One Heck of Funny Book!!!!!

Oh my gosh.... this is such a FUNNY book... I have listened to it quite a few times and I always get a kick out of this re-imagining of Genesis.

Basically the lead character Cain goes around on his donkey creating havoc wherever he goes. He is NOT a nice person and he is endlessly quibbling with God and blaming all of his wrongdoings on God, who is also not a very "nice", um, God?

Saramago can write VERY subversive books (The Gospel According to Jesus Christ.... which sadly is available as an audiobook, but not though Audible as far as I know) got the nobel-prize winning author kicked out of his home country. Sometimes Christians just cannot take a joke.

So if you are one of those, don't get this book... you will hate it. But for you who aren't offended of someone making fun of the bible, go for it! It is so well narrated, too. Just the perfect amount of irony, scorn and smarmy-ness that tip the book from very funny to rolling on the ground laughing funny.

One of my favorites!

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Funny

The book reminds me a little of Good Omens by Terry Pratchett
& Neil Gaiman. Both use humor to point out the injustice in divine plans.

I would say my favorite bit is a joke about when Cain is looking at the line between two lands that are so different that they must be in two different times. There's a bit about it being another present or past present or future present...and everybody can understand that.

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god awful narrator

What didn’t you like about Kevin Pariseau’s performance?

this is probably a wonderful story but the narrator's smirky, snide tone just ruins Saramago's subtle poetic observations. Wish I had listened to the preview before I bought it, it's like listening to nails on a chalk board, not sure I can get through the whole thing.

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Raising Cain

What did you love best about Cain?

The story and Cain's ability to ride his donkey into Biblical tipping points and provide a possible

Who was your favorite character and why?

Lillith as I've always wondered about the original liberated woman as well as the stuff of nightmare legends.

What about Kevin Pariseau’s performance did you like?

His range and ability to assume varies roles with a change in pitch or tone that made for easy listening.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes however on the second night I stayed up late to catch the ending.

Any additional comments?

Not for everyone and not overly deep but worth the price.

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Masterful

Saramago is a genius. Cain is filled with humor, sarcasm and truths.
I can't believe this book was one of the free listens.

a good critic

me gusto mucho el libro como te lleva por todos los pasajes del antiguo testamento con una critica a la razón de ejercer el poder que tiene el todopoderoso

Great sense of humor

I just love the details and rhythm he tells a story.
This one was full of-funny moments, specifically if you know the catholic vision in which the world was created.

Genial Saramago

La primera vez que me lei a Saramago no me gustó, pero luego de escuchar las intermitencias de la muerte, me reconcilié con él.
Disfrute este libro, me hizo reir y ciertamente pone de la manera mas irónica y genial los cuestionamientos que todos tenemos

great point of view Cain's life

a great story from Saramago. highly recommended. just one thing, this audio jumps a couple of times, i hope audible can improve it

Faulty recording, decent story

This was entertaining, but fell a bit short on the heels of "Death with Interruptions" (which was masterful). Also there are glitches in the recording where the audio is spliced strangely and you miss a chunk. I am planning to return it as a faulty recording although story wise I'd say give it a go.