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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
applesaucecreachur's review
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Was this book good? Not really, no. Did I enjoy it? What the heck, yes.
This was my formal introduction to Salman Rushdie and his distinctive writing style. I found it both refreshing and aggravating. As a lover of generous space between periods, I appreciated how a single one of Rushdie's sentences could go on for paragraphs. This ambitious bending of rules was less endearing when it became rambling sheets of purple prose told from vacillating perspectives. These perspectives belonged to flat characters who made for decent but tooth-grittingly unlikeable plot devices. Impressively, the female characters took this a step further by serving as over-sexualized witnesses to the chaotic clash between the jinni and human worlds. Particularly the three female love interests, Dunia/the Lightning Princess/Aasmaan Peri/Skyfairy , Ella Manezes, and Alexandra Bliss Fariña/The Lady Philosopher (when a title unnecessarily includes the holder's gender, you can bet it was given by a man), were all significantly younger than their male lovers. And what's more, their author chose to highlight this. The male characters were flat, but the female characters were flatter... while still managing to have curves, of course.
Oh but characters and self-importance aside, Rushdie has a beautiful lilt to his prose and some of his philosophical musings landed with me (bits about time, about loving, about the nature of being human and of being, the like). I hope whoever finds this copy in a Little Free Library will both critique and enjoy their time in its pages.
This was my formal introduction to Salman Rushdie and his distinctive writing style. I found it both refreshing and aggravating. As a lover of generous space between periods, I appreciated how a single one of Rushdie's sentences could go on for paragraphs. This ambitious bending of rules was less endearing when it became rambling sheets of purple prose told from vacillating perspectives. These perspectives belonged to flat characters who made for decent but tooth-grittingly unlikeable plot devices. Impressively, the female characters took this a step further by serving as over-sexualized witnesses to the chaotic clash between the jinni and human worlds. Particularly the three female love interests, Dunia
Oh but characters and self-importance aside, Rushdie has a beautiful lilt to his prose and some of his philosophical musings landed with me (bits about time, about loving, about the nature of being human and of being, the like). I hope whoever finds this copy in a Little Free Library will both critique and enjoy their time in its pages.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Gore, Violence, Grief, and Sexual content
Minor: Sexual violence, Car accident, War, and Incest
dobermaier's review
challenging
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I love Rushdie and enjoyed it like I have everything I've read from him. BUT I did find this one a little hard to get into. I really liked it, but at the same time it didn't suck me in. Definitely gave me some Ursula K. Le Guin vibes. Reflects on spirituality, rationality, pessimism, optimism, and full of his usual whimsy and magical realism.
kate56's review
5.0
Rushdie made so many points about human nature in this fairy tale-some subtle, some obvious. Attributing events to magic or powers from another world just clarifies the silliness of ignoring our current world realities (or attributing them to a god)? I love this book:)
claudia_is_reading's review against another edition
4.25
Imaginative, full of fantasy and allegories this might not be the best Rushdie's book but it's still a damn good one.