3,5 ⭐

Despite the fact that the author writes about a very big problem, racism, and quite unusually, there were still moments of charm, especially at the beginning. In fact, it was very sad and isolated inside.

Regarding the fact that I didn't read it in Georgian at all, it was a mistake in this case. Overall, it is not read as a contemporary bestseller, and perhaps if I had read it in Georgian, I would have enjoyed it more.

However, the content about racism is an important and relevant topic that needs to be addressed and understood. The author's perspective and the way the story is told can provide valuable insights into this issue.

Although there were some drawbacks in the reading experience, it is still worth considering and discussing this book to gain a better understanding of the complex issue of racism.

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I knew nothing about this book when I started reading it.

All I knew was that it was based on Shakespeare's Tristan and Isolde, but in a more modern setting, with a black man from the favelas in Rio falling in love with an upper-class white girl. Since I wasn't familiar with the story of Tristan and Isolde, I just jumped in blindly.

Even if you're not familiar with the Shakespearean tale, skimming through the chapter titles can give you a fairly good idea of the plot. However, this book is so much more than just the plot. It's a discussion on sex, first and foremost, as well as growing up, adventure, finding oneself, finding love, and the complexities of love, among other things.

I'd heard of John Updike and knew that his Run, Rabbit series was critically acclaimed, although I'd never read them. So this was my first work by him. This novel in particular reminded me of three authors rolled into one: James Michener, John Steinbeck, and Mario Vargas Llosa. Michener because it takes you on a journey through Brazil, from Rio to Sao Paulo, to the makeshift capital in the middle of nowhere, Brasilia, to the planalto, the Brazilian outback, the selva, the middle of nowhere, through Indian tribes and backlands. Steinbeck for its poetic description of desperate times and poverty, and people desperate to find a means to live from the land. Vargas Llosa for its ability to be violent, perverse, invoking spirits and the rituals, culture, and means of survival of ancient native tribes who live according to their own rules with no outside regulation.

This story beautifully develops the characters and does a great job of putting you in the setting, which becomes so much more than the plot itself. This line in particular could have come out of The Grapes of Wrath or Travels With Charley and be describing the depressed Midwest of early 20th-century America, yet it's describing the planalto of 1970s Brazil: "There is a melancholy, a stupidity to rural landscape that numbed the citified hearts of the young couple--a yawning repetitiveness, as of a man who knows only a few words but yet will not stop talking."

I love books that take me on a journey, especially ones set in countries outside of my own that I have lived in or am familiar with. This book took me on that journey, and for that, it gets 4.5*. It was uncomfortable and graphic at times, but in the end, the journey was well worth it. In just 250 pages. Weirdly, I'm not sure it's made me want to read more Updike, which would normally be a no-brainer for an author who wrote a book I rated so highly, but I was very pleased with having read this one.

Overall, this book is a captivating and thought-provoking read that offers a unique perspective on love, culture, and society in Brazil. It's a must-read for anyone interested in these themes or in exploring new literary landscapes.

One of those few books that I can't quite make up my mind whether I liked - at least not yet. I have a hunch that I did.

The settings within the book are truly exotic and are vividly depicted. The writing, in certain places, is simply gorgeous, as if the words dance off the page. The story, which is a retelling of Tristan and Iseult, holds enough interest to keep the reader engaged. The use of magic realism is acceptable, at least to this one reader who is often suspicious of such a literary device.

However, my main issue was that I didn't find the main characters to be all that involving. I just couldn't seem to muster up any real concern about their fates. On the other hand, some of the subsidiary characters - like Isabel's father, Uncle Donaciano, the hit-man Cesar, and Ianopamoko - are superbly crafted.

In the end, I just didn't have the feeling that the whole was entirely satisfying, despite the excellence of some of its individual parts. I won't be forcefully recommending this book to anybody, but at the same time, I wouldn't actively try to deter them from reading it either. It's a bit of a mixed bag for me.

What begins as a cliché and sexually depraved story

ends up having more heart than I ever thought was possible.

At the start, it seemed like just another run-of-the-mill tale filled with overused tropes and inappropriate sexual content.

But as I delved deeper into it, I discovered a hidden layer of emotion and authenticity.

The characters, who initially appeared one-dimensional, gradually revealed their complex and vulnerable sides.

Their relationships evolved in ways that were both unexpected and touching.

By the end, I was left with a sense of wonder and a newfound appreciation for the power of storytelling.

I think I’ll be dwelling on this one for a while, reflecting on its themes and the impact it had on me.

It serves as a reminder that sometimes, beneath the surface of something that seems unremarkable or even distasteful, there can be a gem waiting to be discovered.

This is truly fantastic.

The language employed in this novel is both brutal and lush, hot and humid. It has the power to make you vividly sense the rainforest, even when the main characters are not physically present within its boundaries.

The story might initially seem to be simply one of interracial love, but it delves so much deeper than that. Spanning approximately twenty or so years of the lives of the main characters, Isabel, a wealthy white woman, and Tristao, a poor black man (interestingly, like Tristan and Isolde).

The tone of this novel is bleak, desperate, and dirty. The sex is abundant, encompassing various aspects such as being loving, abusive, and addicting. Their love is painfully exclusive, yet somehow remains untouched by the blatant unfaithful nature of their relationship.

There is a profound co-dependency, along with an unhealthy stubbornness and loyalty that runs to the very bone.

Brazil is a gorgeous novel. It is tough to endure at times, even harder to put down, and is truly an original work of literature that leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

The pace in this novel is truly captivating, almost as if it has a hold on you and simply carries you along. However, there is a rather concerning aspect. The main female character is extremely sexualized. It's not just a passing mention or a tasteful portrayal, but rather it seems to be a constant focus, and even the last sentence seems to leer at her in a rather inappropriate way. Additionally, the details provided are so sordid that it becomes quite uncomfortable at times. There were several points where I had to look up from the page and wonder to myself, “am I reading bad pornography?” It really makes you question the intentions of the author and whether this kind of excessive and often objectifying treatment of the female character is necessary or appropriate in a work of fiction.

It's a real shame because the initial allure of the story's pace is somewhat marred by these elements that seem to detract from the overall quality and integrity of the narrative. One can't help but hope that future works in this genre will find a better balance and avoid such blatant and unseemly sexualization and sordid details.

Once again, I'm convinced that in books, the characters are more interesting than the described plot.

Characters have the power to bring a story to life. They have unique personalities, dreams, and flaws that make them relatable and engaging.

When we read about a character, we can imagine their appearance, their voice, and their actions. We can feel their emotions and understand their motives.

A well-developed character can even inspire us or change our perspective on life.

That's why I always find myself more invested in the characters than in the events that unfold in the story.

They are the heart and soul of the book, and without them, the story would be just a series of words on a page.

"Brazil" truly shocked me to the very core of my imagination. It is an amazing book that takes the reader on a captivating journey.

As I delved into its pages, it gave me the distinct feeling of being in a place on Brazil's extensive territories where the air was stuffy. There was a sense of sensuality that bordered on something almost like the kind of smoke from opium, or perhaps something else entirely indescribable.

This book moved me deeply and left me in a different state of mind for a long time after I finished reading. It has a power and allure that is truly captivating, drawing the reader in and making them experience emotions and sensations that they may not have expected.

Overall, "Brazil" is a remarkable piece of literature that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a unique and unforgettable reading experience.

The story begins with a Brazilian street-kid who crosses paths with a privileged white girl. Against all odds, they fall deeply in love. However, the girl's father, being a man of privilege and prejudice, forbids their relationship.

Determined to be together, the two young lovers flee into the Brazilian wildernesses. There, they encounter a jungle shaman who works some mysterious magic. As a result, the privileged white girl is transformed into a black woman, while the black street-kid becomes a white man.

They then make their way back to civilization, where they are now accepted as a couple. They manage to settle into a somewhat stereotypical nuclear family. But tragedy strikes when the black street-kid, now turned into a white man, is killed on a beach by a group of Brazilian street-kids.

This book is worthy of three stars, albeit barely. It is solely based on the skill of the author. At times, the language is lush and beautiful, painting a wonderful picture with words. But at other times, it can be annoying, especially during scenes depicting sexual acts.

The first 170 pages are enjoyable enough to read, minus a few passages here and there. However, the last 100 or so pages are anything but enjoyable. I had to force myself to finish this book. Had the author displayed less skill in penning lush, beautiful prose, I would have rated this a two-star book.

Modeled on the legend of Tristan and Iseult, Updike transports the doomed lovers to Brazil and chronicles 22 years of the country's history from the 1960s to the 1980s.

Tristao, a black street urchin from the favela, has to resort to robbery and killing to survive. His prostitute mother, who has never had more than one child from each client but has children of different hues between black and white, introduces him to sex with older women as a matter of course. Isabel, on the other hand, is a white, privileged, bored, and lonely girl. She lives with her uncle in Rio while her father is a busy bureaucrat in the new government city of Brasilia, built in the middle of nowhere.

Like the legendary lovers who fall in love after ingesting a love potion, Tristao and Isabel fall instantly in love after a chance meeting on Copacabana Beach. They immediately engage in the most descriptive but sloppy sex and are consigned for the rest of their lives to trying to reach each other. The lovers move inland to escape Isabel's father's goons who are trying to separate them. They travel from Rio to Sao Paolo to Brasilia, crossing the Mato Grosso and into the Amazon. Sex becomes their unifying balm in a sea of troubles, and they have plenty of it, not just with each other but with others as well.

Despite the many children that Isabel bears (and loses), none are from Tristao, perhaps the author's way of suggesting that this type of racial relationship does not bear fruit in Brazil. Their outward journey is filled with tragedy and loss, as it is difficult for a black man and a white woman to be together without inviting danger. It is not part of the socially acceptable fabric at the time. At the turning point of their voyage, a shaman converts Tristao to a white man and Isabel turns black. Their journey back over the same route is an easier re-entry, filled with increasing opportunity and wealth, as it is infinitely normal for a white man to have a black woman in Brazil – Updike's assessment of the country.

The issues facing this newly industrializing country, which has been under imperial rule for centuries and is now under "the generals" who are loyal to America, come out in off-the-cuff comments by the characters. "People are killed in Brazil for telling the truth," "Brazil has been populated by mismatched couples"; even Isabel comments, "It is not my father who hunts us, it is the system."

The narrative and dialogue are highly stylized, perhaps an "out" for the author who does not have to resort to dialect for each of the characters who come from different regions and social tracks of this vast country. But the plot moves fast, and this novel is an engaging read.

Updike stays true to the legendary chronicle of the lovers by introducing tragedy as the fate of Tritao and Isabel upon their return to Rio. However, he adds a twist to the old story, shaping his ending to reflect the contemporary reality of Brazil, where the barbarians in the favelas surrounding the city exact revenge on their rich white countrymen for squeezing them into the margins and hoarding all the country's wealth. Poor Tristao, who has straddled both sides of the fence by this time, is unable to recognize that grim reality, unchanged in 22 years since he walked on Copacabana Beach and met his destiny in Isabel.

Before delving into the core of this review (or perhaps I should say, the "essence" of this review), I wish to share two amusing anecdotes regarding this book. Firstly, I acquired this book secondhand in Japan. It's quite a curiosity as the book is in English yet the price tag is in Chinese, and I couldn't locate the specific edition I have on Goodreads. I'm presuming it's an out-of-print paperback edition. What a strange find in a foreign land, isn't it? (I was kind of hoping they'd have some steamy romance novels. Alas, they did not.)

Secondly, the sex scenes in this book are truly peculiar. Just how strange, you might ask? Well, the author has a penchant for referring to male genitalia as "yams." Yes, that thing you purchase in a can every Thanksgiving if you reside in the U.S. Crazy, right? I recounted this to my mother, and she rolled her eyes and said, "Is this one of your silly romance novels, Nenia?" I replied that it was actually John Updike. Her expression turned utterly horrified: "Not the author of 'Witches of Eastwick' John Updike?" And I was like, "Yup. That very one." I think she's still traumatized by that revelation.

The story, in terms of its narrative, is rather basic. It follows the typical rich girl/poor boy storyline that you've likely witnessed countless times. The twist is that it's a retelling of Tristan and Iseult (Tristao and Isabel) set in Brazil, attempting to offer social commentary on race, class, and socioeconomic issues. While this is a worthy objective in itself, in my opinion, "BRAZIL" fails to achieve it. It comes across as dated, silly, trashy, pornographic, and at times even blatantly offensive.

Moreover, something that truly puzzled me is that for the vast majority of the book, it's presented as a straightforward tale that can sometimes be absurd but adheres to the rules of reality. However, around 70% of the way through, Isabel and Tristao are captured by individuals who enslave Tristao and keep her as a concubine. In retaliation, Isabel encounters an indigenous man who practices something similar to voodoo and actually "reverses their ethnicities." So, Isabel transforms from being white to black, and Tristao from black to white. And this occurs completely out of the blue. I'm still not over it. And I just read a vampire "romance" about incest and rather strange activities, so that really speaks volumes.

Here are some of this book's most memorable (or perhaps forgettable) moments:
- "[H]e felt his cashew become a banana, and then a rippled yam, bursting with weight" (17).
- "His penis, so little when limp, a baby in its bonnet of foreskin, frightened her when it became a yam, stiff and thick with a lavender knob and purple-black ripples of gristle and veins" (54 - 55).
- "Her cunt was to him like cream poured upon two years of aching" (128).
- "He inhaled, with those round apprehensive nostrils she had freshly admired tonight, the basic mystery of her shit... (130)."
- "[S]he wanted to toy with his yam, and trace its swollen veins with the tip of her tongue, and sip the little transparent drop of nectar from its single small slit" (188).
- "The smell of extremely stale cheese arose from his genitals" (232).
- "[N]ow that she was no longer the color of clouds and crystal but that of earth, of wet smooth wood, of glistening dung" (244). This particular description felt especially offensive as it follows Isabel's transformation from white to black. She goes from being associated with purity and light to being described in such unappealing terms? LOL, what even. #nope

Here's a picture of my edition. Yes, it was published in the 90s. Can you tell from the clashing primary colors and serif-heavy font? (1994, to be precise, by Fawcett Crest.) I can't say I would recommend this book to anyone. It was, however, quite hilariously awful, especially when compared to the aforementioned vampire book. I would rate it between 1 and 1.5 stars.

  



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