Blindness (Harvest Book) | Jose Saramago | Very strong and disturbing story

Blindness (Harvest Book) | Jose Saramago | the white sickness

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Blindness (Harvest...

	Blindness (Harvest Book) Jose Saramago Harvest Books, 1999 - 352 pages average customer review:based on 360 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

A city is hit by an epidemic of "white blindness" which spares no one. Authorities confine the blind to an empty mental hospital, but there the criminal element holds everyone captive, stealing food rations and raping women. There is one eyewitness to this nightmare who guides seven strangers-among them a boy with no mother, a girl with dark glasses, a dog of tears-through the barren streets, and the procession becomes as uncanny as the surroundings are harrowing. A magnificent parable of loss and disorientation and a vivid evocation of the horrors of the twentieth century, Blindness has swept the reading public with its powerful portrayal of man's worst appetites and weaknesses-and man's ultimately exhilarating spirit. The stunningly powerful novel of man's will to survive against all odds, by the winner of the 1998 Nobel Prize for Literature.

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Very strong and disturbing story

This book definetely will bring up a reaction from its readers.

The narration style gives the impression that the reader is watching the story evolve in front of them, a clever approach given the subject.

The part of the story which takes place in the hospital is very disturbing and strong.

I was disappointed with the ending, did not expect a positive ending given the tone of the story, and wonder why the author decided to go in that direction.

I recommend the book, but be forewarned about how strong the content is.

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the white sickness

Only an author of Nobel stature could create such a compelling story about such a bleak situation.
In this unnamed place, the blind citizens are reduced to short descriptions, no names. They are written of as an image perhaps the last image someone had of them before blindness struck. Here is the girl with the dark glasses, the first blind man, the boy with the squint. Readers go on a journey with a small group of blind people ho have banded in an attempt at survival in a world where their main sensory input is removed. Because we never know where we are and we have limited visual input, the author has made it easier for the reader to feel blinded.

Blindness is terrifying yet compelling we. The book begins with a situation of horror then moves to another horror and yet another. The blind people fend for themselves both poorly and well. This is not cheap sensationalist horror. This is a thought- provoking horror that speaks to the human condition and its fragility but like a spider web, it has tremendous strength.
The writer uses scant punctuation. Once the reader gets the rhythm of the story, it will flow - no punctuation needed.
Blindness is a challenging read. It is not a lightweight beach book.
Blindness starts with a mystery and ends with another equal mystery. For a while, the reader is dehumanized and essentially blind

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Interesting novel / concept

Enjoyed the novel, in no way does the story knock the blind or say they are incapable...as protesters have been saying. In fact there is a part in the story where a blind individual who was blind prior to the incident proves to be most useful.

The ending I feel was very lacking and incomplete. Like oh its all okay now.

great start, poor finish

the first half of the book was astounding, it gave a clear picture of what the world and we would be like without our sense of sight. it becomes very clear however that the author has no way of ending the book without resorting to some lame and emotional conclusion, thus making the second half of the book pointless since you can predict every twist that might occur. the idea was great, but samargo would have been better off just ending it half way thru since it becomes painfully reminiscent of 'i am legend/the road'. the first half gets you to think, the second half is no better than some cheap thriller apocalyptic thriller.

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