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Blindness

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Blindness

By: José Saramago
Narrated by: Jonathan Davis
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About this listen

A city is hit by a sudden and strange epidemic of "white blindness", which spares no one. Authorities confine the blind to an empty mental hospital, but there social conventions quickly crumble and the struggle for survival brings out the worst in people.

There is one eyewitness to this nightmare who guides seven strangers -among them a boy with no mother, a girl with dark glasses, a dog of tears - out of their prison and through the barren streets, and the procession becomes as uncanny as the surroundings are harrowing.

A magnificent parable of loss and disorientation and a vivid evocation of the horrors of the 20th century, by Nobel Prize-winning author Jose Saramago, Blindness has swept the masses with its powerful portrayal of man's worst appetites and weaknesses - and man's ultimately exhilarating spirit.

English translation by Juan Sager.

©1997 Juan Sager (English translation); 1995 Jose Saramago and Editorial Caminho (P)2008 BBC Audiobooks America Crime Fiction Dystopian Fiction Genre Fiction Horror Literary Fiction Medical Psychological Science Fiction Thriller & Suspense Scary Exciting Crime Heartfelt

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All stars
Most relevant  

What made the experience of listening to Blindness the most enjoyable?

A harrowing book but well worth the ride.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Blindness?

The ending. I stopped what I was doing and put everything on hold until the final words had been spoken.

Which character – as performed by Jonathan Davis – was your favourite?

Jonathan Davis' narration was phenomenal. This is a man who was born to read books aloud. The way he takes on every single character - with such care and consideration - is amazing.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When the doctor's wife gets bloody revenge on the brute who has abused her, on behalf of all the women, was particularly satisfying.

Any additional comments?

Some people have found this book hard to read due to the lack of punctuation. This being an audiobook removes that obstacle. The narrator makes it accessible and engaging. Great book, great narration.

Superb book and flawless narration

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This is an interesting story, it makes you wonder what would really happen if people suddenly went blind, reminded me of the traffid books.

Good story

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Great book to provoke a discussion. I really wanted to keep discussing this with friends and family.

Discussion

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It is an intriguing book, but I was disappointed with the ending. I feel left “hanging in the air”

Intriguing

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This is a brilliant and dark book with absolutely fantastic narration. If you like Camus or JG Ballard, this’ll probably be up your street 👌🏽

Amazing narration

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Parts of the story is quite good but could have been half the length. The narrator drones on and on, so boring

Far too much dialogue

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Thoroughly enjoyed this book. The plot was excellent and the descriptions thorough. The narrator did a wonderful job and presumably the translator too.

A good story, beautifully told

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Absolutely loved this title. What an incredible tale that takes you on a real rollercoaster. A tale on the good side and animalistic side to Human nature.

Brilliant

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It was an OK story, being bought up by a blind father I feel I am quite knowledgeable about this disability. This is just a story and for that it held my attention, just . Close your eyes, shut off you senses and don't try and apply logic or reality to this, and it's mildly entertaining. I generally listen to my audio books more than once, that won't be the case with this one.

Easier to follow than a guide dog

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This was a really engaging story superbly read. Not always an easy listen by any means, as Saramago doesn’t hold back on the grimness and barbarism of this world plunged into toil by an epidemic of blindness. The narrative is compelling and the characters’ journey is interesting and frequently thought-provoking.

Compelling, sometimes dark, often thought-provoking

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