Death with Interruptions
Death with Interruptions
Book Brief
238
Novel • Fiction
Unnamed Country • Contemporary
2005
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
Death with Interruptions by José Saramago is a speculative fiction novel about a country where, beginning on New Year's Day, people suddenly stop dying. While initially celebrated, this phenomenon causes societal chaos as institutions dependent on death face existential crises. Death then reappears in the form of a woman issuing personalized warnings, ultimately experiencing human emotions and affecting society deeply.
Mysterious
Contemplative
Dark
Bittersweet
Reviews & Readership
65,079 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Death with Interruptions by José Saramago offers an intriguing exploration of a world where death halts. Critics laud Saramago's inventive premise and profound insights on mortality and society. However, some find the lack of punctuation and dense prose challenging. Overall, it's a thought-provoking and imaginative read, though it demands patience from the reader. Saramago, José. Death with Interruptions. Harvill Secker, 2008.
Who Should Read Death with Interruptions?
Readers who enjoy thought-provoking literature with philosophical and existential themes will appreciate Death with Interruptions by José Saramago. Fans of Gabriel García Márquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude or Albert Camus' The Stranger will find the book's magical realism and deep reflections on life and mortality captivating.
65,079 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
José Saramago's novel, Death with Interruptions, imagines a scenario where death takes a holiday, and its unconventional storyline is complemented by the author's distinct writing style featuring long, flowing sentences and minimal punctuation.
In keeping with Saramago's unique narrative approach, the dialogue in Death with Interruptions is often presented without quotation marks, encouraging readers to engage more actively with the text to follow conversations.
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Death with Interruptions explores themes of mortality and the human condition with a touch of humor and philosophical insight, characteristic of Saramago's broader literary work, which earned him the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1998.
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238
Novel • Fiction
Unnamed Country • Contemporary
2005
Adult
18+ years
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