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K.D. Absolutely's Reviews > Dom Casmurro
Dom Casmurro
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My arms and my hands were practically shaking yesterday while I was in the last 50 pages of this book. One of those novels with perfect denouement. I immediately sent a text message to my brother (who gave this 5 stars) and our friend (who wants to borrow this book so I had to squeeze this in to my already tight queue of to-be-read books) telling them how beautiful this book was. I am glad I forced myself to read this now. I also told them that I was planning to dislike this book to avenge Roberto Bolano's 2666 that I rated with 5 stars and excitedly lent it to my brother. He read it and gave it a 1 star. You see, Dom Casmurro, got 5 stars from him and so when I was about to start this, I thought why not do the same to him? But I COULD NOT. This novel is too brilliantly-written especially the last 50 pages. It would have been a big injustice to Machado de Assis if I used him just to appease my hurt feelings for my idol Roberto Bolano. Anyway, there are other 5-star books in my brother's read folder that I am still to read hahaha. May araw ka rin, kuya!
Why I do I like the last 50 pages? Because I shook in anticipation. The book is told in first person by the BEST unreliable narrator that I've read so far in my almost four years of voracious reading. Prior to this, I thought that the best in my book was the guy in Julian Barnes' 2011 Booker winner, The Sense of an Ending (4 stars). This 1899 book by Machado de Assis truly pushed to the edge the meaning of unreliable narrator for me. Bentinho a.k.a., Dom Casmurro is wicked, childish yet funny and he has this habit to withholding his secrets until your hands and arms are shaking in excitement murmuring what now? come on. what's the truth? tell me!
But, why am I not giving this a full 5 stars? Take note that I am not giving you any hint on what was revealed in those last 50 pages. That part was the "real deal" in this book and I want you to enjoy it as much as I did. However, the book's composition for me is like this:
I love this book!
Why I do I like the last 50 pages? Because I shook in anticipation. The book is told in first person by the BEST unreliable narrator that I've read so far in my almost four years of voracious reading. Prior to this, I thought that the best in my book was the guy in Julian Barnes' 2011 Booker winner, The Sense of an Ending (4 stars). This 1899 book by Machado de Assis truly pushed to the edge the meaning of unreliable narrator for me. Bentinho a.k.a., Dom Casmurro is wicked, childish yet funny and he has this habit to withholding his secrets until your hands and arms are shaking in excitement murmuring what now? come on. what's the truth? tell me!
But, why am I not giving this a full 5 stars? Take note that I am not giving you any hint on what was revealed in those last 50 pages. That part was the "real deal" in this book and I want you to enjoy it as much as I did. However, the book's composition for me is like this:
first 1-50: 3 stars (interesting)You really have to finish the book to appreciate the story. I have a feeling that those who gave this a 1-star rating were those who were not able to bear the arduous and tiresome middle. For those who don't care about spoilers, here is the breakdown for those 155 pages comprising the middle of the book:
middle 155 pages: 2 or sometimes 1 star (it's okay to sometimes boring.)
last 50 pages: 5 stars (amazing!)
(view spoiler)Reading this book is like passing through a long dark tunnel. You appreciate more the bright light at the end of it because of the dark boring path that you want to pass through.
I love this book!
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Reading Progress
January 5, 2013
–
Started Reading
January 5, 2013
– Shelved
January 5, 2013
– Shelved as:
1001-core
January 5, 2013
– Shelved as:
latin-american
January 5, 2013
–
11.11%
"Dom Casmurro is the narrator. He got that name when he pissed off a certain man who read him verses while aboard a train. The succeeding short chapters are used to introduce the main characters of the story. The house of 3 widows: Dona Gloria, Uncle Cosme and Cousin Justina. Looks interesting."
page
32
January 7, 2013
–
38.19%
"Bentinho is now in the seminary. I am almost halfway but still waiting on the start of the "jealousy" match between him (15 years old) and Capitu."
page
110
January 9, 2013
–
63.19%
"Dom Casmurro is indeed the BEST example of an unreliable narrator. To think that this book was originally published in Brazil in 1899. Before I thought that the narrator in the "A Sense of an Ending" by Julian Barnes was one for the books because of his duplicity but Dom Casmurro is even worst! But funny, I should ask. The one of Barnes is wickedly disgusting."
page
182
January 10, 2013
– Shelved as:
unreliable-narrator
January 10, 2013
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-6 of 6 (6 new)
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message 1:
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Carolina
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rated it 5 stars
Jan 07, 2013 08:52AM
Actually, Dom Casmurro is a deceitful narrator :-) I am looking for your further impressions when you finish this one!
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Yes, I think he is. I could taste his unreliability since page 1 of the book :) Thanks for dropping a note, Carrie.
Wow! Your review conveyed a sense of anticipation for me! :-)
Thank you, B. Do try this one. I noticed that not too many of my GR friends read Latin American authors but this one is strangely beautiful. You know that you are taken for a ride but you enjoy it and you persist till the end because you want to know what will happen. :)
Machadong maganda ang rebyu mo!
Chalamat naman at nagustuhan mo. Nag-last minute review pa ako ng grammar (at may naispatan pa) noong nakita kong ni-like mo. :)
