Terra Morta

by Fernando Monteiro de Castro Soromenho

Castro Soromenho é o fiel e implacável retratista dos homens do interior de Angola, que tão bem conheceu, desses homens e mulheres, brancos e negros, enredados na teia de um colonialismo primitivo e bárbaro, habitantes perdidos numa Terra Morta, sem saída.

261 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1949

About the author

Fernando Monteiro de Castro Soromenho was a Portuguese journalist, writer and ethnologist. He is considered to be a writer of the Portuguese neorealist movement, and also a novelist of the Angolan literature.

Reviews

[Rézina Dějová · Rating 1 out of 5]

Moje osobní čtecí výzva "Kolem světa" mě zavádí i na místa, kam by mě jinak nikdo nedostal ani smykem, jak ve skutečném světě, tak v tom literárním. Mrtvá země je u nás tak málo známá, že jsem si zase jednou musela sama přidat český překlad. Jde o črty z koloniální Angoly zhruba z doby 1920-1930 a sice popisuje životní strasti nejenom portugalských kolonizátorů, ale i místních černochů, ke kterým se navzdory zrušení otroctví jejich vláda nechovala o moc líp, než před sto lety. Bohužel ale kniha (nebo snad překlad?) nemá žádný šmrnc, moc děje tu taky nenajdete a její jazyk působí školmetsky a kostrbatě. Zapamatovat si postavy nebo si k nim vytvořit jakýkoli vztah není možný, protože jim úplně chybí psychologická hloubka, historie a vztahy. Doufám, že příště pořídím líp.

[||| · Rating 4 out of 5]

As this book got only 1 review on this website, I fell an obligation to write even couple of words about this Novel.
I came across this book in my university's library in "Portugees Novels" section. The choice was complete random. Later on ( after the classes) I noticed that author CASTRO SOROMENHO was born in Mozambique during the Portugees rule, and plots of his books are rather focused on life in Portugees colonies then Portugal itself.

Terra Morta is a novel that presents life of various Colonazors in Angola during the Portugees rule in this country between the 30's and 50's in XX centuary. Novel is written in a very laid-back and easy-to-read style ( Pretty similar to Hemingway's style of writting) that is really entertaining and makes it possible to read the book very quickly. The book is very Binar - in a sence that creates a really hard to miss division between the white Portugees Colonazors ( that are obviously "smart", sophisticated, etc. ) and the blacks ( that are wild/brutal/savage, stupid and acting neanderthal). Language that is used to describe those differences between those 2 groups is directly racist and there is no doubt about it. That's my main problem with this book. Because the language I wouldn't reccomend it for everyone, as some groups of people may get more "certain" about their views/opinions about the black people after finishing the book. It is obligated for readers to keep it in back of their minds that the depiction of Colonial Angola's natives of that times was narrowed to a very Racist/Primitive shape. It happens because of the fact, that Novel is focused on describing Angola from the Colonazors point of view. Whole plot of the book (as I referred before ) is focused on how buch on Portugees are making thier living in Angola at that time and their daily "struggles" and "dutes". From the first look the plot may seem not to be interesting but I perosnally found it very outstanding and quaint. Descreptions of Represented world really aroused my imagination. Many time I imagined the characters, places, animals and scenerios in ultra bright and vivid colours because of how good and entertaining the descreptions were. The ending is something that I would never expect !
What was really appealing was a plot how the black slaves were trying to escape from Angola to Congo (that was under the Belgian rule at that time) in a chace of fining a courage to live a better life ! I wish that this "Topic" could been more developed and extended in book !

(SORRY, I GOT BORRED IN A MIDDLE OF WRITING THIS REVIEW. MAYBE ONE DAY I WILL UPDATE IT. BUT DEFENIETLY I RECCOMEND THIS NOVEL !!!! ( IF YOU ARE NOT RACIST) )

[Grace Luís · Rating 4 out of 5]

Como angolana, eu gostei da história apesar do tratamento dos negros neste livro. Américo foi restante a melhor personagem e queira que ele pelo menos ficasse com D. Jovita. Amei o final, no facto de que um mulato pelo menos conseguiu vingar-se do tratamento dos brancos.

As an Angolan, I loved the book and some of the characters like Américo, he knew the treatment of black people was vile and never participated in the mistreatment of them. So many moments in the story was hilarious, it’s hard for me to laugh out loud while reading a story but this book did for me. I’m so glad the mixed boy was able to take revenge for his mom by burning the administration and getting some money out of it.

[Indalêncio Mulundo]

C

[Beto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este livro é um retrato social do colonialismo.

Gostei de lê-lo pela sua aproximação, muito consciente, à realidade vivida naquele período histórico. Sob uma perspetiva diatópica (dos colonos e dos colonizados) são abordadas várias dimensões da vida colonial, onde se compreende a brutalidade daquela época de opressão: abuso do poder; inculcação da cultura ocidental; trabalhos forçados; violência física e psicológica, etc. Com uma história e escrita simples, vi-me conhecer mais a ordem social vigente da altura do colonialismo. Não são poucos os momentos em que a escrita nos leva a conhecer a estratificação social de uma das ex-colónias portuguesas, nem tão pouco a cultura do palco em destaque (Camaxilo, em Angola). Assim, assiste-se, e entende-se, a mudança que foi ocorrendo nas colónias portuguesas, nas quais, ao fim ao cabo, sobrou uma Terra Morta (sem esperanças, sem futuro e desenvolvimento, sem vida).

Para mim, sentindo falta de intensidade, não é um livro admirável, mas acho que é bom de ler. Sendo considerado um pilar na Literatura Colonial Portuguesa, esta obra ajuda a refletir e a compreender o que foi o colonialismo.