Jorge Amado has been called one of the great writers of our time. The joyfulness of his storytelling and his celebration of life's sensu...
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reviews
Aug 21, 2011
Peter
rated it: 
Despite its central premise -- valuable antique religious icon comes to life and things get wacky! -- this is far from your average South American magical realism novel. Though it shares some of the trappings of the genre, Amado has set his story in a real time and place and seamlessly integrates the magical aspects of the book with Brazil's troubled 20th century reality. Some of the book's many characters are more lifelike and compelling than others, and the story does get a tad long, but all i
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Aug 09, 2009
Dans le Brésil du Nord-Est, le picaresque Antonio Balduino incarne la peine et les rêves du peuple noir.
Enfant perdu, mauvais garçon, boxeur professionnel, initié des " macumbas ", travailleur sur les plantations de tabac, docker, employé de cirque, Antonio cherche toujours " le chemin de la maison " .
Il a des amours - irréelles - avec la blanche Lindinalva et une liaison avec la trépidante Rosenda Roseda.
Une grève lui permettra de décou More...
Enfant perdu, mauvais garçon, boxeur professionnel, initié des " macumbas ", travailleur sur les plantations de tabac, docker, employé de cirque, Antonio cherche toujours " le chemin de la maison " .
Il a des amours - irréelles - avec la blanche Lindinalva et une liaison avec la trépidante Rosenda Roseda.
Une grève lui permettra de décou More...
Mar 31, 2011
زاهي
rated it: 
بدايةً، إن رأيي لا يلزم أحداً.. وأنا أعتقد أن بعض الكتب هي من النوع المحلي.. لا تحقق فائدة بنشرها عالمياً.. فلكي تستمتع بهذا الكتاب، يجب أن تكون من سكان مدينة باهيا (المدينة التي تدور أحداث القصة بها).. أو على الأقل من المهتمين بالأدب اللاتيني.. وبصراحة كثرة استخدام الرواية لأسماء علم مركبة وكثيرة العدد(من أشخاص وأماكن وقديسين...)أحسست بأنني أقرأ دليل هاتف باهيا.. وهو السبب الذي جعلني أقرأها على مدى طويل نسبياً..
أرجو أن لا تكون باقي كتب أمادوا على غرار هذا الكتاب.. والأمل يحدوني بهذا لأنه More...
أرجو أن لا تكون باقي كتب أمادوا على غرار هذا الكتاب.. والأمل يحدوني بهذا لأنه More...
May 31, 2010
Carol
rated it: 
This warm, vivacious, fun novel is set in late 1960s Bahia, the capital city of the Brazilian region of the same name. A famous and antique statue of St. Barbara of the Thunder is due to arrive at the city's port so that it can be included in an important exhibition of sacred art. However, upon arrival, the statue miraculously comes to life and St. Barbara disappears into the city, where she has a profound affect on the lives of many people in the city. Among the effects of her actions and influ
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Feb 09, 2011
Rmorgan1
rated it: 
read ANYTHING by this brilliant Brazilian author, he wrote over 90 novels....I would recommend to anyone, he's contemporary and sadly just passed in the early 90's but his books tell the tales of Brazil's fascinating history, particularly on the cocau coast (chocolate region)
Jan 14, 2009
John
rated it:
This is a lovely little book and a grand example of magic realism. The story is simeple, but it makes clear that love and faith are every bit as real stone or wood -- and that emotions are the cause of much change we see in the physical world.
May 16, 2007
Denise
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The religious repression and the many unethical Catholic priests portrayed, particularly in the early sections of the book, were unsettling to me. And I will admit that Amado's love of listing names of non-essential people throughout the book got aggravating at times but even the narrator tells us, "No one's obliged to read this book straight through." I did skip some (a lot) of the lists. Once I got into it, though, I really did like it very much.
Amado's conspiratorial sto More...
Amado's conspiratorial sto More...
Aug 15, 2011
Robin
rated it:
Schelmenroman zonder verrassingen, maar een beeld van een samenleving uit een andere eeuw dat helpt om Salvador vandaag een beetje beter te begrijpen.
Feb 03, 2010
Blair
rated it: 
eh. entertaining enough that i made it to the end. mostly good for rekindling an interest in orixás and bahia, but anything jorge amado writes is just an excuse to profess his love for a romanticized bahia.
Jan 18, 2012
The War of the Saints by Jorge Amado. This book was about Saint Barbara of the Thunder. She has come to life and is now roaming free in the city of Bahai. Saint Barbara has found in an injustice in which a young girl is in love but her aunt won't let her see the young man. So Barbara sets a spell over the city to help the young girl and the love of her life. Who knows what kind of other help the Saint Barbara will do while performing her miracles all over the city. But her greatness was known be
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Oct 02, 2010
Took a while to get into the writing style but that always seems to be the case for me with the magical realism genre. Maybe if I could have read it in the original Portuguese...
Apr 10, 2009
Just couldn't get into this book at this time. Moving it bake to the to read shelf. I think it is worth a second attempt - in the future.
Feb 08, 2009
Kellyann
rated it:
despite an overabundance of Afro-Brazilian phrases requiring clarification, this is one of the liveliest novels I've ever read. makes me want to head to Bahia! i'm a fan of this author's asides spoken directly to the reader, often commenting on exactly what you're thinking at that moment in the story. i'm fascinated by the collision of Christianity and other religions, namely those that are more "obscure" (for lack of a better word) such as occurs throughout this story.
Jul 21, 2008
Brett
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The statue of Saint Barbara comes to life during a Brazilian in this sensuous and exuberant novel about the battle between the sacred and the profane.
Sep 26, 2007
Jana
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I think this is my favorite book by my favorite Brazilian author, but I love them all....
Mar 04, 2008
dianne
rated it:
the best introduction to Candoble one could have from afar.
Invoke Oya!
Invoke Oya!
Dec 16, 2009
Ariel
rated it:
I've loved this book for so long that I barely trust my judgment of it anymore.
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