Scan barcode
marcieh's review
It was so dull. I had to force myself to read this far. It was time to pick up something else.
christinefolan's review
2.0
I « finished » this book with about seventy pages to go and I couldn’t motivate myself to finish it. I loved the premise of a modern 1001 Nights and looked forward to Rushdie’s poetic style. However, I found the female characters to be flat and stereotypes, perpetuating harmful prejudices. And the story didn’t seem to have sufficient direction. It was like killing time between an interesting beginning and an ending that I just couldn’t sit around to wait for.
dilchh's review against another edition
5.0
I think this is a story of many things, at first I thought this was going to be a story poking questions on the endless fight between reasons and faith. And this is where things got a bit tricky for me, whilst I’m not necessarily a religious person, I also don’t entirely rebuke the existence of God or of a higher being, and I really am not looking to be reading a book where it argues about reason or faith, which trumps the other. Thankfully the story progresses into a more interesting layer. It still talks about religion, but it’s interesting because it is very relevance to today’s situation, and what’s eerie is Ghazali’s thoughts on fear directs people towards God, and look around, mate. Look. Around. The world is in shambles because people hides behind religion and fear, fear of God’s wrath.
The story is amazing, because this is about faith, reason, God, religion, fear, power, and love. It’s also amazing because it is very relevance, it will ignite fear in abled mind to think for yourself that if we are not careful, our world will succumb to the destruction that are caused by Zumurrudh and his cronies. It’s easier for the chaos that ensued in the book because we all know we have a group of Jinni to blame, but what of our world? For all I know, our destructions are the fruits of our own mistakes.
The story is amazing, because this is about faith, reason, God, religion, fear, power, and love. It’s also amazing because it is very relevance, it will ignite fear in abled mind to think for yourself that if we are not careful, our world will succumb to the destruction that are caused by Zumurrudh and his cronies. It’s easier for the chaos that ensued in the book because we all know we have a group of Jinni to blame, but what of our world? For all I know, our destructions are the fruits of our own mistakes.
lilcurious's review
Someone recommended this book to me as good first Rushdie, but maybe I should've just gone with the popular options.
I really liked the writing, so I'll certainly read more from him, but the book just had a lot of aspects that don't work for me. I wasn't aware this involves real life philosophers and I'm not big on alternate history, for example. The story is very fairy-tale/mythic like, with the usual character distance this brings with it, which I can like, but is also not my favorite thing. But mostly, I just reached 44% and the plot wasn't progressing, which I can be okay with if there is stronger character presence, but alas.
I really liked the writing, so I'll certainly read more from him, but the book just had a lot of aspects that don't work for me. I wasn't aware this involves real life philosophers and I'm not big on alternate history, for example. The story is very fairy-tale/mythic like, with the usual character distance this brings with it, which I can like, but is also not my favorite thing. But mostly, I just reached 44% and the plot wasn't progressing, which I can be okay with if there is stronger character presence, but alas.
tmathews0330's review
3.0
The universal truths that Rushdie is famous for were the redemptive moments that earned this book even three stars. The fantastical world was impossible to imagine and the characters so far distanced as to barely be seen, let alone felt. It was hard to get through.
johara's review
5.0
A couple of weeks ago, a bookseller in vienna asked me if I have ever read any of Rushdie's books and when I said no he proceeded to give me a copy of Two years eight months and twenty eight nights.
When I started reading it i was blown because I finally found a book that portrayed what a work of fiction should be like.
Starting with the endless debate between the enduring significance of religion in society and the philosophical proper reasoning, and ending with a collision of mythology and reality in a two worlds war. This book is a stunning literary piece of art.
When I started reading it i was blown because I finally found a book that portrayed what a work of fiction should be like.
Starting with the endless debate between the enduring significance of religion in society and the philosophical proper reasoning, and ending with a collision of mythology and reality in a two worlds war. This book is a stunning literary piece of art.
schatzkatze's review against another edition
challenging
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
Beschreibung eines epischen Kampfes zwischen den dunklen Dschinns (stehen für den dunklen Teil der menschlichen Seele inklusive Gottesgläubigkeit) und der guten Dschinni Dunia (steht für die guten und vernünftigen menschlichen Eigenschaften) und ihrer teilmenschlichen Nachkommen. Erzählt aus der Perspektive unserer Nachfahren in 1000 Jahren, die in einer diversen, toleranten und glücklichen Zukunft leben - allerdings ihre Fähigkeit nachts zu träumen verloren haben und sich manchmal sogar nach einem Alptraum sehnen.
enkb's review against another edition
inspiring
reflective
slow-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? It's complicated
3.75