Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Avon / Bard Book (1974), Paperback, 425 pages
Description
When Gabriela came to the Brazilian town of Ilheus, things would never be the same again ... In 1925, the town's cacao plantations are flourishing and progress reigns, but Nacib the Arab's most desperate worry is that his cook has walked out of his bar. He ventures over to the market to hire a migrant worker to help him and comes across a young mulatto girl named Gabriela who is wild and has hair filthy with dust. But something in her voice makes him take a chance, and it seems he's not the only man who's noticed her. Suddenly there is more to think about than everyday concerns: love affairs, murder, banquets, funerals, desire, hatred, vengeance and miracles.
User reviews
LibraryThing member fieldnotes
Amado is an excellent story-teller. "Gabriela" has enough drama and pace to be readable amidst noisy distractions and does not waste time with throw-away characters or descriptive flourish. The turn of the century, back country Brazil is ribald, gossipy, comical, obsessed with political intrigue
Amado’s case was perfectly convincing for me; though Gabriela’s simple childishness is a little bit overdone. Some readers will get irritated when Amado drops his normal prose style in an attempt to convey the “I don’t get it” inner monologue of an otherwise magnetic and seductive character. For instance, “Why did he have to marry her? It was awful being married, she didn’t like it at all . . . she couldn’t do any of the things she liked. She couldn’t play merry-go-round in the square . . . she couldn’t walk barefoot on the sidewalk in front of the house. She couldn’t run on the beach . . . she mustn’t do such things. It was bad to be married.” Giving Gabriela idiot diction and seven word sentences, deploying obvious bird in cage, tight shoe, flower in a vase metaphors to suggest her free-spiritedness and referring to her as a child was simply not convincing.
But, I still enjoyed every minute of reading this book. The attention to generations and whole-town atmosphere is not unlike Garcia Marquez; but this book is lighter, less deliberate and totally rooted in reality.
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and prepared for great violence. The book is on a mission to praise open-handed, casual and lusty sex—not just because of its frequent reference to brothel/cabarets but at its structural core and in its own method of bringing resolution (very much in opposition to the standard marriage-brings-closure model). Jealousy, pride and possession get blasted throughout. Amado’s case was perfectly convincing for me; though Gabriela’s simple childishness is a little bit overdone. Some readers will get irritated when Amado drops his normal prose style in an attempt to convey the “I don’t get it” inner monologue of an otherwise magnetic and seductive character. For instance, “Why did he have to marry her? It was awful being married, she didn’t like it at all . . . she couldn’t do any of the things she liked. She couldn’t play merry-go-round in the square . . . she couldn’t walk barefoot on the sidewalk in front of the house. She couldn’t run on the beach . . . she mustn’t do such things. It was bad to be married.” Giving Gabriela idiot diction and seven word sentences, deploying obvious bird in cage, tight shoe, flower in a vase metaphors to suggest her free-spiritedness and referring to her as a child was simply not convincing.
But, I still enjoyed every minute of reading this book. The attention to generations and whole-town atmosphere is not unlike Garcia Marquez; but this book is lighter, less deliberate and totally rooted in reality.
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LibraryThing member yhaduong
An entertaining romp through the moment in time of Brazil's history where the lawlessness of plantation owners makes way for modernity. I thought the book enjoyable and light. Amado's portrays the conflict between the old ways and the new both through the fierce politics of the town and through the
I've always enjoyed novels where the tension between rules, breaking them and flaunting them comes into play and is resolved in new modern ways without abandoning the old. Amado does this wonderfully.
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everyday life of a bar owner and the woman he falls in love with.I've always enjoyed novels where the tension between rules, breaking them and flaunting them comes into play and is resolved in new modern ways without abandoning the old. Amado does this wonderfully.
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LibraryThing member Othemts
Sadly I lost my review of this book in the Great Deleting Every File in My Documents Error of 2003. I remember liking this book, although the characterization of Gabriela verged on the borderline between empowered woman testing the social norms and sexist pornographic fantasy. I decided that
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Gabriel personified the quote from many a bumper sticker "Well behaved women rarely make history." This was a good book about changes coming to a traditional Brazilian community. Show Less
LibraryThing member dharmalita
While I found it a difficult to read in the beginning as several characters were introduced, I eventually found myself loving this book. Nacib and Gabriela are the main protagonists, but yet each character plays a role that is above that of sidekick. As I turned each page, I started to enjoy
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reading more about the others in Ilhèus, especially Josuè and Gloria. The only irritating thing I found was Gabriela's naivetè. After a while, she became tiresome and I really wanted her to wake up and understand everything around her. Finally, I realized that she did understand, but in her own way. The good definitely outweighed the bad and I would recommend this book to anyone. Show Less
LibraryThing member amerynth
Jorge Amado's novel "Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon" is the story of a Brazilian town going through its growing pains. I liked the book, but didn't love it.... the story was a little simple though the characters were interesting enough to keep things going.
Ilheus is a growing town -- its character
The book has a whole town of characters, who are varying and interesting. The "romance" aspect of this book actually kind of bogged it down for me, surprisingly, but I found the town politics and characters more interesting.
Ilheus is a growing town -- its character
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changing from a wild west type place where men had to carve their cacao plantations out of deep groves to a booming metropolis that, with removal of a sandbar in its port, will be able to trade directly with European cities. In the midst of this, a migrant worker arrives named Gabriela, who symbolizes all that was wild and free about the area in the past.The book has a whole town of characters, who are varying and interesting. The "romance" aspect of this book actually kind of bogged it down for me, surprisingly, but I found the town politics and characters more interesting.
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LibraryThing member languagehat
Amado's wonderful novels should be more popular than they are.
LibraryThing member Bestine
A life-changer. I read this book for the first time in 1976, in Brazil, on a two-month vacation with a former flame. We spent a week in Ilheus. He's gone now, but the magic of this story has never paled. I re-read it often. Still my favorite of all Amado's astonishing novels.
LibraryThing member tcw
Beautiful. My favorite read of the past several years.
LibraryThing member BryanThomasS
A great read by one of Brazil's top writers. Luscious scenery, fascinating characters, great culture and food. A classic must read.
LibraryThing member sinaloa237
Just loved this book. The story is great and the characters are simple yet very lively. Very atmospheric.
LibraryThing member kakadoo202
I wanted it more about G. Too many side characters. Too many politicians.
Awards
Language
Original language
Portuguese
Original publication date
1958
Physical description
512 p.; 6.9 inches
ISBN
0380012057 / 9780380012053
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