My Name is Red - Chapters 31-45 Discussion (February 2012)

[William]

For Chapters 31-45.

[Deborah]

As you go along, you find it becomes easier and easier to figure out what's going on. Which is good. Back in the first quarter of the book I wasn't sure I'd be able to keep up.

I keep waiting to find out if all the verbiage supports the story, or if some of it is masturbatory. Not that I begrudge him playing with this words. He's good at it.

[Sophia]

Not at all self-indulgent, in my opinion; instead every word and phrase is pertinent.

[Adam]

I also thought it was easier to read as the story progressed. I have found myself thinking that he could have shed words/passages without doing the story harm though. This story does not have the hold on me that last month's read did. That could be due in part to my lack of knowledge on the period/place, but I think that I have a sufficient grasp of the setting and story now so that my lack of familiarity would not be the cause of my relative disengagement. Until the death of the father (whose name I cannot spell without the book in front of me), the murder mystery portion of the story did not draw my interest much. I just reached the beginning of the three day investigation, so my opinion may change soon (I hope). The courtship of Black and the girl (and the girl and Hasan) was much more intriguing, particularly the role of Esther.

[Deborah]

I enjoyed the book, and don't as I said begrudge him any part of it. But I come from the tv dinner instant gratification generation, and like my stories in 25 words or less. While I do agree with Adam, that if he'd trimmed I wouldn't have been the wiser, I think it's a stylistic preference. There was certainly nothing that was there that wasn't well crafted.

[Sophia]

I loved every word of this book. Maybe it's because I'm a poet and a philosopher. I also don't much like plot-driven novels. I’m a sucker for good prose and for ideas, though!

Hmmmmmmmm, maybe this is why I don't own a television and never go to the cinema…