2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss Blindness, the first book in the Blindness series by José Saramago.

Pages: 349 pages

Length: 1 month (June)

Participants: Valerie, Lorraine

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

Here are some questions to help get the conversation started! Feel free to look up discussion questions specific to this book or come up with your own. Just make sure any questions that contain spoilers are under spoiler tags.
Discussion questions are not required but may be a fun way to talk about the book and get to know each other!

Prior to starting:
What prompted you to join this buddy read?
Have you read this author before? What do you think of their other books?

Mid-read:
What character or ideas do you relate to the most and why?
Do you have any favorite quotes or scenes?

After reading:
What was enjoyable or not-so-enjoyable about this book?
Did this book change your perception about anything, either within the book (character development) or in real life?

I'll probably start this one tomorrow but intend to take it slow as I own a copy. This is my first book by this author but I did hear a lot of positive about him.

Ok I’ll probably join you towards the end of this week.

Started today and read the first couple of chapters. Certainly one of the most disturbing and scary ideas for a pandemic novel I’ve come across!

Like you, I’ve started reading Blindness, though in my edition, the chapters aren’t numbered. (view spoiler)[I find the story launches at full speed—someone goes blind almost immediately, and the author wastes no time pulling us into the chaos. (hide spoiler)]This is my first time reading José Saramago, and so far, I’m really enjoying his writing style. There’s a subtle irony in his prose that I find particularly engaging. As for the subject matter—well, as you said, let’s just hope we never have to live through a pandemic like that.

Yes I agree that his writing is often witty and even quietly humorous as he wryly highlights some of the absurdity of the situation alongside the obvious horror.

At chapter 7 (30%). The whole group dynamics development is fascinating and also how different people adapt to an alien situation. I’m wondering (view spoiler)[ if the group who can still see will join with those who are blind as has been suggested or whether fear will keep them apart (hide spoiler)].

I'm at Chapter 9, (view spoiler)[ and I'm intrigued by the fact that the ophthalmologist's wife hasn't gone blind, even though she's surrounded by people who have. I wonder if she'll eventually lose her sight too, or if she'll continue to be the only one who can still see. Will anyone notice that she behaves differently? And if they do, will she reveal the truth or keep pretending to be blind?

As for the government's and the medical system's response, I'm not surprised. It reminds me a lot of what happened in China during the COVID outbreak, don’t you think? (hide spoiler)]

At the same place and yes I share your interest in the doctor’s wife and how things will turn out for her (view spoiler)[ I think she will retain her sight and maybe there will be others as well. I agree with the parallels with the COVID response- not just in China although there the repression was probably the worst. I was also reminded of all those parabolic graphs they showed here, confidently predicting the development of the pandemic- they were totally wrong of course! (hide spoiler)]

I'm at Chapter 11 and will take a break for a day or two. The story is becoming increasingly difficult to read—(view spoiler)[ not just because of the squalor the author vividly describes (which I could have done without), but also because we've now reached a point where a group of men is demanding women, and you can imagine the rest. Like many Canadians, I’ve never experienced the kind of hunger that drives people to desperation—even to the point of offering up a loved one in exchange for food. (hide spoiler)]Let’s just say the author has a remarkable ability to portray both the darkest and most noble sides of human nature.

At same point and yes it’s become pretty grim (view spoiler)[ although unfortunately probably accurate as there are always those who will take advantage given the chance to wield power over others. The only ray of light is the mutual care amongst the group of women. I’m wondering now if and when the doctor’s wife will make use of those large sharp scissors (hide spoiler)]
Also need a break from this so I’ll switch to a different book and come back to read the second half of this after that.

I'm currently at Chapter 14, with about 65 pages left in the edition I own, and I have to admit I'm relieved that this reading journey is almost over. (view spoiler)[ As I mentioned in previous comments, the story is becoming increasingly difficult to endure—which, in a way, speaks to Saramago’s success in creating a universe where hope gradually disappears. I imagine we might experience something similar if such a pandemic were to happen in real life. For now, at least, the abuse toward women seems to have ended. (hide spoiler)]

I will get back to it at some point but it’s not exactly calling out to me so not sure when.

Take all the time you need.

P.S. I do understand the not calling out to me! 😮

I’ve finished L’Aveuglement, and I’m still unsure how to rate it. (view spoiler)[ For now, I’ve given it three stars, though I might eventually bump it up to four. Three stars because of all the graphic, unsettling descriptions—at times it felt excessive, almost as if the author wanted to make the reader physically uncomfortable. But I’m also considering four stars, because despite the stress and darkness of the story, the writing is undeniably powerful. I appreciated the author’s use of irony, and the ending turned out to be better than I expected. I definitely plan to read more of his work. I bought Caïn a while ago and hope to get to it in the next few months. (hide spoiler)]

Lorraine wrote: "I'm currently at Chapter 14, with about 65 pages left in the edition I own, and I have to admit I'm relieved that this reading journey is almost over. [spoilers removed]"

Also finished chapter 14 and basically I agree with you Lorraine. (view spoiler)[ although there is a little bit of hope in the way that this group have formed a type of family and are working together, I don’t see how this is going to be sustainable over the long term. Still wondering why the doctor’s wife can still see but no one else can and what will happen at the end (hide spoiler)]

Lorraine wrote: "I’ve finished L’Aveuglement, and I’m still unsure how to rate it. [spoilers removed]"
I made it to the end and like you, Lorraine, I’m unsure how to rate it. (view spoiler)[ On the one hand, I agree that the writer has real mastery of his art and it’s certainly powerfully told but on the other hand it’s a book I really had to force myself to finish and yes I agree that sometimes he seemed to actually relish portraying the cruelty and misery. Not sure how I feel about the ending (even if it was a relief) as I think he was trying to make a point about a symbolic type of blindness but not entirely sure. Partly I never really bought into how this particular pandemic would be possible and even less how it would suddenly end but I think I’m probably being too literal in trying to understand this (hide spoiler)]