Memories of the Monastery
Summary
The book «Memories of the Monastery» by José Saramago tells the story of the construction of a monastery in Mafra, Portugal, in the 18th century. The main characters are King João V, his wife Maria Anna of Austria, and a simple peasant named Baltasar, who lost his hand in the war. The king promises to build the monastery in gratitude for the birth of an heir, and this promise becomes a symbol of power and religious fanaticism. Baltasar and his beloved Blimunda, who has the gift of seeing hidden things, become involved in the construction. They assist the Italian architect Bartolomeu Lorenzo in creating a flying machine. The novel explores themes of power, religion, love, and human ingenuity, intertwining historical events with magical realism.
