Cherisa’s Comments (group member since Sep 26, 2021)

Cherisa’s comments from the The Obscure Reading Group group.

Cindy wrote: "Overall, I loved the book and would have given it 5 stars except the last 30 pages. It seemed to lose its energy as though the characters were tired of wandering around and the author had tired of ..."

I am so glad you liked it, Cindy. The dark humor throughout and literal and figurative sense of displacement of the population was sustained pretty wonderfully. The flagging energy at the end seemed appropriate to me, kind of what happens when someone gets used to a new condition of existence. Like an "okay, this is how things are gonna be now" and excitement ebbs.

Geography and Displacement; Identity and Group; Pairing off; Government or lack thereof; Platitudes and Wisdom; Metaphors....
The book offers so much to discuss, compare, contrast. Where do you want to go?

We are starting the "second half" of the book from when the Dog, Joana, Jose, Joaquim and Pedro show up at Maria Guavaira's home in Galicia. Spoilers allowed as it's assumed you have finished the book, okay?

Craig wrote: "Hi all,

Just finished this and I’ve got to say I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it. I am glad this group introduced me to the Stone Raft and Saramago.
The story telling is so rich, with subtle h..."

Craig this is a wonderful review. Thank you.

I will start Week 2 discussion on another thread so you can join when you are ready.

Is anyone still reading?

Cindy wrote: "Regarding the Don Quixote reference: The Deux Chevaux (roughly translated as two horses) reminds me of Rocinante. Temperamental. It may or may not get you to where you are going. Like Rocinante, Deux Chevaux is its own character...."

I love that you pulled out Cervantes and the old car, Cindy! Absolutely, Deux Chevaux rates as worthy of consideration as a character and part of the plot. Let's start with the fact that it's a French Citroen. Meta tells me it was produced from 1948-1990 and was "known for its compliant ride... and ability to transport heavy loads across difficult terrain." But then get this - it became an automotive icon and early models are highly sought after. "Rugged, useful, affordable."

The road trip wouldn't have been likely or possible without it, and Joaquim is the only one who owns a car, and therefor starts the whole trip when he first goes off in search of Pedro. It doesn't make him the Don, but in a sense his action "drives" the story, haha.

Fergus, Quondam Happy Face wrote: "I'll revisit my review of Blindness, too, in case it was ruined by the same mistake!"

Fergus, Blindness floored me, and terrified me. When people ask for scary book recs, that's the title I give because of how quickly and shockingly society fell apart. Saramago didn't make it seem implausible how fragile civil society is.

Regarding Spain and Portugal joining the EU and becoming part of a community of nations, our little band of travelers were all rather lonely people, Joaquim (stone thrower and office worker), Jose Anaico (starling magnet and teacher), and Pedro (human seismologist and pharmacist). We do not know if they were married before but at the time of the story they are single men able to just get up and leave without word to anyone. Also, Joana Carda had just left her marriage, and with no children she also has no ties that bind, just a cousin who envies that she can walk away so simply. If Spain and Portugal leaving Europe to drift out into the Atlantic was a metaphor or commentary on the two nations actually joining the EU, it's a little twisted. The one thing is that our little band of travelers find each other and hook up. We will see it even more in the second half (not giving anything away!), but when their peninsula leaves Europe, they find community.

Sherri wrote: "I just got to the dog lying in the middle of the road. There some beautiful sentences in this novel that for me bring about nostalgia of childhood. Shared experiences of throwing a stone in to the ..."

Sherri, I agree, Saramago and his translator are hella-good writers! The imagery is so clear and tangible.

Cindy wrote: "This novel was written in 1986, the same year Spain & Portugal joined the EU. I just discovered that Saramago was making a clever, satirical commentary regarding the European Union. I'm going to gu..."

Great point, Cindy. So then the "millions" of Europeans chanting "We are Iberians too" is particularly hilarious.

Dianne wrote: "...I think if you had to write the plot so far it might take one page. I think the characters are amusing and it's interesting how they all came together and aligned forces so readily. The plot to be turning in the book as far as whether and how they will survive, and if so, if they will do so as a continued unified force. The dog is also a standalone character - I wonder if it is supposed to symbolize something?"

If we think about it as a "road story," it helps think of the journey as part of the plot - where they go, what they see, what they talk about, rather than lots of action. As some travelers they meet on the road tell them -- "We're on our way to see the world" (though their world is much smaller now, seeing it is more feasible).

What's happening on the radio and the incompetent shenanigans of the government provide some comic relief. Even so called experts, such as the North American scientist who declared "the peninsula cannot possibly be moving, got the muttered Galilean response from an Italian expert Eppur si muove.

Regarding the Dog, who has various names but internally recalls being "Ardent," I'm sure he's significant. The first to recognize the crack in Cerbere (the eastern side of the Pyrenees, then traveling to the western side where he met up with Maria Guavaira and took her Blue Thread, he sets the thread like Ariadne that will lead us through the labyrinth. It's through his agency that once the three men and Joana Carda meet, they travel to Galicia and Maria G to find their fates.

One of the things regarding the heavy use of geography is that even though the book is fantastical and the premise is supernatural, the author has tried to "anchor" the story in reality. I've been using my atlas and Google Maps, and even the tiniest towns mentioned are real places, as are neighborhoods and streets in Lisbon. I actually love learning the provinces and towns and rivers as we move around the peninsula!

Nidhi wrote: "...l now I have gathered that the theme is ecological imbalance because there were starlings too"

Nidhi, I hadn't thought of the starlings as a signal of ecological imbalance, that's interesting. There are different reference on what Saramago was thinking, for instance, they are "a winged festivity," they form "a huge dark cloud, like a prelude to a storm" so they are sort of ominous, which is a bit reinforced when he mentions the Hitchcock classic. But then on the more lighthearted side, there's a discussion that starlings are "used for frivolous and giddy people who don't reflect on their actions." Did you find any references for a more somber meaning re ecological imbalance?

But what do you think the starlings actually mean as Jose Anaico's "superpower"?

Fergus, Quondam Happy Face wrote: "...miffed by the retraction of a prestigious literary prize"

Fergus, what prize was retracted and for which book? I never heard anything like that about the author.

Hi Everyone! Let's start our journey together on The Stone Raft.
Just a note - I read on a Kindle version of 294 pages. Hopefully your copies are close to that length, but if I reference a scene on a page you can't find, lmk and I'll try to better locate it for you. Same for anyone else, okay?

One of the first things that strikes me about the story is Saramago's constant reference to geography, and I would like to keep it as a theme or topic throughout our discussion. Share what you will about this aspect of the story.

The build-up to understand what is happening to the Iberian peninsula happens while we are being introduced to all the main characters, whether we realize it or not. How do you feel about the magical realism of the break or about the weirdnesses (we could call them "superpowers" maybe?) the individual characters each experience? Do you find them metaphorical or meaningful in any way?

The final break of Iberia from the continent happens on page 26, very early in the story. What do you think Saramago means by posting this as the action driver for the story? Amusing, ironic, metaphoric, something else?

We can have discussions about each of the characters and their superpowers.

Looking forward to this discussion!

The book has no defined section or chapter notations, so I am splitting our two weeks of discussion into slightly unequal sections by page length for the reason noted below.

For Week 1, starting Saturday, June 1st, we will discuss through page 161, or where the group arrives at Maria Guavaira's home in Galicia. This feels like a natural break and transition of action in the story.

Week 2, starting June 9th, will be a little shorter at 133 pages.

Thank you and looking forward to getting to talk with you all about this book!

Hi everyone, I just noticed that the Kindle edition is on sale for $2.99 today on Amazon. (And it's "free" if you have Kindle Unlimited.)

I shall skipper The Stone Raft if I have three mates for the voyage! But if not I'll join you for Comrade Tulayev. Thanks, Ken.

Waiting! 😀