The War of the Saints [Paperback]

Jorge Amado (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1995

Jorge Amado has been called one of the great writers of our time.  The joyfulness of his storytelling and his celebration of life's sensual pleasures have found him a loyal following.  With The War Of The Saints,  he has created an exuberant tale set among the flashing rhythms, intoxicating smells, and bewitching colors of the carnival. The holy icon of Saint Barbara of the Thunder is bound for the city of Bahia for an exhibition of holy art.  As the boat the bears the image is docking, a miracle occurs and Saint Barbara comes to life, disappearing into the milling crowd on the quay.  Somewhere in the city a young woman has fallen in love, and her prudish guardian aunt has locked her away--an act of intolerance that Saint Barbara must redress.  And when she casts her spell over the city, no one's life will remain unchanged.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This charming, carnivalesque novel tells of a religious statue that comes to life in the Brazillian city of Bahia.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

An exploration of attraction, love, marriage, and relationships, this skillful blend of the concrete and the mystical results in an unexpected novel. Manela lives with her Aunt Adalgisa and her Uncle Danilo. Adalgisa, a beautiful but repressed middle-aged woman, keeps her niece on a short tether. She is a stern taskmaster who believes in employing the rod. As Manela becomes an attractive young woman, Adalgisa uses cruel tactics to keep her under wraps and sheltered from the opposite sex. She locks her in her room, berates her loudly and endlessly, and beats her mercilessly. Finally, Adalgisa imprisons Manela in a convent, where she stays until she is rescued by St. Barbara of the Thunder. Though a glossary of Portuguese terms is (thankfully) included, the work is rife with grammatical and spelling errors that interfere with the enjoyment of reading. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 8/93.
- Peggy Partello, Keene State Coll., N.H.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Dial Press Trade Paperback (February 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553374400
• ISBN-13: 978-0553374407
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.9 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #505,295 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Viva Amado!!!, July 7, 1999

By 

Peter McGivney (Wappingers Falls, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The War of the Saints (Paperback)

No one has reviewed this yet??!!! If you want a novel that tells an actual story, a novel that has somehow missed the postmodern worship of irony and minimalism, a novel where the characters are not monosyllabic yuppies picking the scabs of their psychic pain, then this book is for you. This novel is ALIVE!!! Sex, religion, politics, magical realism, are combined with the sights and smells of Amado's native Bahia to form one of the best (and most fun) books I have read in a very long time. Do yourself a colossal favor and get this book posthaste. You wont regret it!

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magical Bahia, July 25, 2000

By 

Alex (Italy) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The War of the Saints (Paperback)

If you don't know Bahia yet, the delicious food of Salvador, the magic of the african Saints, the sensual beauty of brazilian women, the songs of Caetano Veloso, the powerful capoeira and the burning taste of the cachaça this book is for you. Then, if you want to discover one of the grandmaster of the latin american literature, the funniest and sexiest, run to buy this true masterpiece now. Probably the only book I have read twice. Magical and absolutely not to be missed.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Rich Pageant of Love, Joy and Belief!, June 2, 2003

By 

Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 110,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The War of the Saints (Paperback)

Jorge Amado is one of the very finest novelists from Brazil. He combines a rich love for people with a sympathetic view of their life complications. Mix in a little humor, and a tragedy becomes comedy . . . yet the serious commentary remains. His amazing imagination makes the mystical seem as real as what you are holding in your hand. It's almost as though you've entered an alien world, yet on the surface it seems familiar. I'm always reminded on Alice in Wonderland when I read one of his novels.

In this story, the statue of Saint Barbara of the Thunder, a highest esteemed icon is on its way for a special exhibition in Bahia. Upon arriving in that fair city, the statue vanishes and the fun begins! Saint Barbara has come to life and begins to travel all over Bahia. Those who appreciate religious belief will enjoy the fun as people are unable to grasp this miracle.

At the same time, there's another story thread. Young Manela wants to enjoy a festival whose roots are of the spiritualist sort. Fearing for her soul, her aunt Adalgisa seeks to avoid this. At the same time, Manela is drawn to a handsome young man whom Adalgisa sees at inappropriate. Will the path of true love prevail? This story thread is used by Mr. Amado to explore the nature of what it is to do good.

The two story lines eventually merge in one powerful river of satire, irony and good humor. When the heavens collide, can mere mortals hold their ground? Probably not. As in Shakespeare's storms, the turmoil in nature and in the heavens eventually affects the people in all sorts of unexpected ways. You cannot escape it. You also cannot escape the good fun and magical quality of this very funny book.

Be sure to refer to the book's glossary to understand the non-English words in the text. That will expand your appreciation of the book.

After you finish, think about where your religious beliefs may sometimes cause you to be intolerant rather than being open to all of God's gifts and children. How can you open your heart and mind?