard at "the Center" in the city. They all move to the Center where, to their horror, they find the real meaning (or lack of meaning) of the Center.
