bello, delicato, crudo e quasi romantico

Teresa Batista ansiava por um amor a tranquilidade. A vida deu-lhe violência, maus tratos e exploração e mesmo assim ela era alegre tendo mesmo conseguindo amar e ser amada.

This epic work from Brazilian author Jorge Amado tells the story of Tereza Batista, a beautiful woman with flashes of lightning in her eyes, and an aura about her. She’s the defender of the downtrodden, maintaining personal integrity and quiet determination despite a horrifying upbringing, and despite love that comes and goes, bringing her heartache.

Amado tells the first few segments of Tereza’s life out of sequence, which I found enhances the story. He also creates one of literature’s most evil villains in Justiniano Duarte de Rosa, who makes a game of enslaving and raping young girls, Tereza included. The novel is memorable because of it. Tereza goes through other relationships, including being an older man’s mistress, becomes a prostitute and a nightclub dancer, and heroically nurses smallpox victims while others flee. It’s a novel that’s full of life, with manly men, sexy women, good and evil, scenes which sizzle, and touches of voodoo spirits besides.

The novel falls apart in the last section when the prostitutes, at Tereza’s urging, go on strike. It’s highly repetitive, poorly constructed, and in need of editing, almost as if the last 140 pages of this 555 page epic didn’t get as much attention as what came before them.

I also wonder, what would a woman think of this book? For while Amado doesn’t glamorize prostitution, he certainly doesn’t describe its horrors, and it seems acceptable that the heroine takes this life when necessary. Also, while Tereza is a strong, courageous woman, the roles that men and women play here are pretty traditional.

Tereza is meant to symbolize the spirit and determination of Brazilians, who overcome adversity, show empathy for the poor and sick, maintain their love of life and their passion, and never stop dreaming. In this he’s successful, and I liked reading this book. ( )

Impavida, tenace, vittima e combattiva: tutto questo è Teresa. Ancora bambina viene venduta ad un maniaco che ne fa la sua schiava, quindi diventa l'amante di un anziano fazendeiro per poi, alla sua morte, seguire un giovane medico che lavora in un paesetto. Altre avventure attendono Teresa, tra gente corrotta, rivolte, prostitute e cabaret e spesso si sente stanca, stanca di questa vita che è come una guerra da combattere. Una saga dal sapore popolare narrata da un Amado cantastorie con un'eroina un po' santa e un po' guerrigliera. ( )

Tanti colori e nomi sconosciuti, tanti frutti mai sentiti prima, ma anche tante pagine, troppe.
La storia è bella ed il mondo di Amado rende bene il sincretismo religioso afrobrasiliano, ma molte pagine di troppo e il finale scontatissimo mi hanno fatto pensare più d'una volta ad un libro Harmony, pronto a colpirmi lì dietro l'angolo d'ogni pagina. ( )