A review by cynicalraven
Alamut. La Fortezza by Vladimir Bartol

slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

Gaslighting: the book.

Okay, so. You read this book essentially just for one reason, you don't exactly look for books and randomly find this one and decide it was worth a shot. 

So of you're here expecting something along the lines of "safety and peace" "your presence here will deliver us both" I suggest you go back. 

Let me start by saying that mysogyny and racism prevented me to enjoy this book fully, but I should've probably expected it considering it's set in the 11th century.

I gave the book 2 stars but it should have been one because the book is just badly written: the majority of characters have no purpose and do not to move the plot forward. It's not one stars because I find Seyduna funny and he's a great antagonist (also main character?).

Seyduna is the chief of Alamut's castle. He founded a cult and posed himself as the prophet, and we see him recruiting boys for his cause and indoctrinating them.

The book starts with Halima, a young (13?14?) girl who finds herself in a garden surrounded by other girls like herself, being thought literature and music. 

This covers like 8 damn chapters in which absolutely nothing happens. It also leads you to think that she's going to be, if not the main character, at least someone with a relevance. Wrong. The "main" female character turn out to be Miriam, who takes Halima under her wings. Unlike Halima, Miriam is capable of thinking with her head and of putting 2 + 2. 
both completely useless because they both kill themselves. If Halima's death was somewhat understandable -or maybe not because she falls in love with someone who basically rapes her and consequently kills herself for love- Miriam's death happens simply because the author did not not what do with her character
Halima specifically serves absolutely no use to the plot. You could remove her from the books and event would still happen in the same way they did. Which makes the whole initial third of the book completely useless. it's also worth noting that every single female character in the book is a sex slave. I'd say sex worker but they are forced and brainwashed to do it, so. 

In the first third of the book we are also introduced to ibn Tahir, who is the real main character for most of the book. He's brainwashed into the cult and becomes the best soldier/adept.
the realizes he was tricked, decides to kill the Seyduna, the Seyduna basically tells him he sees him as a son -despite actually having a biological son: he gets him decapitated. Ah, fatherhood. - gives him some money and sends to India to study, despite confessing being the reason of ibn Tahir's friends' death. Tahir accepts and is never seen again.
and again, at a certain point of the story he vanishes just because the author did not know how to resolve his storyline. 

People in the book are so stupid it's funny, or maybe it's just the power of brainwashing. 

Another thing that infuriates me is anachronism, because there are quite a few. At a certain point the book mentions atoms, except that the whole thing is set during the eleventh century. 

Also, I don't know if the Italian translation is that bad or if it is the book that is that bad, but every black character is described with the n-word. Fitting for the time? Racism? Just be careful if it something that bothers you.
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