Read the first 100 pages and just couldn't finish. I can understand the genius behind the prose and clearly Saramago knows how to craft a thorough and complex plot, but simply put, it was boring! And I was a history major in college! I understood his intent of demonstrating that history is not one-dimensional and open to interpretation (which is all nicely summarized by the translator on the last page, as if trying to prove that this is book is not boring), but nothing in the plot grabbed my attention. I give it three stars for its incredible and unconventional writing style, but one star for actually engaging me. Can't recommend it.