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Nov 05, 2011
Jim
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review of another edition
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1001-bymrbyd
This is my first experience with this author's work. Excellent storyline, almost prophetic insofar as the torture of the enemies of the Empire is concerned. It's impossible not to make comparisons with our own acceptance of the torture during interrogation of our own " barbarians" when such torture is excused as necessary for our security. After all, it's wrong to question the motives or methods of the Empire, isn't it?
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My thoughts:
• I had a hard time getting into this book. This is the third time I have tried to read Coetzee and have concluded that his writing style just does not appeal to me.
• I also think that this book might have had a greater impact or resounded with me better if I had read it when it was first published as over the years till now I have read/learned about oppression and colonialism and similar subjects.
• It showed the physical abuse/torture as a way to break the spirit and mind. Also thou ...more
• I had a hard time getting into this book. This is the third time I have tried to read Coetzee and have concluded that his writing style just does not appeal to me.
• I also think that this book might have had a greater impact or resounded with me better if I had read it when it was first published as over the years till now I have read/learned about oppression and colonialism and similar subjects.
• It showed the physical abuse/torture as a way to break the spirit and mind. Also thou ...more
This short novel haunts me forcing the question of what makes us human and humane? Who is civilized and who are the barbarians? What is justice and what is mercy? How should we live a moral life? A legal, civil life? Weirdly for me it also confronted aging. We battle for things in our life and we grow old and tired and the barbarians never come, but the are always present.
This is my first book by Coetzee; it surely won't be my last. I really enjoyed his writing style--reminded me a bit of Cormac McCarthy's writing in Blood Meridian. Somewhere out on the edges of "the Empire," there's a military leader who realizes the way the "natives" are being treated is wrong and that there is going to be going to be payback & justice at some point.
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fantastic, amazing, stupendous.
Aug 21, 2011
Deedee
marked it as to-read
Aug 27, 2012
Sam
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Aug 08, 2013
Sivan
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Dec 29, 2013
Elizabeth
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Apr 20, 2014
Ruth
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May 02, 2014
My work is never done
marked it as to-read
Aug 25, 2019
Anna
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Dec 21, 2019
Ginger
marked it as to-read
Jan 16, 2020
Kathy Jo
marked it as to-read
Apr 20, 2022
Ann
marked it as to-read
