Customer Reviews

The Natural Order of Things

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is Antunes' second book in his so-called "Benfica trilogy". It is a strange and haunting story about a family and their surroundings during three generations, and Antunes tells us about their inner lives and their deepest feelings. Despite the surreal and tragic settings of his characters, the author manages to convey a genuine feeling of compassion in his story (or rather, stories). This is truly a tragedy in a dark landscape. But it is all so beautifully told! A wonderful book it is, and I recommend it to all book lovers who are willing to put in an effort. I believe this is one of this century's great books. It may seem confusing at times - Antunes uses parallel monologues and stories throughout the book - but it all adds up, as they say. Read it, and you'll see - it really is strange to be so happy after reading such a sad story!

In The Natural Order Of Things, Antonio Lobo Antunes tells the story of two families and the secrets that inextricably bind them. The finely tuned, vividly articulate voices and memories of his characters present a dreamlike reality that resonates in the mind and imagination of the reader: an army officer tortured in prison on charges of conspiracy; an elderly man, once a miner in Mozambique, now reduced to dreams of "flying underground"; a diabetic teenage girl and the middle-aged husband she despises. These and other elements combine to create a portrait of a disintegrating society and the history of Portugal as a family history. The Natural Order Of Things is ably translated from the Portuguese by Richard Zenith.

Antonio Lobo Antunes is a magician. His prose is creative and evocative. The convoluted story is rich in vivid metaphors and the images created are extraordinary. At times, he soars.

For people who enjoy excellent skills in writing this book is for you...it was just great.

This book was recommended to me and I bought it. The language, the way it is translated into English, is difficult. Phrases some one and a half pages long with interminable appositions are very common. It is difficult to keep track of the subject and piece the story together. In fact, there is no story per se, just various monologues that are somewhat connected.

I started the book and didn't like it, but I kept reading on hoping that it would eventually tie together, make sense, and that it would leave me with some interesting thoughts, ideas, etc. The book just ended. The only good thing about the book ending was that I could move on to the next one and forget about this one.

I'll keep this book around in case I run out of toilet paper. That's the only use it should be put to.