Raised from the Ground

The narrative voice is unmistakable: a mature, quiet voice, conversational and easy, often ironic or endearingly humorous, that flows forward weaving and interbraiding with itself, wandering but never losing impetus

Ursula Le Guin, Guardian

While examining serious political issues – and in particular the power of a small group against exploitation and injustice – the tale is also rich with humour, compassion and love. It is, amongst other things, perhaps Saramago's way of showing his admiration for the people with whom he grew up

Good Book Guide

Time now gives us English-speakers the chance to see how well he worked to serve and deserve such greatness in this early novel

Ursula K Le Guin, Guardian

Here Saramago has begun to develop a unique voice which swoops and dives on his own work like a bird (and which is captured with all the skill of a ventriloquist in Margaret Jull Costa’s excellent translation)

Nick Caistor, Times Literary Supplement