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sidharthvardhan's review against another edition
5.0
“I speak with twisted words. I narrate my life, which I did not understand. You are a very clever man, of learning and good sense. But don't get impatient, don't expect rain during the month of August. I'll soon tell you, I'm coming to the subject that you are waiting for. Did the Evil One exist ?"
Okay, first things first, if nothing in this review makes you want to read it than remember that this work has been called ‘Ulysses of Portuguese Literature’ (not at all as challenging as Ulyssess is perceived to be) – and is the standard against which all the Brazilian works are compared.
Translation
It is probably most rarely read title on ‘World Library List’. The reason why this book is not read more in English world is because the English translation has been considered faulty – from what Brazilians over net have to say, that is only putting things very lightly. A big part of greatness of the original work was – the lyrical prose, the usage of culturally loaded words, stuff like that which is lost in translation. It is supposed to be really, really hard to translate(Can you imagine reading Ulysses in translation?) The author knew it was bound to happen and was willing to compromise anyway – there is so far more in it beyond prose. Still he wasn’t satisfied with resulting English translation.
And so English translation is no longer in publication. I had to read it anyway – it has devil in its title. What I read was a copy I found online – and whether or not translation was faulty, I really, really liked it.
Title
“The original title refers to the Veredas - small paths through wetlands usually located at higher altitudes characterized by the presence of grasses and’ other natural vegetation, ‘that criss-cross the Sertão region in northern Minas Gerais as a labyrinthine net where an outsider can easily get lost, and where there is no single way to a certain place, since all paths interconnect in such a way that any road can lead anywhere.” – Long live Wikipedia! (Reading story gives that Veredas like feeling in which every event is seen from various interconnected perspectives.) Grand Serta (Great Becklands) is a region of Brazil.
That explains original title – Grande Sertao: Veredas (Great Becklands: Paths). As to English title, it refers to an event – a pact with Devil, which may or may not have happened in latter half of book. The narrator is not sure.
Narrator
"These things all happened later. I have got ahead of myself in my story. You will please excuse this bad habit of mine. It is ignorance. I hardly ever get to talk with anyone from the outside. I don't know how to tell things straight. I learned a little with my compadre Quelemem; but he wants to hear about the facts in the case, the inner meanings, the undertones. Now, on this day of ours together, with you listening to me so attentively, I am beginning to learn to tell things straight."
The book is basically a first person narrator Riobaldo, telling – orally telling the story of his life in a long, really long, really really long monologue, At least in English translation, there are no divisions into chapters of what-so-ever kind. There is forever a sense of urgency, tension and doubt coming out of his words throughout the book. Is this excitement of fear or guilt?
Is he unreliable? From very beginning you will realize, he is trying to solve a puzzle so far engraved in his life that it won’t let him live peacefully unless it was solved. At least he is trying to tell the truth. That being said story is told up in highly jumbled broken pieces at least in the first half of the book.
Also, there is at least one lie, a big one, that he maintains throughout before revealing the truth in the end. This big there-is-no-way-you-could-have-guessed-it kind of revelation turns the story over its head for n th time. It was important for him to maintain the lie so that you listen could see the things from his perspective (he himself didn’t discover the truth until the end). I’m going to maintain that lie myself. So there you have it – this time I have an excuse to lie in my review.
"I believe all my own lies."
Listener
“You can laugh, sir : your laughter shows wisdom. I know. But I want you to think my crazy words over."
If it is a monologue, who is the listener than? Search me. There are some clues thrown throughout, especially towards the end, but neither Riobaldo nor me are sure. Could it be Devil? Could it be? R hints suspicions to the effect in the very beginning. He has, he says, come from the city – alright, may be officer of some kind? And why is he such a patient listener? Why won’t he interrupt? Ask questions? Does he know psychotherapists get paid for that kind of thing?
Occasionally he laughs as our narrator notices or thinks aloud as once again our narrator notices. Sometimes Riobaldo will ask his listener a yes-or-no question which he seems to answer with a nod or a shake of head. Riobaldo’s monologue continues with phrases like ‘so you think so too’ after such questions – you never really hear from listener, except may be (it is a very confusing book) a single sentence towards the end which provides yet another perspective to the whole thing.
Devil
“The worst things cannot be kept out by closing doors."
As you see, Devil gets a lot of mention in the story. Whatever the puzzle R. is trying to solve, the question is dear to him. He is constantly breaking the already otherwise broken threads of his story to tell the unrealated stories of exorcisms and deals with Devil,black-magic etc. we can easily see that it is foreshadowing a later event in the story. So is there a deal with Devil? Does Devil shows up in the story? If yes why is R. not sure about his existence when he is narrating the story? A deal with Devil (for English title may suggest so much) presupposes existence of Devil – or does it?
Somehow these questions are very important to R and his understanding of his life. Often he uses weird logic – to reach conclusion that Devil doesn’t exist but you get the idea, that it is more an effort to reconcile himself out of some fear or guilt. And he doesn’t seem to hold much belief in those non-sequiturs, if he had his mind at rest with his logic – he wouldn’t keep returning to the subject repeatedly.
Another thing really worrying for a Devil enthusiast that the novel is so much grounded into reality that a fantastic element like Devil seems out of place. Still try to think from POV of a religious, superstitious, largely uneducated person. Aren’t things like gods, demons etc more real to them? R believes in all the fantastic stories on the subject told to him. So is it imagination?
This review is full of questions because the suspense within the novel is, IMO, a crucial part of its charm. Every new event, ever false alarm, brings a new way to seeing the things. Anyway aren’t we all confused about our lives, why expect R to have any more answers than we have?
Bandits
"So, it would seem that those over there-the Judases -were not all mad dogs but some, like ourselves, were merely jagunas working at their trade. Looking at it in another way : were we now, to avenge the killing of Joca Ramiro, terrible as it was, going to spend our whole time in wars and more wars, dying, killing, five, six, ten at a time, all the bravest men in the sertao?"
R. when he is telling the story has retired, but he was Jagunco. A jagunco was a person hired by rich and powerful – as bodyguard or to kill people. The term later referred to bandits as well. R is more or less a bandit. Gang wars? Well, there are gang wars – but R. isn’t graphic about details. He is more focused on his thoughts.
Also R. and his fellow bandits are not as hard-hearted people as their profession suggests. R. in particular, though a very good shooter, has lots of soft spots in his heart – and is in his fashion, very averse to violence. Still he kills people, so what is evil?
He wants to be a Jagunco but struggles in affirming to the philosophy of being one.
Anyway, while we are on the subject, I can validate the truth of following from personal experience:
“It is hard, sometimes, to be always evil; it takes practice in villainy, experience”
Much of the book is about R. telling us things like that - how great his fellow bandits are, that you surely can’t strike deal with Devil since he don’t exist, since Devil has proved he doesn’t exist (make out what you will), how silly violence is, how beautiful were the women he slept with, his many reflections on nature of love and above them all Diadorium. Diadorium! How could I come this far without talking about Diadorium?
Diadorium
“ The months and the years went by. But Diadorim took me with him, wherever he wished to go. I am sure that Diadorim could tell when I was thinking about Otacilia-he divined it and suffered.”
Although R. tells things in no particular order - if you look at chronologically first event he describes, it is about his meeting as a boy with another boy. He later meet Diadorium again as a fellow Jagunco and from there-on till the end of book, they are more or less togather.
In very beginning of his long confession, we see R.’s reluctance to admit his love for Diadorium. As the story progresses, he becomes more obvious – either he seems to trust his listener more or it is just ever-growing-desire to make a complete confession.
He is prejudiced against homosexual love. R. sleeps with a lot of women in the novel. Diadorium, whom you can almost call his tail, too seems to return his love – at least by R’s account, although it is unrequited on both sides through out.
So is it this the ‘evil’ that he thinks was the deal with Devil? May be but from very first, R. is quick to clarify that nothing ‘unethical’ ever happened between them – yet there are a number of moments they seem to come close.
That said, there is a lot of tension between two. There are sort of lovers’ quarrels. Diodorium is obviously jealous when R tells him about his plans of retiring and starting a family or sleeps with women. R on his part is jealous when he discovers that Diodorium had another equally close best (male) friend like R in past. And that ending, oh! That ending! If only I could talk about it.
"There was a moment when I wavered. Was it on that occasion? Or some other? It was once ; I remember. My body longed for Diadorim. I put out my hand to touch him; but as I was about to do so, he looked at me-his eyes stopped me. Diadorim, grave, head held high. I felt a chill. Only his eyes denied me. Did I know what was happening to me? My body longed for his body. Terribly. Gloom surrounded us, as when a downpour threatens. I could bury my head in my arms , and stay that way, like a fool, without coming to any decision. What was it I wanted? I didn't want what was hanging over us, so I fetched an idea from afar. I spoke as in a dream : "Diadorim, haven't you, don't you have a sister, Diadorim ?"
papelgren's review against another edition
4.0
A difficult book to find in the US nowadays. It was worth finding at the LA Library for sure. We follow a jagunco on many misadventures; Rioboldo takes us through the Brazilian sertao with his friend Diadorim. I was left breathless by the end. The last 10 pages made the book worth the effort. I don't want to say too much lest I spoil it for any future readers.
uhambe_nami's review against another edition
5.0
Grande Sertão is the story of Riobaldo, a jagunço, one of the many warriors that roamed the great plains of northeastern Brazil during the 19th and 20th century, dispersing justice where the government had no eyes or power. Wandering across the sertão with other jagunços, Riobaldo lived without a home, without relatives, without any clear direction, doubting God and the devil, doubting everything. There was only one thing he really cared for: his friendship with Diadorim, his fellow jagunço, his companion.
Riobaldo tells his story in one long monologue to an unnamed listener, and not in chronological order. Reading it requires patience and concentration, but what a story it is. Grande Sertão captures perfectly the wildness of the Brazilian Nordeste, the vastness of it, and the courage of its people. With this novel, Guimarães Rosa gave us a masterpiece.
Riobaldo tells his story in one long monologue to an unnamed listener, and not in chronological order. Reading it requires patience and concentration, but what a story it is. Grande Sertão captures perfectly the wildness of the Brazilian Nordeste, the vastness of it, and the courage of its people. With this novel, Guimarães Rosa gave us a masterpiece.
helvinho's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Difícil escrever qualquer coisa sobre Grande Sertão: Veredas. Épico na definição da palavra, com certeza uma das grandes experiências literárias que já tive e terei na vida. Ler Guimarães Rosa também é pensar sobre o exercício de ler, a fusão entre poesia e prosa e o uso do linguajar sertanejo ao mesmo tempo te tirando da zona de conforto e te dando um afago. Eu não sei o quanto eu tô entendendo do que eu tô lendo, não tenho certeza do que acabou de acontecer, preciso aceitar que não tenho total controle sobre essa narrativa e seguir a travessia. De longe o que mais gostei é o amor de Riobaldo por Diadorim. Todos os meus trechos favoritos são as suas muitas declarações de paixão, minha edição da Companhia das Letras tá toda sublinhada e rabiscada. Vou transcrever aqui um do comecinho dele todo besta, arriado. Coisa mais linda.
De um acêso, de mim eu sabia: o que cumpunha minha opinião era que eu, às loucas, gostasse de Diadorim, e também, recesso dum modo, a raiva incerta, por ponto de não ser possível dele gostar como queria, no honrado e no final. Ouvido meu retorcia a voz dele. Que mesmo, no fim de tanta exaltação, meu amor inchou, de empapar todas as folhagens, e eu ambicionando de pegar em Diadorim, carregar Diadorim nos braços, beijar, as muitas demais vezes, sempre.
jessianekelly_'s review
5.0
Em novembro de 2017 comecei a ler esse livro e, desde então, levei ele a muitos lugares. Virou meu companheiro de caminhos, tanto que me peguei sentindo falta dele quando viajei a última vez de ônibus. Parece que associei o livro com a paisagem e com o ato de estar caminhando. A leitura é bem difícil e a não marcação por parágrafos ou por capítulos dá um tom de realidade da fala de uma pessoa. Fiquei imaginando o personagem falando numa sessão de análise atemporal. Isso me ajudou muito na minha “lentidão” na leitura. Me senti a vontade de retornar a leitura sem ter lido por meses, por exemplo. Mas como diria Rosa, “o sertão é uma espera enorme” Eu esperei esse tempo e chegou em 2019, no finalzinho. Em uma situação muito similar ao final de 2017, mas tudo diferente. Isso só mostra o quanto eu acho que ano ímpares tem algo de parecido, ou isso só diria de fechamento de ciclos que esse livro teve a sorte de acompanhar. Ou eu que tive a sorte de acompanhar essa história. Uma grande conquista de 2019, de fato.
“Existe é homem humano. Travessia.”
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Seguda resenha- 2021
Reli a obra e dessa vez com companhia. Ler em grupo ajudou bastante e me fez ler em quatro meses um livro que, sozinha, demorei dois anos pra ler. Muitas partes se iluminaram e se fizeram entendíveis nessa segunda leitura, mas ainda persiste a dissociação diante do texto. Acho que é algo comum, só continuo. Tentei pesquisar mais as palavras que eu não entendia e isso só se transformou numa barreira muito grande para a fluidez da leitura. Tentei ler em voz alta quando me desconcentrava, isso ajudou também. No mais, foi muito bom reler. Considero essa uma das obras mais importantes da literatura brasileira e mais desafiadoras. Recomendo sempre!
“Existe é homem humano. Travessia.”
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Seguda resenha- 2021
Reli a obra e dessa vez com companhia. Ler em grupo ajudou bastante e me fez ler em quatro meses um livro que, sozinha, demorei dois anos pra ler. Muitas partes se iluminaram e se fizeram entendíveis nessa segunda leitura, mas ainda persiste a dissociação diante do texto. Acho que é algo comum, só continuo. Tentei pesquisar mais as palavras que eu não entendia e isso só se transformou numa barreira muito grande para a fluidez da leitura. Tentei ler em voz alta quando me desconcentrava, isso ajudou também. No mais, foi muito bom reler. Considero essa uma das obras mais importantes da literatura brasileira e mais desafiadoras. Recomendo sempre!
leticiaayumik's review against another edition
5.0
Ler Grande Sertão: Veredas foi uma espécie de experiência de vida. É isto: vivi. E viver é muito perigoso, carece de ter coragem - os leitmotivs que transcendem as páginas, pois, se pararmos para pensar, conduzem a vida de todos nós. Grande Sertão: Veredas demanda essa coragem não só por ser um livro de quase 600 páginas, com uma linguagem singular (pra dizer o mínimo kk), mas, dentre outras somas, por contar num único e extenso monólogo o épico sertanejo que ecoa a jornada, cheia dos sentimentos humanos mais diversos, do jagunço Riobaldo. Jornada essa metafísica, mágica e enfeitiçada pelos mistérios do Sertão-Além - pactos com o maniqueísmo que há em nós -, que é lambuzada do suor, carnal e espiritual, de amor por Diadorim: a neblina.
Eu poderia falar um milhão de coisas sobre o nosso "Fausto brasileiro". Contudo, não arrisco. Acho que não sei explicar o pacto que fiz com a narrativa. E talvez seja essa uma das grandes magias, porque agora meio que me resta fazer o mesmo que Riobaldo: esperar um ouvinte que acolha minha jornada, só para que eu mesma possa entender o porquê dos encontros arrebatadores que tive com essa estória tão díspar (acho eu) da minha.
No fim das contas, agradeço pelo estardalhaço que Grande Sertão fez na minha humilde vereda (kkkkkk q besta), sendo a minha única reclamação o dinheiro que vou ter que gastar com terapia pós-livro.
Eu poderia falar um milhão de coisas sobre o nosso "Fausto brasileiro". Contudo, não arrisco. Acho que não sei explicar o pacto que fiz com a narrativa. E talvez seja essa uma das grandes magias, porque agora meio que me resta fazer o mesmo que Riobaldo: esperar um ouvinte que acolha minha jornada, só para que eu mesma possa entender o porquê dos encontros arrebatadores que tive com essa estória tão díspar (acho eu) da minha.
No fim das contas, agradeço pelo estardalhaço que Grande Sertão fez na minha humilde vereda (kkkkkk q besta), sendo a minha única reclamação o dinheiro que vou ter que gastar com terapia pós-livro.