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We are more accustomed to Brazil producing world-beating footballers than world-class novelists; though Machado de Assis comes the closest to being the literary Pele. --The Guardian
Product Description
One of the classics of South American literature. 'It is not enough to say that he is an important American novelist; he is one of the masters in either hemisphere.' - New York Times
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
If the back of the book is to be believed The Wager is by the greatest Brazilian author; and is of timeless quality of themes of broken dreams, love and obsession.
The story is told by Aires in the form of a diary around 1888. He is a returning retired diplomat from Portugal to Rio. He tells us of a childless aged couple who have finally had the return of `adopted' children now grown up: Fidelia an attractive youthful widow and later Tristao, a dashing politician and family friend. The wager in question is between Aires and Rita, his sister, that Fidelia, though still too attached to her dead husband, will remarry (Aires perhaps hopes it'll be him). Though there are a couple of other characters guess who ends up getting hitched.
I started off being annoyed by this book even before the `start'. The introduction tells us `that the story is virtually non-existent' and secondly the inattentive reader may miss the bet between Rita and Aires - the book's called "the wager" for goodness sake!
I have read Dom Casmurro and that's better by a long way. The Wager though interesting isn't captivating. Aires isn't obsessed by Fidelia, nobody particularly has dreams for the future and so Fidelia and Tristao end up loving each other - no news there. The diary format wasn't - Aires doesn't really tell us about his thoughts and given the diary is private no deep personal feelings come out. A Brazilian classic may be but it's dry, unemotional and indistinct. The only novel angle of the book is the abolition of the slave trade in Brazil. Quality perhaps but uninspiring.
The story is told by Aires in the form of a diary around 1888. He is a returning retired diplomat from Portugal to Rio. He tells us of a childless aged couple who have finally had the return of `adopted' children now grown up: Fidelia an attractive youthful widow and later Tristao, a dashing politician and family friend. The wager in question is between Aires and Rita, his sister, that Fidelia, though still too attached to her dead husband, will remarry (Aires perhaps hopes it'll be him). Though there are a couple of other characters guess who ends up getting hitched.
I started off being annoyed by this book even before the `start'. The introduction tells us `that the story is virtually non-existent' and secondly the inattentive reader may miss the bet between Rita and Aires - the book's called "the wager" for goodness sake!
I have read Dom Casmurro and that's better by a long way. The Wager though interesting isn't captivating. Aires isn't obsessed by Fidelia, nobody particularly has dreams for the future and so Fidelia and Tristao end up loving each other - no news there. The diary format wasn't - Aires doesn't really tell us about his thoughts and given the diary is private no deep personal feelings come out. A Brazilian classic may be but it's dry, unemotional and indistinct. The only novel angle of the book is the abolition of the slave trade in Brazil. Quality perhaps but uninspiring.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
1 review
The Great-Grandfather of the Soap-Opera.
2 May 1997
Format:Hardcover
Machado de Assis used to publish his books weekly on newspapers abou a hundred years ago.
His literary work is one of the best in Portuguese language - that he mastered as few did.
Besides the perfect use of language, Machado is famous for the psicological insights on his characters.
With these characteristics, Machado published "O Memorial de Aires" (Aires Journal) periodically and reached two levels of readers: those that were interested in an easy-reading story, with love affairs depicted in a simple plot, and those who wanted more than that - those who were seraching for the dephtness of human relationship and behavior.
Along with that, his books bring a colourful image of Rio de Janeiro (and Brazil) of the XIX century.
Not only captivating, his books are entertainig and delicious. Soap-operas, nowadays, would be as good as his books - if they had that second level only Machado could reach
His literary work is one of the best in Portuguese language - that he mastered as few did.
Besides the perfect use of language, Machado is famous for the psicological insights on his characters.
With these characteristics, Machado published "O Memorial de Aires" (Aires Journal) periodically and reached two levels of readers: those that were interested in an easy-reading story, with love affairs depicted in a simple plot, and those who wanted more than that - those who were seraching for the dephtness of human relationship and behavior.
Along with that, his books bring a colourful image of Rio de Janeiro (and Brazil) of the XIX century.
Not only captivating, his books are entertainig and delicious. Soap-operas, nowadays, would be as good as his books - if they had that second level only Machado could reach
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