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frasersimons
Shook.
How clever. What a fantastic concept and execution. You do notice a bit of weird translation stuff from time to time, but it is far from a bad translation, thankfully. The narrator does a good job with it as well.
I have not actually read Frankenstein, and I bet I’d have liked this even more had I. Even without, this is such a compelling and interesting book, so different than the approach of a western author, and subversive in satisfying, sometimes horrific, ways.
How clever. What a fantastic concept and execution. You do notice a bit of weird translation stuff from time to time, but it is far from a bad translation, thankfully. The narrator does a good job with it as well.
I have not actually read Frankenstein, and I bet I’d have liked this even more had I. Even without, this is such a compelling and interesting book, so different than the approach of a western author, and subversive in satisfying, sometimes horrific, ways.
I love short stories that are unified. They bypass the only detriment of collected short story collections where it’s so discordant. This has good narration too, and that, I think, makes it even more feel cohesive since it’s the same voice telling these stories. I imagine the print version might feel differently.
There is some really vivid images in this that come from well crafted moments with prose that aren’t punched up to be emotionally manipulative, which makes them kind of haunting in a mundane way, which I thought was really respectful of the subject matter and hyper effective.
As you’d expect, there is some subject matter that is hard to listen to, all of it being from a woman’s perspective and unyielding means that you’re gonna be in it; so be ready for that.
There is some really vivid images in this that come from well crafted moments with prose that aren’t punched up to be emotionally manipulative, which makes them kind of haunting in a mundane way, which I thought was really respectful of the subject matter and hyper effective.
As you’d expect, there is some subject matter that is hard to listen to, all of it being from a woman’s perspective and unyielding means that you’re gonna be in it; so be ready for that.
Gaiman is always a solid read for me. I like his voice. He takes great care in crafting the cadence of things and if you hear him read his stories then things click. Sometimes this works well, other times it feels a bit off, a bit too manufactured in order to sound fairy-tale esk. It makes it so most his books are just okay for me, with a couple exceptions.
That, in tandem with short story collections, which are always up and down. I don’t think I’ve ever read a collection where every story was great for me. Some stories are great, some I actually would just skip ahead, which is one of the joys of collections, imo. Don’t like a story? Turn 5 pages and start a new one. You’re all set.
That, in tandem with short story collections, which are always up and down. I don’t think I’ve ever read a collection where every story was great for me. Some stories are great, some I actually would just skip ahead, which is one of the joys of collections, imo. Don’t like a story? Turn 5 pages and start a new one. You’re all set.
Please be aware that this is not Rumi. Barks never actually translated Rumi and couldn’t read the language it was written in and westernizes and, often, paints it with a Christian brush despite saying religion is “secondary” to his poems. Complete nonsense.
“Discussing these New Age “translations,” Safi said, “I see a type of ‘spiritual colonialism’ at work here: bypassing, erasing, and occupying a spiritual landscape that has been lived and breathed and internalized by Muslims from Bosnia and Istanbul to Konya and Iran to Central and South Asia.” Extracting the spiritual from the religious context has deep reverberations. Islam is regularly diagnosed as a “cancer,” including by General Michael Flynn, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for national-security adviser, and, even today, policymakers suggest that non-Western and nonwhite groups have not contributed to civilization.
“For his part, Barks sees religion as secondary to the essence of Rumi. “Religion is such a point of contention for the world,” he told me. “I got my truth and you got your truth—this is just absurd. We’re all in this together and I’m trying to open my heart, and Rumi’s poetry helps with that.” One might detect in this philosophy something of Rumi’s own approach to poetry:
“Rumi often amended texts from the Koran so that they would fit the lyrical rhyme and meter of the Persian verse. But while Rumi’s Persian readers would recognize the tactic, most American readers are unaware of the Islamic blueprint. Safi has compared reading Rumi without the Koran to reading Milton without the Bible: even if Rumi was heterodox, it’s important to recognize that he was heterodox in a Muslim context—and that Islamic culture, centuries ago, had room for such heterodoxy. Rumi’s works are not just layered with religion; they represent the historical dynamism within Islamic scholarship.”
https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/the-erasure-of-islam-from-the-poetry-of-rumi/amp
“Discussing these New Age “translations,” Safi said, “I see a type of ‘spiritual colonialism’ at work here: bypassing, erasing, and occupying a spiritual landscape that has been lived and breathed and internalized by Muslims from Bosnia and Istanbul to Konya and Iran to Central and South Asia.” Extracting the spiritual from the religious context has deep reverberations. Islam is regularly diagnosed as a “cancer,” including by General Michael Flynn, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for national-security adviser, and, even today, policymakers suggest that non-Western and nonwhite groups have not contributed to civilization.
“For his part, Barks sees religion as secondary to the essence of Rumi. “Religion is such a point of contention for the world,” he told me. “I got my truth and you got your truth—this is just absurd. We’re all in this together and I’m trying to open my heart, and Rumi’s poetry helps with that.” One might detect in this philosophy something of Rumi’s own approach to poetry:
“Rumi often amended texts from the Koran so that they would fit the lyrical rhyme and meter of the Persian verse. But while Rumi’s Persian readers would recognize the tactic, most American readers are unaware of the Islamic blueprint. Safi has compared reading Rumi without the Koran to reading Milton without the Bible: even if Rumi was heterodox, it’s important to recognize that he was heterodox in a Muslim context—and that Islamic culture, centuries ago, had room for such heterodoxy. Rumi’s works are not just layered with religion; they represent the historical dynamism within Islamic scholarship.”
https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/the-erasure-of-islam-from-the-poetry-of-rumi/amp
The overarching plot is fun, atmospheric, and has a lot of character in the prose. It feels a bit puffed up, lots of unnecessary description and while every chapter has a point to it, it still feels like the pacing is a bit off because of the overwriting of the sometimes mundane activities. It is really concerned with dictating every movement of Daniel from minute to minute once it frames a scene.
While quite a lot happens I also wouldn’t say it’s overly complex and it foreshadows are a bit heavy handed. Still quite fun to watch everything unfold though. You probably know exactly who the stranger is who approaches him early on, but quite a lot happens in the space of that time that the tension grows. Lots of characters ooze personality, so much so that I’m not sure Daniel drives that much of the story after the getting to know him initially. He is driven by the same motivations as the reader, for the most part. The subplots are interesting because of the characters he interacts with. That could be why it felt long periodically... maybe just when he is alone and not interacting with a person I grew bored of him.
Regardless, it was a good time. I wondered sometimes about the translation. Some people mention being annoyed by the dialogue, as that’s not how people spoke at that time. It’s all from Daniel’s perspective though, so perhaps it’s just how he remembers it, or perhaps the translation didn’t pay attention to that and used newer vernacular for this English version? Though there are some great 5 dollar words that come up and it felt well handled. Good flow, intent matched expression and dialogue. Either way, whatever the ‘issue’, the only complaint I had were the times it dragged and was pretty uneven in terms of pacing, and even tonal shifts can be jarring and strange. I am not against a mystery with some tropes and foreshadowing when things feel earned, and this, I think does do that.
While quite a lot happens I also wouldn’t say it’s overly complex and it foreshadows are a bit heavy handed. Still quite fun to watch everything unfold though. You probably know exactly who the stranger is who approaches him early on, but quite a lot happens in the space of that time that the tension grows. Lots of characters ooze personality, so much so that I’m not sure Daniel drives that much of the story after the getting to know him initially. He is driven by the same motivations as the reader, for the most part. The subplots are interesting because of the characters he interacts with. That could be why it felt long periodically... maybe just when he is alone and not interacting with a person I grew bored of him.
Regardless, it was a good time. I wondered sometimes about the translation. Some people mention being annoyed by the dialogue, as that’s not how people spoke at that time. It’s all from Daniel’s perspective though, so perhaps it’s just how he remembers it, or perhaps the translation didn’t pay attention to that and used newer vernacular for this English version? Though there are some great 5 dollar words that come up and it felt well handled. Good flow, intent matched expression and dialogue. Either way, whatever the ‘issue’, the only complaint I had were the times it dragged and was pretty uneven in terms of pacing, and even tonal shifts can be jarring and strange. I am not against a mystery with some tropes and foreshadowing when things feel earned, and this, I think does do that.
2.5
Thematically tight and good, universal so it holds up well. The craft is quite odd, I feel like this must be for a parent to read to a child? The structure and verbiage and all around vocabulary is beyond the intended audience, for sure. You’d have a kid pause and ask you wtf these words were had you been reading it to them.
But the dialogue is discordant with the structure as well. It’s very pastoral small upper class British child in a private school. Very proper and highly energetic, to like a degree that wouldn’t be believable.
And then, to top it off, it’s also incredibly self aware, which was the largest fault for me. When a magic boy starts talking about microscopes and microbes and what not, I’m out of the fantasy story, understandably.
It’s totally swingy as well. Like… literally talking about lynching a person for being Othered by the town. Not killed, though that’s mentioned too, by actually lynched. Published in ‘68, it shows. It really does. There’s casual misogyny while tying, ironically, to not be misogynistic and objectifying of Jane, one of the main characters. And there’s lots of casual racism around cultures the author just hasn’t got a proper handle on whatsoever. From evil “Gypsy” to “oriental” people. I have to imagine it’s a huge nostalgia read because people.
I know are progressives really like this novel. And I can see how the ending would stay with you, especially at a young age. It just really feels weird now, given context. It’s barely a pass for me.
Thematically tight and good, universal so it holds up well. The craft is quite odd, I feel like this must be for a parent to read to a child? The structure and verbiage and all around vocabulary is beyond the intended audience, for sure. You’d have a kid pause and ask you wtf these words were had you been reading it to them.
But the dialogue is discordant with the structure as well. It’s very pastoral small upper class British child in a private school. Very proper and highly energetic, to like a degree that wouldn’t be believable.
And then, to top it off, it’s also incredibly self aware, which was the largest fault for me. When a magic boy starts talking about microscopes and microbes and what not, I’m out of the fantasy story, understandably.
It’s totally swingy as well. Like… literally talking about lynching a person for being Othered by the town. Not killed, though that’s mentioned too, by actually lynched. Published in ‘68, it shows. It really does. There’s casual misogyny while tying, ironically, to not be misogynistic and objectifying of Jane, one of the main characters. And there’s lots of casual racism around cultures the author just hasn’t got a proper handle on whatsoever. From evil “Gypsy” to “oriental” people. I have to imagine it’s a huge nostalgia read because people.
I know are progressives really like this novel. And I can see how the ending would stay with you, especially at a young age. It just really feels weird now, given context. It’s barely a pass for me.
