Crooked Plow
Crooked Plow by Itamar Vieira Junior
Brilliantly and thoughtfully reviewed by our very own Catalina. It is clear that the book made a lasting impression.
Happy Reading!
“In Crooked Plow, Itamar Vieira Junior delivers a powerful narrative that intertwines the wisdom of farmers deeply connected to their land with a stark portrayal of ongoing structural violence and injustice.
Set in rural Brazil, the story follows a community of tenant farmers whose lives are shaped by exploitation and the remnants of slavery under new guises.
Vieira Junior’s prose is evocative, capturing the essence of survival amidst a hostile landscape plagued by drought and violence. We witness the resilience and indignation of a community tethered to the land yet yearning for freedom and justice.
Over generations, the workers’ consciousness and desire for freedom grow, shaping new relations within the community and creating new conflicts between owners and tenants.
The author skillfully navigates themes of labor, ownership, and the enduring legacy of oppression. It reminds us that some injustices ‘travel across time.’
All in all, the storytelling in this book gripped me so intensely I couldn’t put it down. I was captivated by the author’s exploration of human resilience and the intricate dynamics of justice, vividly portraying life under the oppressive yoke of exploitative landowners.
Beyond its literary brilliance, this book is a powerful catalyst for reflection on crucial contemporary issues: justice, power dynamics, and the essence of true freedom.”