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krish_'s review against another edition
This was my introduction to Rushdie (read this a few years ago). I'd been meaning to read him for a very long time. Unfortunately, this was nothing like I expected it to be. It was charming, lavish and I loved the mystery but it just didn't engage me enough to keep reading. It was like seeing a beautiful person, thinking how amazing they must be, and then you meet them and realize, oh, they're ordinary. A let down.
aleffert's review against another edition
3.0
This book was meandery and kind of pointless. The beginning was slow. The ending fell flat. Somehow I liked it anyway. Rushdie writes with such beauty that I forgive him his indulgences.
expatally's review against another edition
4.0
Just when I think I'm done with Salman Rushdie... He's definitely an author you have to be in the right mood for, but what an amazing storyteller. I can't even imagine what it must be like to be inside his head.
andrewthegriffin's review against another edition
challenging
funny
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
charsiew21's review against another edition
3.0
An enjoyable read, in the best of Rushdie's velvety prose.
eamwilliams504's review against another edition
2.0
while the writing and language is beautiful, this was probably my least favorite Rushdie book
racheln23's review against another edition
2.0
DNF at 10%. Hear me out. I kept reading reviews saying that this was magical, and even three star reviews said it was quite 5 ⭐️ for most of the book. While the writing is absolutely beautiful and deep, it seems like an abstract work of art. I literally have no idea what was going on, no clear picture where I was, and squinting my eyes as I met strangers and asked them, “uh, who are you??” The writing is flowery but the storytelling is rambling. It has a distinct “once upon a time” storytelling feature. The narrator is extremely detached and it makes for difficulty connecting to the characters. Let me give you an example. We have an opening scene with a guy in a cart venturing to his destination to confront a king with a secret. Totally groovy. I’m in to this! I’m enjoying the writing - the opening view of the Royal city makes you drool - the pool at the entrance of the city is being hit by the sun in such a way that it looks like molten gold. The visitors marvel at the richness of the ruler that he has so much, he pours his gold in a pool for anyone to take. Of course, this is just an ordinary pool of water, but - oh em gee, that description is amazing.
End scene after a very small bit of traveling and we are in a new scene, in the past, with said traveler (I assume, but not easy to grasp effortlessly) and he’s meeting with some guy and they are exchanging secrets. Ok, I’m kind of following. Mr. Travelled got a doc that is essential to present to the king, but the scene was VERY confusing and unclear.
After that scene, I think I fell asleep while reading, kept picking up the book, debating whether to finish the book or not, and decided I was PRO finishing the book, even though I’m not afraid to abandon books. However, it just didn’t get better. I don’t even know what happened in the next scenes through 10%
Complete, because I didn’t know where in time I was, I didn’t know where in the setting I was, and I was surrounded by people I didn’t know but I was dropped in to their life. And it was confusing. Everyone was going about their day expecting me to just KNOW how their life worked.
I can see how this might be an enjoyable style for
Some people but it was too…much for my brain to want to work. It’s probably some amazing work of literature, but I’m not really down for working through literature, I want to be whisked away to another world effortlessly.
End scene after a very small bit of traveling and we are in a new scene, in the past, with said traveler (I assume, but not easy to grasp effortlessly) and he’s meeting with some guy and they are exchanging secrets. Ok, I’m kind of following. Mr. Travelled got a doc that is essential to present to the king, but the scene was VERY confusing and unclear.
After that scene, I think I fell asleep while reading, kept picking up the book, debating whether to finish the book or not, and decided I was PRO finishing the book, even though I’m not afraid to abandon books. However, it just didn’t get better. I don’t even know what happened in the next scenes through 10%
Complete, because I didn’t know where in time I was, I didn’t know where in the setting I was, and I was surrounded by people I didn’t know but I was dropped in to their life. And it was confusing. Everyone was going about their day expecting me to just KNOW how their life worked.
I can see how this might be an enjoyable style for
Some people but it was too…much for my brain to want to work. It’s probably some amazing work of literature, but I’m not really down for working through literature, I want to be whisked away to another world effortlessly.
carrieliza's review against another edition
1.0
This book was so highly recommended to me by various people, but I just did not enjoy it at all. Not sure if I wasn't in the right frame of mind to settle in with it or what.
roseth0rns's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lesleynr's review against another edition
2.0
Was really into this for the first 120 pages or so... but now I have lost interest... Also, it's pretty bad when you can't tell if something is a place or a person... On to something new.