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Typical Saramago! As if typical could ever be the right word for describing the work of such a unique author. No names, no quotation marks, scant paragraphing, a cataclysmic event forcing the protagonists into extreme and unfamiliar situations, and of course a sagacious dog sharing his thoughts. Certainly not for all audiences. There are some intensely disturbing multiple gang rape scenes. And without a single working toilet in the whole city there’s human feces covering almost every page.
On a personal note, the scene that introduces ‘the dog of tears’ is very realistic. Years ago sitting on the living room floor, feeling very sad because our crippled alpha dog, Zeno, was going to have to be put down, she was only seven, I started to cry. And just like in the story, she sat in front of me and licked the tears off my face. Not a single one ever reached the floor. And I cried for a long time.
Five stars! Where’s my next Saramago.
On a personal note, the scene that introduces ‘the dog of tears’ is very realistic. Years ago sitting on the living room floor, feeling very sad because our crippled alpha dog, Zeno, was going to have to be put down, she was only seven, I started to cry. And just like in the story, she sat in front of me and licked the tears off my face. Not a single one ever reached the floor. And I cried for a long time.
Five stars! Where’s my next Saramago.