Rating: 
Summary: Another Masterpiece from on of our greatest modern authors
Review: It is good to see that Jose Saramago is not willing to rest on his laurels after winning the Nobel Prize. This book is a beautiful and intricately written as Blindness and All the Names. As one who has read all of his books, I am astonised by his writing power. The key to savoring Saramago is to read very slowly, savoring every word and idea that appears.
This novel like All the Names addresses the challenge modern man has in connecting to other human beings in a world that is becoming increasingly homogenized,the confict between city and country, and the role of women and poor in the world.
The heart of this novel is one Cipriano Algor, a potter who loses an exclusive conract with the Center. The Center is Saramago's symbol for the globalized economy as in exist today. An economy that has widenened the gulf between the rich and the poor, and where one day can bring someone from subsitence to homelessness.
But Saramago does more than attack globalization. He creates vivid, living characters who struggle with age, who experience the ecstatic joy of creating ceramic figurines, who argue and make up, who are human and wholly believable.
Rating:
Summary: A Powerful Allegory From A Literary Master
Review: It took me a long time to write this review, simply because it took a while to absorb the multitude of themes which Saramago explores in this book. Even now, I'm not sure I completely understand everything that he was trying to say. However, those statements that I do comprehend are made in a way that is both powerful and provocative.On the surface, The Cave appears to be the simple story of a potter, Cipriano Algor, trying to sell his wares. Yet, that simple plot actually masks a challenging statement on the destruction that capitalist economies can impart on the lifestyles and the lives of individuals. Saramago makes it clear that the primary outlet for Algor's product is The Center, an ultra-modern shopping mall which serves as the metaphor for unbridled capitalism. When The Center ceases purchasing Algor's product, he struggles to create another product which The Center will purchase, thus maintaining both his livelihood and his life. In showing Algor's struggles, Saramago makes an argument that a focus on excessive profitability and economies of scale creates conditions which can lead to the destruction of lives, and also restrict choice to a point that is rivaled only by a totalitarian state. Behind all of the statements concerning capitalism lies the specter of Plato's Cave. While I won't rehash the allegory, I will point out that Saramago's prominent use of it drives home his point that much of modern life is an illusion. Thus, to build a life around that illusion would only bring discontentment and destruction to anyone who attempted it. There is little doubt that Saramago is trying to send a "wake up" message to his readers to abandon the materialism and greed which typify the modern capitalist society. I could also write about the other prominent themes, like the rejuvenating power of love, the mystery of creating life, and the anchoring aspect of family. But, I'm afraid I'd go well beyond Amazon's word limit for reviews. Suffice to say, The Cave is a demanding, complex work that discusses many relevant issues in a manner that challenges the reader's assumptions. This is not a book that is easily read and absorbed. However, those that dedicate the time to reading it will find a reward that is more than equal to the effort. Saramago deserves tremendous praise for composing a work as audacious and timely as The Cave.
Rating:
Summary: A Contemporary Journey to Plato's Cave and Back
Review: Jose Saramago is a demanding, difficult, and immensely rewarding writer. He seems to have endless access to metaphors for the human condition in the time in which he writes. While his stories are not complex in surface content - these are tales that are about people coping with life as it is in this time - they are told with a technique that requires much concentration from the reader. He refuses to use quotation marks or even sentence breaks, creating extended pages of dialogue that become frustratingly confusing to the rapid scanner/reader. Exploring Saramago requires time, thought, and introspection to appreciate the journey on which he takes us. THE CAVE adresses the homogenization of life globally as current technology strips the world of the individual's creativity, family unit, concept of homeland, conventional marriage and relationships, and poetry of the unique. In place of these we have Centers (terrifyingly close to our myriad Shopping Malls across the world that all house the same stores selling the same goods to the brainwashed public) and a seemingly dark landscape of untended remnants of what we once knew as civilization and history. Sound familiar? Well that is where Saramago places his novels, in that Kafkaesque netherland which appears to be daily encroaching our planet. Yet his characters are drawn with such tenderness ( a craftsman potter, his daughter and her husband, a wandering dog they name Found, and a sweet widow who shares the simplicity of courting and tenderness with the potter)that belief in love and values are in safe hands. The gradual dissolution of the potter's craft of making things unique, from the land, bludgeoned by the Practical Preference for Plastic, and the accompanying move from the beauty of the country home by the kiln and Mulberry tree to the sterility of the police state Center and the devastating effect this has on this simple family unity is basically the story here. But it is the gripping surprise at the end of this novel -the epiphany of Plato - that makes reading this book so rewarding. Saramago is a brilliant thinker and craftsman but he is definitely not for the casual reader of simple fiction. This is a combination of philosphy and literature that demands much from the reader. The rewards, however, far outweigh the time-consuming work!
Rating:
Summary: Books Worth Reading Again and Again
Review: Jose Saramago is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I consider his novel Blindness to be one of the best novels I've read in the past five years. The Cave only continues the growth of my respect for him. I often find when I read one of Saramago's novels that I am reminded of other authors I enjoy. Blindness reminds me of The Plague by Camus and The Cave reminds me of The Castle by Kafka. I don't know if this is Saramago's intention. Perhaps I am reading too much into things. But Saramago is not writing lesser version of old stories. He always has a unique take and, if anything, his stories are more accessible. In The Cave there are two key locations--the village where the main character, Cipriano Algor, works in his traditional pottery, and The Center. The Center is an ultra-modern complex of living and shopping whose residents never need to leave. Even though most of the action takes place at the village, it is The Center that is the focus of the majority of attention. It dominates the landscape both literally and figuratively. Cipriano sells his wares there and has no control over if and what the bureaucrats of The Center will buy. When his dishes are no longer wanted, he tries to sell ceramic dolls. When these are not a success, he moves to The Center with his daughter and son-in-law but, after an eerie discovery, they leave The Center forever. And yet, Saramago is not creating an allegory of traditional vs. modern. He is telling the story of people. In his unique style of long paragraphs with little punctuation, he creates a number of very vivid characters--not only Cipriano but also his daughter, Marta; son-in-law, Marcal; and the widow, Isaura. Even the dog, Found, is a brilliant creation with a will of his own. Admittedly, I don't believe I have plumbed the depths of this novel. The meaning of the discovery at The Center that inspires them to run away is a bit of a mystery to me. But I like a story that leaves me something to chew on. This is a novel I will come back to and read again. Saramago is that rare author who writes books worth re-reading.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing Allegorical Tale
Review: Jose Saramago is, quite possibly, the best living author. It is strange that I have such a varying reaction to his books: some I find fascinating ("The Cave", "Blindness") and others I find long-winded and difficult ("All the Names"). As with most authors, this can usually be attributed to the characterizations found in the books. Saramago's style remains the same - long sentences with tons of commas. It's endearing when it's working. I feel no need to summarize the plot, for you can read that summary directly above. And I do not wish to wreck the ending by revealing what this allegory addresses (it directly links to a very old allegory by a very well-known and respected philosopher). What I will say is that this book is simply priceless. I cannot understand the opinion of the reviewer who gave it three stars - attempting to find fault with the factual nature of the story is silly. I suggest that reader seek out a different author. Saramago is one of the last masters of the fable. Try reading his "The Tale of the Unknown Island", or "Blindness". He is not concerned with sci-fi or alternate-future reality; he is concerned with giving us strong characterizations, internal monologues, and dialogues which lead to a conclusion he wishes us to see. It is a waste of time to discuss whether or not "El Centro" is an accurate depiction of a monolithic shopping center. It is the foil on which the tale is built. Stories must at times be melodramatic to make a point. Certainly "El Centro" is a bit fanciful, but it is also hauntingly familiar. This is the fastest I've ever read a book by Saramago, and I enjoyed every second of it. Cipriano Algor is a strong character (as is his dog Found) who will remain with me. I heartily recommend the book to anyone who enjoys a good anti-unification tale. Unification provides comfort and security ... but at what cost?
Rating:
Summary: Amazing Allegorical Tale
Review: Jose Saramago is, quite possibly, the best living author. It is strange that I have such a varying reaction to his books: some I find fascinating ("The Cave", "Blindness") and others I find long-winded and difficult ("All the Names"). As with most authors, this can usually be attributed to the characterizations found in the books. Saramago's style remains the same - long sentences with tons of commas. It's endearing when it's working. I feel no need to summarize the plot, for you can read that summary directly above. And I do not wish to wreck the ending by revealing what this allegory addresses (it directly links to a very old allegory by a very well-known and respected philosopher). What I will say is that this book is simply priceless. I cannot understand the opinion of the reviewer who gave it three stars - attempting to find fault with the factual nature of the story is silly. I suggest that reader seek out a different author. Saramago is one of the last masters of the fable. Try reading his "The Tale of the Unknown Island", or "Blindness". He is not concerned with sci-fi or alternate-future reality; he is concerned with giving us strong characterizations, internal monologues, and dialogues which lead to a conclusion he wishes us to see. It is a waste of time to discuss whether or not "El Centro" is an accurate depiction of a monolithic shopping center. It is the foil on which the tale is built. Stories must at times be melodramatic to make a point. Certainly "El Centro" is a bit fanciful, but it is also hauntingly familiar. This is the fastest I've ever read a book by Saramago, and I enjoyed every second of it. Cipriano Algor is a strong character (as is his dog Found) who will remain with me. I heartily recommend the book to anyone who enjoys a good anti-unification tale. Unification provides comfort and security ... but at what cost?
Rating:
Summary: Feed your head
Review: Literature should connect the individual to the greater society. We each have our own inner world where we try to name feelings, and things that happen to us, or to defend ourselves against it all. Unlike watching the news etc., applying your intelligence to one of this authors' books will inform you and , in the words of Stevie Wonder, speak of inner-presevation. If you enjoy the pleasure and freedom of reading into events and making your own connections, read "The Cave".
Rating: 
Summary: Solid, but not Brilliant
Review: Nobel Prize meets The Matrix in Saramago's parable of modern capitalism, which urges the reader to reject the materialist worldview increasingly embraced around the world and forge their own path. The only other book of his I've read is Blindness (which is an outstanding work), and this novel shares that one's setting of an unnamed country in the near future. Outside an unnamed city, an old man makes pottery, which he brings into town to tell at "The Center"óa kind of megalith mall which is slowly enveloping the city around it. A combination Walmart and Mall of the Americas, The Center sells everything one needs (one of their creepy slogans is "We Have What You Need, But We Prefer You Need What We Have), and houses apartments, amusements, and everything one needs to enjoy life, including simulated snow storms. Almost everyone aspires to live in the Center, so as to be closer to all these attract/distractions. The framework of the sparse story is that The Center cancels their standing order with the potter, forcing him to confront his dying trade. Without any other market to sell to, he and his daughter try to convince The Center to buy ceramic dolls instead. When they agree and order 1,200 dolls, the duo must race to mass produce this new item in their old-fashioned workshop. An additional tension is added by the daughter's husband, who wants them all to move to The Center, where he works as a security guard. Other subplots include the appearance of a stray dog and a local widow's interest in the potter. The story is a something restrained critique of consumerist culture, with sharp digs and jabs here and there, and an overarching reference to Plato's Cave (if you don't know what that is, you'll want to read up on it online), but Saramago seems somewhat more interested in the small family and how they interact. It's a warm portrait of a group of people struggling to keep their heads above water in a mildly dystopian future. Especially endearing are the passages written from the dog's perspective. The satire of The Center is pretty straightforward, with its control of what gets bought and sold, creepily cheery slogans, and officials who are masters of doublespeak (one line from a buyer goes something like "There is no secret of the bee, but we know what it is."). What is somewhat interesting (as Saramago is well known Communist) is that the same satirical points can (and have) been made against planned economies such as that of the former Soviet Union. The ending is appropriately ambiguous, leaving open the question as to whether or not there is any future in such a world. It should be noted that the writing style is very distinctive, with little punctuation, no quote marks to delineate speech versus thought, no breaks to indicate who the speaker is, and paragraphs that run for pages and pages. You're either going to love it or hate it in that it'll either make for labored reading or complete immersion reading (our book group split right down the middle on this). Altogether, it's a solid bit of craft, it's not as brilliant as Blindness.
Rating: 
Summary: where's the story?
Review: perhaps i just hate allegories. perhaps saramago's getting old and senile and can no longer create the kind of masterpieces we all expect from him. there is virtually no narrative here to speak of. saramago spends most of the novel going into the minutiae of clay making. he also dissects every thought and feeling expressed by the characters, leaving the reader restless and starving for action. but it never comes. the allegory of the cave is quite predictable, and the overall message is nothing groundbreaking, nothing you couldn't find in any other contemporary publications. honestly, after i finished the book, i felt cheated. i think this novel could have worked better as an essay. as a novel, the cave drags its feet. after slogging through saramago's torturous descriptions of anything and everything, all we are left with are some commonplace banalities that were already self-evident to anyone who is familiar with capitalism and consumer culture.
Rating:
Summary: Excelente!
Review: Se você aprecia a boa literatura, recomendo este Saramago. Toda a genialidade do autor está presente nesta obra prima.
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