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mollynasser's review against another edition
لا تستأهل كل الضجة التي أثيرت حولها، فالرواية تظل مجرد رواية ولا أدري ما دخل العقائد بخيال الكتاب؟
وهل التاريخ أوالدين الإسلامي بهذه الهشاشة حتي يشوهه خيال روائي؟!
وهل التاريخ أوالدين الإسلامي بهذه الهشاشة حتي يشوهه خيال روائي؟!
dimitrov_'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
thaurisil's review against another edition
2.0
This book is about two men who survive a fall from an airplane in London. In the process, one man, Gibreel Farishta, grows a halo, while the other, Saladin Chamcha, grows horns and thick hair on his legs. Over the next few months, Gibreel has dreams in which he appears as the archangel Gibreel, one of which involves Prophet Mohammed. While awake, Gibreel struggles in a destructive relationship with Allie Cone, an Everest conqueror, and has delusions of himself as an angel. Saladin meanwhile turns into the devil, then turns back to human after a burst of rage. He returns to his house to find that his wife, thinking him dead, has a new lover and is pregnant, and that he has lost his job as well. Gibreel and Saladin eventually turn into enemies and Saladin destroys Gibreel's relationship with Allie out of jealousy. At the end, he rediscovers his roots in India, but Gibreel kills himself after murdering Allie and film producer Sisodia in an episode of insanity.
How do I rate a book that I don't understand? It wasn't just the Islamic references, for I had a guide to help me understand those. Rather, it was that while the subjects of the book were pretty clear, I had no idea what messages Rushdie was trying to convey on these subjects. For example, Islam was a major topic, but was Rushdie advocating it or otherwise? Gibreel became an angel and Saladin became a devil, but why and how much of it was just part of their imagination? What did Gibreel's dreams mean? What did the devil, who was the narrator, have to do with anything? Similarly, I noticed the parallel events and motifs, but I had no idea what their purposes were.
Then there was the last chapter, where Saladin, who had left his estranged father to live in London for several years, returned to his father's deathbed in India and regained his original name of Salahuddin. After so much ambiguity and magicality, the ending felt so uncharacteristically normal. Sure, it gave perhaps the only clear message of the book about belonging in the place where one grew up, but it felt a little too nice and tidy.
The best part, as with all of Rushdie's books, was the language. It was so beautiful I didn't even get bored while reading pages and pages of meaningless background on the characters, major or minor. Unfortunately, language alone can't save a book.
How do I rate a book that I don't understand? It wasn't just the Islamic references, for I had a guide to help me understand those. Rather, it was that while the subjects of the book were pretty clear, I had no idea what messages Rushdie was trying to convey on these subjects. For example, Islam was a major topic, but was Rushdie advocating it or otherwise? Gibreel became an angel and Saladin became a devil, but why and how much of it was just part of their imagination? What did Gibreel's dreams mean? What did the devil, who was the narrator, have to do with anything? Similarly, I noticed the parallel events and motifs, but I had no idea what their purposes were.
Then there was the last chapter, where Saladin, who had left his estranged father to live in London for several years, returned to his father's deathbed in India and regained his original name of Salahuddin. After so much ambiguity and magicality, the ending felt so uncharacteristically normal. Sure, it gave perhaps the only clear message of the book about belonging in the place where one grew up, but it felt a little too nice and tidy.
The best part, as with all of Rushdie's books, was the language. It was so beautiful I didn't even get bored while reading pages and pages of meaningless background on the characters, major or minor. Unfortunately, language alone can't save a book.
monchy's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-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
5.0
chrismologos's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I did really enjoy this book, and I took a lot from it.
But also, it was *so* wide ranging, there were times I felt like I missed bits, or bits that didn't seem to tie in.
I really liked some of the characters, and the shifting perspective gave little moments of insight that really got to the heart of some of the themes of the novel. But again, the cast was so large that there were some characters I felt like I kept forgetting, or couldn't keep up with; and others who I expected (/hoped?) to come back and have more of a role.
Ultimately, tho, a still-relevant critique of race and racism in Britain and the global "postcolonial"...
But also, it was *so* wide ranging, there were times I felt like I missed bits, or bits that didn't seem to tie in.
I really liked some of the characters, and the shifting perspective gave little moments of insight that really got to the heart of some of the themes of the novel. But again, the cast was so large that there were some characters I felt like I kept forgetting, or couldn't keep up with; and others who I expected (/hoped?) to come back and have more of a role.
Ultimately, tho, a still-relevant critique of race and racism in Britain and the global "postcolonial"...
anteus7's review against another edition
5.0
A difficult text, this. The writing is not the hard part for me--rather, keeping track of the shifting characters, who they are, where they are, what they are...that was the hard part. I loved the opening and the heavy-handed symbolism. Then everything went a blurry shade of magical realism (magical unrealism?).
I picked this up because I'd never read it and wanted to try to understand what prompted the attack on the author a couple of months ago. I don't think I ever will understand that kind of anger and hatred though.
I picked this up because I'd never read it and wanted to try to understand what prompted the attack on the author a couple of months ago. I don't think I ever will understand that kind of anger and hatred though.
suicidylan_epub's review against another edition
5.0
Tú lees Los versos satánicos para conocer el contexto de la fatwa.
Yo leo (y alabo) Los versos satánicos para enfrentarme a la fatwa.
Por supuesto que no somos iguales.
(Reseña a profundidad en caso de que Salman Rushdie gane el Nobel).
Yo leo (y alabo) Los versos satánicos para enfrentarme a la fatwa.
Por supuesto que no somos iguales.
(Reseña a profundidad en caso de que Salman Rushdie gane el Nobel).
dadtheroadmasterowner's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0