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My Name is Red
by Orhan Pamuk, Erdağ M. Göknar
by Orhan Pamuk, Erdağ M. Göknar
Hayes's review
bookshelves: read-in-2010, why-dint-i-like-this
Oct 29, 10
bookshelves: read-in-2010, why-dint-i-like-this
Read from October 26 to 28, 2010
Well I finished it. I had to skim through the second half, however; this book was a real struggle.
The idea was lovely: the various chapters are told from different points of view, starting with a stunning opener: I am nothing but a corpse now, a body at the bottom of the well. We hear from the corpse's daughter, relatives, colleagues, servants. We hear from a painting, a coin, a sketch of a dog. We even hear from the murderer. But I couldn't get interested in any of it.
This story is filled with gorgeous imagery, historical and cultural insights, fabulous information about the art of illumination and book making through the ages, and I didn't care about it at all. I don't even know why.
This book should have been perfect for me. I am disappointed.
The idea was lovely: the various chapters are told from different points of view, starting with a stunning opener: I am nothing but a corpse now, a body at the bottom of the well. We hear from the corpse's daughter, relatives, colleagues, servants. We hear from a painting, a coin, a sketch of a dog. We even hear from the murderer. But I couldn't get interested in any of it.
This story is filled with gorgeous imagery, historical and cultural insights, fabulous information about the art of illumination and book making through the ages, and I didn't care about it at all. I don't even know why.
This book should have been perfect for me. I am disappointed.
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Reading Progress
| 10/07/2010 | page 1 |
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0.0% | |
| 10/14/2010 | page 60 |
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12.0% | "Having a hard time getting into this, but it's beginning to hook me." |
Comments (showing 1-18 of 18) (18 new)
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Hayes
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rated it 2 stars
Jun 14, 2010 02:29am
My Mooch copy just arrived! Yay! Really looking forward to this one. May have to bump it up to the top.
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I love this book, hope you like it too.
We read this in our book group. Intriguing, but is best read in moderate doses (at least that was my experience).
Brava to you, Hayes. I have tried on two separate occasions to read this book and I have failed both times. I hope you enjoy it! It seems so interesting; yet, I cannot manage to stick with it.
p. 145: "Ticking away, my windup clock told me it was evening." A windup clock in 1590? Is that possible?
from wiki - Mainsprings appeared in the first spring powered clocks, in 15th century Europe. Around 1400 coiled springs appeared in locks,
Back to your review, Hayes. Is As I Lay Dying better for that sort of point of view around a dead person? No gorgeous imagery there, since told from various Snopes characters' points of view, so that Sound and the Fury has a better chance and goes with it. About manuscripts would indeed be your cup-a-tea, I agree, so it's too bad. I had a hard time getting into The Black Book and it's still waiting around, but that may just be determined by the time I started it, as so often. Your review suggests otherwise, however.
Don't remember As I Lay Dying at all. Read it when I was in high school over 30 years ago! And I have never been brave enough to try Sound and Fury. Have a real problem with Stream of Conc.I think the real problem with Red is that it took itself, and the author took himself, too seriously. I'm reading Middlesex which I am just adoring. Very funny in a brainy sort of way.
Just realized that I was confusing As I Lay Dying (which I haven't read) with Call It Sleep, which I read in high school. My addled aging brain!!
