Reviews

The Museum of Innocence by Orhan Pamuk

saba_ts's review against another edition

3.0

"Let everyone know, I lived a very happy life."

Everytime I pick up a book with a sad premise, I want to read it to renew the conviction that heartache is universal and then I don't want to read it because I know what a sad state I'll be in when I finish it. This was one of those books and I wanted to stop 10 pages in but I didn't. Beautifully written with a few slow bits in between, but gripping. A tale of a man's pursuit of happiness - a sad tale.

bibliobethreads's review against another edition

I wasn't sure about this book at first but it did grow on me. Beautifully written and ended up feeling quite sorry for the main character although I could not quite understand the level of his obsession.

emma_ireland's review against another edition

5.0

All I have to say about this book is: every time I picked it up intending to read a few pages or a chapter, I'd look up and two hours would have gone by.

katymvt's review against another edition

2.0

2022 Pop Sugar Reading Challenge-a romance by a Bipoc.

I'm giving this a 2 because some of the descriptions of Turkey and Turkish life were absolutely beautiful. But, what a crapload of ridiculous story. The main character was obsessed with Fusun. Fusun had gotten away and then opted to give him her address. And her whole family, including husband, were OK with him just hanging out with them night after night after night. What a waste of everyone's lives.

aristide's review against another edition

inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

dianasarfati's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This was very slow in the middle 300 pages but the flaws of the narrator were interesting. All about obsessive love, loss and self centredness really. Narrator is engaged to a woman whom he thinks he loves in a sensible kind of way. But he falls passionately in love with a much younger woman. It doesn’t occur to him to break off the engagement and spends the rest of his life regretting that.  Great to read after visiting the museum. 

hedera_helix's review against another edition

4.0

I'm very ambivalent about this book. I can't believe it took me so long to read! The middle 300 pages were long and repetitive. It definitely could have lost about 100 pages, except insofar its length was almost a mirror of the protagonists obsession and self-indulgence.

It's a very interesting book, though. Finally, I've finished a Pamuk book. I think that one of the things that I've disliked about Pamuk in the past is that his writing can be ambiguous and circular.

schnurln's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

pyalungan's review

reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

terrencelovesme's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No

1.5