Alentejo Blue Audiobook

" i got about 25 pages in and had to give up. i just want to note that i've probably quit reading all of three books in my entire life; i always try to work through it, convinced there must be something worth reading in there. this novel was so aimless and tedious. i appreciate fine detail in writing, especially scenic details, but when the book is more about the sand in the road and less about the man standing in the road, i'm not sure what's left to read. "

" Not my favorite book. I feel like I'd give this author another chance though. This was one of those stories that is a small snippet of time and it jumps from one character to the next. Problem is, you never really get to know any of the characters and in the end it feels like a colossal waste of time. "

" At first I was concerned that this was going the Portuguese equivalent of those books about someone spending a year in Tuscany where it's always sunny and the locals are charming and colourful, so this gets bonus points for being more interesting than that. On the other hand it's *very* episodic; basically a collection of short stories. Characterisation and evocation of the landscape is strong, and Ali's prose is a pleasure to read, but I was disappointed that she spent more time on the rather sordid goings-on in the expat community than on the locals. Issues relating to Portuguese history and emigration are touched upon but I'd have appreciated more on this. "

" i really liked ali's first book (brick lane) and despite this one being such a different book in location, subject matter, etc., i was curious enough about the characters to stay interested. "

" Delighted to find this in the second-hand shop, having really enjoyed Brick Lane. This is more varied, following the various inhabitants of a small community in Portugal - Portuguese and ex-pat. Unfortunately it's harder work to read - some of the chapters were so opaque I still haven't got a clue what was going on. Others featured characters drawn with such skill and wit (the Potts family, particularly, the worst types of ex-pat all rolled into one squalid mass) that it was a shame to have to leave them to move on to someone else. Having finished the book I'm not really left with a feeling of wholeness or a central message. It read like a series of short stories only loosely connected - a bit like Trainspotting but not as funny. "

" Eh, it was OK. Nothing particularly striking about the book. It was interesting to see the author weave the stories of so many characters together to show how a small community can be so intimately connected. Set in Portugal, so naturally I was intrigued about the cultural aspects of the book. A good book to pick up and read for fun. Won't change your life, but you get to peek into the life's of others. "

" It's a nice easy read which focuses more on transporting you to the Portuguese village than on a strong plot or in-depth characters. "

" I liked most of the individual stories chronicled in this book but Ali didn't combine them very well at the end of the book. "

" Liked the book - artsy, collage of different stories weaved together "

" I don't remember why I liked this book so much bc I read it awhile ago, but it is very well-written and deals with several different people's lives in a small town in Portugal. "

" Just put the book down and walk away...you'll thank me later! Sadly, I have no idea what to do with the copy I own. This book was so bad I didn't want to donate it to the library and when I tried to sell it at a garage sale, I talked a buyer out of buying it!!! Door stop anyone? "

" Interesting idea for a book, but the outcome actually dissapointing - I am suprised I was able to stick to the end...too many characters and stories with no plot at all...far from Brick lane... "

" I need to have a discussion about this book: was it a novel? was there a climax really? was it more a fictional ethnography? HUH? "

" it took me forever to finish this book and i'm not entirely sure why. i think it was the chapter on the british ex-pat author come to portugal for one last shot at beating his writers block that put the breaks on this for me. wouldn't read it again. "

" Disappointed. Couldn't find its rhythm. Or rather I couldn't find it. "

" Not a fan. Although I read the book a year or so ago and do not remember it very well, I DO remember that the plot was completely disjointed. The only thing that really saves this book is Ali's lovely way with words. "

" I like the disjointed but parallel narratives in this book. I also like how Ali refuses to characterize the book as novel or short stories, but only refers to it as a book, in interviews. "

" Terrible book. I started reading this book about a family in Portugal on the plane to Lisbon. It was so bad, I never finished reading it. That was a surprise because Brick Lane had received great reviews. "

" I liked it, and I suspect that anyone who has ever been an ex-pat, or experienced ex-pats in their own environment, would find *something* they recognized in this book. "

" Although I love the way Ali writes, this is not her best. She probably wanted to write a novel that was totally different than Brick Lane. But it's not as good in my opinion. "

" The first chapter was one of the best I've ever read. After that, there was a sharp fall-off with the introduction of less interesting characters. To me this was a disappointing novel after Brick Lane. "

" I liked most of the individual stories chronicled in this book but Ali didn't combine them very well at the end of the book. "

" I can't believe an Indian female could portray a portugeese villiage so realistically. "

" Nothing to recommend it. One of the most overrated books of the year. "

" I liked it, and I suspect that anyone who has ever been an ex-pat, or experienced ex-pats in their own environment, would find *something* they recognized in this book. "

" The setting for this novel is in Portugal. There are so many great South Asian writers but most only write about Indian culture. this book is a welcome departure from a really good writer. With that said, I did not enjoy the twists and turns of Alentejo Blue as much as I did Brickwood Lane. "

" The writing is often beautiful and the individual vignettes are usually quite striking, however the ending is a forced linkage of disparate lives. Perhaps I missed some common thread, other than the location. Of all the stories, Vasco's is the most beautiful, and most painful. "

" I just couldn't get into it, despite the fact that I hate abandoning books and really enjoyed Brick Lane. If anyone can please tell me why I should push on, please do! "