octavia_cade's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.0
I enjoyed this, but I have to wonder if I would like it better if I had more familiarity with the history and culture involved. There are really two stories going on here: the first, which frames the narrative, is a fictionalised account of the imprisonment and subsequent execution of the Uzbek writer Abdulla Qodiriy in one of Stalin's many purges of people who might have disagreed with him even once, or could potentially do so in the future. I've had a similar story published on the Soviet biochemist Lina Stern, who was also persecuted in this way (but who thankfully survived) so I was interested to read a longer and more writer-centric version. Qodiriy was apparently working on his own historical novel, also set in Uzbekistan, at the time of his arrest. This work has been lost, and Ismailov tries to recreate it, having Qodiriy plotting out the story during his detention... but the stories begin to blur together, as deprivation, torture, and fear make Qodiriy stumble through his own creation.
It's very cleverly done - or at least I can see it's been cleverly done, even if I don't understand the extent of the cleverness. There's clearly a lot of historical and literary resonance here that I just don't get - time to add some central Asian history books to my to-read pile - and that's especially so when it comes to the poetry that's been included here. Uzbekistan, apparently, has a long and distinguished history of poetry, and of course I don't know anything about that either (I say with exasperation, annoyed at my own ignorance). Oh well, more background reading for me to do, then. As it is, there are times when I found this a little scattered, a little too fragmented... but I'm pretty sure it's my own lack of understanding that's contributing most to this impression.
It's very cleverly done - or at least I can see it's been cleverly done, even if I don't understand the extent of the cleverness. There's clearly a lot of historical and literary resonance here that I just don't get - time to add some central Asian history books to my to-read pile - and that's especially so when it comes to the poetry that's been included here. Uzbekistan, apparently, has a long and distinguished history of poetry, and of course I don't know anything about that either (I say with exasperation, annoyed at my own ignorance). Oh well, more background reading for me to do, then. As it is, there are times when I found this a little scattered, a little too fragmented... but I'm pretty sure it's my own lack of understanding that's contributing most to this impression.
fruitsandbarley's review
challenging
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
jochno's review against another edition
4.0
Whilst it was a bit slow to start and is initially difficult to understand if you don't know anything at all about Uzbek history, you soon become initiated into what is in all senses of the word, two novels in one. The first is of the writer, now political prisoner, Abdulla Qodiriy and the second is of his famous lost manuscript which he is writing in his head in jail. A book that is well-worth reading and certainly grew on me as it progressed.
sar4_ggg's review
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
thefatalflaw's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
You could not make literature out of meaningless death. Death had to interact with life. Life was not more expressive than love, because love was a life-giving force.
-
a difficult read due to dense language mixed with a slow pace and horrific subject matter. however, a comprehensive and informative look at Uzbek history (although as i went into this blind, i didn't learn until halfway that it was all based on real people and history...heartbreaking).
a difficult read due to dense language mixed with a slow pace and horrific subject matter. however, a comprehensive and informative look at Uzbek history (although as i went into this blind, i didn't learn until halfway that it was all based on real people and history...heartbreaking).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
Minor: Child death
claudiap's review
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
naddie_reads's review
3.75
"The Devils' Dance" is a fictional account of Abdulla Qodiriy, one of Uzbekistan's most well-loved literary figures. In 1938, he was imprisoned along with many other writers, poets, learned intellectuals, and professionals during Stalin's Great Terror, and many of them were dispatched off on trumped-up charges during this time.
In this, Ismailov imagines what the famous writer could have gone through while in prison. Additionally, there's another book within this book as Ismailov further extends his imagination to include Qodiriy's unfinished third novel titled Emir Umar's Slave Girl, rumored to have been completed but is now lost and presumably destroyed by the NKVD (Soviet Union's now-defunct agency tasked to look after prisons and labor camps, and is responsible for the prisoner massacre depicted in this book). So in essence, you have two books in "The Devils' Dance", wherein writer (& now political prisoner) Qodiriy spends his time in prison trying to finish his third novel in his head.
This is the second book I've read from Ismailov, and there's definitely a pattern to them. His novels tend to weave in the narrator's story with Asiatic folklore and poetry, which means we get several tales within a tale. Since there isn't much translation of Uzbek works readily available, I can't compare it with other novels written by Uzbek writers, but I have a feeling poetry plays a major role in their storytelling.
I'm still not too sure not to make of this one. While I enjoyed it for what it was, I still feel like the two threads of the story felt disjointed, almost as if they were haphazardly patched together. It does make for a rather disorienting read at times, trying to keep track of all the different characters and timelines running around the book. Ultimately, though, I'm glad I read this and I especially appreciated the afterword that gives the context of making sense of the intertwining storylines.
This book will not be for everyone and can be an acquired taste; it's best if you have some appreciation for non-linear storytelling and a semi-complex narrative. Also, get ready to crack your head open over the meaning of each poem and how it bears to the characters' present circumstances because there will be a lot of those. Best of luck!
In this, Ismailov imagines what the famous writer could have gone through while in prison. Additionally, there's another book within this book as Ismailov further extends his imagination to include Qodiriy's unfinished third novel titled Emir Umar's Slave Girl, rumored to have been completed but is now lost and presumably destroyed by the NKVD (Soviet Union's now-defunct agency tasked to look after prisons and labor camps, and is responsible for the prisoner massacre depicted in this book). So in essence, you have two books in "The Devils' Dance", wherein writer (& now political prisoner) Qodiriy spends his time in prison trying to finish his third novel in his head.
This is the second book I've read from Ismailov, and there's definitely a pattern to them. His novels tend to weave in the narrator's story with Asiatic folklore and poetry, which means we get several tales within a tale. Since there isn't much translation of Uzbek works readily available, I can't compare it with other novels written by Uzbek writers, but I have a feeling poetry plays a major role in their storytelling.
I'm still not too sure not to make of this one. While I enjoyed it for what it was, I still feel like the two threads of the story felt disjointed, almost as if they were haphazardly patched together. It does make for a rather disorienting read at times, trying to keep track of all the different characters and timelines running around the book. Ultimately, though, I'm glad I read this and I especially appreciated the afterword that gives the context of making sense of the intertwining storylines.
This book will not be for everyone and can be an acquired taste; it's best if you have some appreciation for non-linear storytelling and a semi-complex narrative. Also, get ready to crack your head open over the meaning of each poem and how it bears to the characters' present circumstances because there will be a lot of those. Best of luck!
fuzzyhebrew's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I was devastated when I learned that all the characters in this book are real people who really experienced the horrors depicted. This book does a great job of capturing the despair and hope in hopeless situations, and really expressed the love for literature and poetry in Uzbekistan. I felt engulfed in the culture. I would recommend this book to anyone, but it does take some effort to get through as the language can be very flowery and the poetry can be elusive.