Filtered Visions

This is definitely a hard book to pick up (even if you can get hold of it from the bookshop), I had difficulties gaining the energy to read it as it's not a particularly appealing subject matter; in fact, after hearing the synopsis I really didn't want to read it at all. However I pushed through that feeling as I wanted to join in with a reading circle, and I have been pleasantly surprised!


The book is a contemporary tale of a plague of blindness that affects the population and the chaos that ensues. The story predominantly follows an eye doctor and his wife as they are affected and put into quarantine by a panicking Government trying to control the outbreak. The novel is not for the faint of heart, it is a difficult book to read as there are many quite horrific scenes, however, it is incredibly unusual and ultimately rewarding.

It is such an interesting and very different book to anything I have ever read. The whole way in which it is constructed, the writing style, the lack of real visual descriptives (on the most part) and the lack of grammar really do leave you feeling a bit sensory deprived yourself. Which is a really unusual thing to feel whilst reading, and I imagine it must have been very difficult to write (or else Saramago is a very clever man!). I did find myself looking up from the book, testing my vision from time to time, which is just bizarre! Even when I think about the book now, I don't have any real sense of visuals (I normally can picture scenes and characters after reading) but not with this one, it's all a bit fuzzy around the edges! The unusual writing style does make the book somehow even more compelling; a lack of grammar makes you concentrate more on who is speaking (which you would if you could not see). Also, the neglect of character names and lack of visual descriptions all add to the feeling disorientation and deprivation that the characters feel.

It is not a traditionally scary book; the writer's style seems to be quite matter of fact, purely just explaining what's going on, so the reader is spared of the tense build up leading to horrible events, however the subject matter is scary enough in itself!

I did feel very much close to the action, like I was peering in through windows or listening in to conversations. I guess that's the magic of Saramago’s writing, subtly bringing me in without me even noticing. All in all, it was a very enjoyable read (sometimes hard going because of the harshness of the realities of life), but well worth it as it is such an interesting and unusual book. It really was something like I've never read before; I think that's really what made it so good! Blindness is very grim indeed, but at the end, I found it quite uplifting somehow, that the people had to go on this journey in order to gain understanding and greater appreciate what they have. It was a true test of survival, strength and survival instinct. It showed how people can adapt and that everything that was once important (cars, homes, family, material possessions) were taken out of the equation and replaced with new values; it shows the real strength of the human spirit.

--------------please be warned of spoilers below--------------------------------------------

- more of a discussion than a review to follow -

The story really was about the doctors wife for me. The doctor and the other characters really were very much secondary to the story. I really feel like I have missed something though. Why was the doctors wife spared? Is there a greater reason behind the blindness? I feel like everyone else went blind as they were thinking of themselves (i.e. looking in the mirror thinking 'am I next'), but I'm sure that the doctors wife really only thought of others, or certainly put them first...am I trying to think too much? Is it because she still had hope? I notice at the end the doctor said 'we are already half dead' but she replied with 'we are still half alive too'. She seemed to have this continuous optimism throughout which sets her apart from everybody else in the story. I really loved her character, she had such strength; the cracks only started to appear towards the end when the responsibilities of her position really started to sink in once 'normality' (to a degree) was restored and her exhaustion was setting in. But even then she was still trying to do her best for the others. I love the way that she 'absorbed' all of the horrors around her and painted a nicer picture for her comrades (such as when the dogs were feeding off a dead body, and she told them something else was happening).

I think it was a survival tactic for the doctor’s wife to be so optimistic; it would have been incredibly difficult for her without the optimism living in those conditions and being the only seeing person. I think without hope she wouldn't have had the strength to carry on. I really like the idea that she may have been singled out because of it though. That she was rewarded in a way for being positive and not selfish. I like the thought that everyone else was (originally) already "blind, blind but seeing, blind people who can see but do not see "where as she is different. Everyone else had to go through that experience in a way to get to where she was already. She was already 'aware' of the world and the people and in tune, whereas others may have been more blinkered and happy to ignore.

I really felt the pressure lift from her once the first man regained his sight and she let herself cry. She was no longer isolated and alone, no longer the sole carrier of the burden. I really felt the release in those tears.

I think it's because the story is so horrific, yet matter of fact, that I kind of feel immune to the general horror of the situation a little. The relationship between the doctor and his wife however has felt like the cornerstone of the book to me, their strength together I thought would continue on, unwavered by the events or that they would even become stronger still together because of the situation. After all, they must have a strong relationship for her to go with him even though she is not blind. I felt so overcome when his wife saw him get into the other bed and kiss the girl, I honestly wanted to put the book down and not pick it up ever again!

I wish that there was a little more build up to the relationship between the dark glasses and the eye patch; I enjoyed the subtle intimacies that they shared but I didn't feel much when they got together, is this just me? Although I do love the 'the man I am still loves the woman you are'. I love the fact that they could fall in love, or at least want to live together without ever seeing each other, such a romantic idea!

I loved the rain scene on the balcony. It felt so important for the women to wash away what they had been through, particularly with each other and not alone. Only they could truly understand (and not the men); it felt important to wash, repair and comfort each other. The feeling of the downpour to me was captured beautifully by the author. I could smell the rain; feel the crispness of the air, the purification and the collective unburdening of these women. That is a scene that is hard to forget.

I like the way the 'baddies' seemed to get retribution, the car thief, the hoodlums, and the soldiers too in a way. It made me feel that there was some justice, even if sacrifices had to be made.

It was a true test of survival, strength and survival instinct. It showed how people can adapt and that everything that was once important (cars, homes, family, material possessions) were taken out of the equation and replaced with new values. Even the boy no longer cried for his mummy as life was so completely different. The blindness brought a completely new set of needs and values; staying with the group, finding food, finding shelter. After a time, it felt like people were getting used to the new situation, senses of humour were returning and people had begun to organise and debate the future. It showed an amazing strength in the human spirit!

Every aspect of this book really demonstrates the strengths and courage of the human spirit (i.e. the women sacrificing their bodies for a shipment of food), and also the unthinkable lows that people will go to in order to survive, when really up against it (the doctors wife committing murder). I'm completely shocked by the 'evil' blind people and their regime; it was utterly unexpected turn of events, but one which, sadly, isn't too hard to believe that could happen. Unfortunately I can imagine there are people in the world that would take opportunity of such an appalling situation and try to use it to their advantage. So many different (and extreme) aspects of human characteristics, both good and bad are seen! ...not only with the blind people, but also the Government and the army when under extreme pressure.

However, I still think I missed the over all message of the book (I'm sure there's one in there somewhere!). 'We are blind, blind but seeing, blind people who can see but do not see'; that to me is probably where it's hiding, but I'm not quite getting it. Is Saramago saying that people in general are blinkered to the things around them? People look and see things but choose not to react or act, choosing to ignore instead? Is it a comment on society today? …And the blind statues in the church, is this saying that even God is blind? ...or was the epidemic something that people had to experience without God’s aid for some reason?

Is the sequel, 'Seeing', set after they all regain their sight? I wonder how people have changed from the experience, I wonder if they now place more value on their life and things that they have and their relationships, I wonder if they are kinder to each other. I wonder how the government was put back together, how the people reacted (particularly those that were in quarantine) and I wonder how society as a whole would have changed