THE HISTORY OF THE SIEGE OF LISBON

Saramago’s ingenious novel is built on the thinnest of premises: A proofreader changes a single word in a history of the siege of Lisbon in the 1100s and opens up his routine life to disruption, romance, and change. Even that description may promise too much in the way of action and suspense. Narrator Robert Blumenfeld does a fine job of rendering the spirit and manner of the great Portuguese fabulist, but he has a difficult time finding his bearings. His narration often sounds like the voice-over of a 1940s newsreel: too consistently emphatic. However, that voice is true to the author’s ponderous style and a necessary counterweight to it. Those familiar with Saramago will find this a rewarding listening experience. Others . . . maybe, maybe not. D.A.W. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2012]