Seeing

I've never thought highly of sequels, and this book certainly lived down to that tacit outlook. But I have to admit that I still maintained a cautiously high expectation when I chose to read Seeing, having been written by Saramago, currently on my Top Ten list of favorite authors. The pedigree of the author kept me reading to the end, hoping for some redeeming value to the long hours spent getting through this (hours I'll never get back), but I've been left with precious little positive to say.
This novel takes place in the unspecified capital of an unspecified Western country (Lisbon, Portugal), four years after the end of the blind plague, an event that Saramago so masterfully documented for us in the extraordinary Blindness. The problem afflicting this nation now is directed toward the government. An overwhelming majority of the population has seen fit to cast a "blank" vote during elections, and the officials in office find little recourse with which to fight back. This takes us through one unrealistic situation to another, where those in power seek to find ways to dispel phantom conspiracies by casting suspicion upon others.
As he did before in Blindness, the author manages to get through the entire book without mentioning anyone by name. People are most commonly referred to by their title or civil status (wife of, and such). I found that technique worked well in the former novel, but poorly in this one. He seemed to be dragging it out as much as possible; seeing how far he could take things. It felt like he was trying too hard.
But the biggest shortcoming this book has is its lack of story. There is simply nothing of interest going on. The people opted to cast blank votes. Great. So what? There is a sense that the blank voting is taking place due to apathy, but we never get to see that side of the coin, Only the government's take. This just drags on aimlessly until an ending is forcefully concocted and the book mercifully concludes.
The bottom line is that this was an unnecessary book, particularly for such an accomplished writer. I believe his name would have been better served had he not written it and I would have been better served not having read it.

Read from August 01 to 12, 2013

*****

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius

This is a very entertaining book. In my twenties, this is likely the novel I would have liked to write. The breakneck speed at which Eggers' ideas appear on the pages before you is a little startling at first, but his thoughts and themes are expressed and examined with great clarity and plain language, making the book easy to follow.

From the beginning the theme of this novel is loss; "heartbreaking" loss, as it were. This theme sets the mood for the entire story. But Eggers lets the tale evolve into something more substantial, never allowing his loss to overwhelm him, or even bring him down. The theme eventually transitions into the overcoming of bad luck and negative situations, and the manner in which an extraordinary vision of life and the world we live in go hand in hand with youth and pretentiousness. Eggers' whimsical writing keeps the experience amusing and his self deprecating humor makes the material more lighthearted than it otherwise might be.

Only those who are capable of laughing at themselves will be able to enjoy this book. I certainly did. Everyone should.

Read from July 24 to August 05, 2013

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