Death with Interruptions, published in Britain as Death at Intervals (Portuguese: As Intermitências da Morte), is a novel written by the Nobel Laureate, José Saramago. Death with Interruptions was published in 2005 in its original Portuguese, and the novel was translated into English by Margaret Jull Costa in 2008. The novel focuses on death, as both a phenomenon and as an anthropomorphized character. A key of the book is how society relates to death in both of these forms, and likewise, how death relates to the people she is meant to kill.
Review of 'Le intermittenze della morte' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Bella lettura, la storia è quella tragicomica di un paese (nel senso di nazione) che si trova di punto in bianco a gestire la situazione straordinaria per cui nessuno muore più. Ci si accorge così di come il nostro sistema sociale ed economico, nonché religioso, sia basato sul fatto imprescindibile secondo cui si muore! La storia poi si sviluppa in un suo percorso. Il testo è interessante anche dal punto di vista stilistico: Saramago scrive i dialoghi come un flusso unico a scarso utilizzo di punteggiatura; anche i periodi non dialogici sono generalmente lunghi e intesi come un quasi flusso di coscienza.
First off, the punctuation is definitely a setback. At first, I thought the epub file I downloaded was flawed. It turned out that the actual book was not the bit different. Here’s a sample of what I mean:
“The fact of having passed responsibility to another person calmed him a little, in half an hour his role in the matter will be over. The secretary appeared at the door, The car’s waiting, sir, Thank you, I’m not sure how long I’ll be, I have a meeting with the prime minister, but that information is for you alone, Don’t worry sir, I won’t tell anyone, Goodbye, Goodbye, sir, I hope everything turns out for the best, In the current state of affairs, we no longer know what’s for the best and what’s for the worst, You’re right…”
With such punctuation, it’s …
To be honest, I had more faith in this book.
First off, the punctuation is definitely a setback. At first, I thought the epub file I downloaded was flawed. It turned out that the actual book was not the bit different. Here’s a sample of what I mean:
“The fact of having passed responsibility to another person calmed him a little, in half an hour his role in the matter will be over. The secretary appeared at the door, The car’s waiting, sir, Thank you, I’m not sure how long I’ll be, I have a meeting with the prime minister, but that information is for you alone, Don’t worry sir, I won’t tell anyone, Goodbye, Goodbye, sir, I hope everything turns out for the best, In the current state of affairs, we no longer know what’s for the best and what’s for the worst, You’re right…”
With such punctuation, it’s unnecessarily aching to discern who is talking in a simple dialogue.
Secondly, the progression and overall flow of the book was a bit peculiar, as if the plot’s omnipresent and at the same time hidden from the eyes of the reader – like a [insert holy entity you believe in] you may say. The story felt heterogeneous and sometimes like a collection of three or four mini-stories being shoved together.
However. Three stars for the general idea and the extrapolation José Saramago managed to draw, the extrapolation of a reality where no human dies. Three stars for the storyline of the family with the dying infant and the dying grandparent. Three stars for the cellist and death incarnated.
“And since fate of hopes is always to breed more hopes, which is why, despite so many disappointments, they have not yet died out in the world.”
I have more hope for the next Saramago book on my reading list, Blindness.
