Name: Museum of Innocence
Rating: 3.556818181818182 (44 reviews)
ISBN: 9780676979695

Orhan Pamuk

Maureen Freely

Museum of Innocence

Ending his engagement to pursue a married cousin, Kemal unsuccessfully woos the woman over the course of nine years, during which he amasses personal effects that reflect his obsession and render him a laughingstock among his peers. By the Nobel Prize-winning author of My Name Is Red.

The Museum of Innocence

Karpe Diez

I chose this book during my quest to get acquainted with recent Nobel winners (in literature). I should have probably started with (one of) Orhan Pamuk's books for which he got the prize as this book is not really rewarding, from a reader's point of view. I find the perspective on love and relationships very superficial, with a high degree of ambiguity that, taking into account it is rendered from an man's point of view, it is highly annoying. And the perspective on social transformations on the path of "westernization" a bit showy, stereotypical and, again, missing depth. I also find the main character hypocritical when mocking other wealthy Turks for their obsession with westernization since he himself seems to enjoy plunging into its symbols of elitism. Another instance where I find the entire tone of the story hypocritical is when mocking conservative wealthy Turks' choice of having multiple spouses. The main character himself exhibits no moral or sentimental barrier (on the contrary, is quite content with it) in engaging in two parallel relationships that would fulfill his needs both to maintain his social status and personal sexual and romantic aspirations. <br /><br />However, if I were to put on the critic's hat and totally detach myself from the topics covered, I would definitely need to agree that the story is very well told. Surprisingly, I found it gets even better in the second or even third part of the book, leave aside it's getting a bit repetitive (and, hence, with a touch of boring). 

Irene Alegre

I have spent 19 days reading this novel. At a rate of an average of 3 books a month for the year 2013, this will mean I am further away from my own record than I was back in May. It's been worth it.

I wish the novel had been 200 pages shorter though, but I don't know if I would have felt Kemal's obsession so much if it weren't for the extension of a novel and the chapters dedicated to Füsun's way of eating, watching movies or smoking. Maybe they were necessary, in all their dullness.


But what I really, really, really loved was the ending. Not the story's ending, the novel's. I liked the point were Pamuk shows up and is asked to finish the story himself (ironic, I know). And that last line almost made me cry (doesn't happen very often).

It's a beautiful novel, and one I might re-read at some point in my life.

Masumiyet Muzesi

Gulshan Hasanzada

Orhan Pamukun Nobel mükafatı aldıqdan sonra yayımlanan ilk əsəri. Eyniadlı muzeyi açdıqdan sonra yazdığı son cümlədə "Mən əşyalar toplayırdım və onlara baxıb əsər yaratdım" deyib.

elə ilk cümlələriylə dəvətkar şəkildə insanı öz daxili aləmində qara yox məhz rəngarəng dəliyə aparan kitabdır:

"hayatımın en mutlu anıymış, bilmiyordum. bilseydim bu mutluluğu koruyabilir, her şey de bambaşka gelişebilir miydi? evet, bunun hayatımın en mutlu anı olduğunu anlayabilseydim, asla kaçırmazdım o mutluluğu. derin bir huzurla her yerimi saran o harika altın an belki birkaç saniye sürmüştü, ama mutluluk bana saatlerce, yıllarca gibi gelmişti."

592 səhifə, 3071 paragraf, 140 366 kəlimə sayına sahib kitabı mənə görə çox qısa müddətə bitirdim, çox sıx qrafikli işdə işləməsəydim, hətta lap tez axırına çatardım.

Carroll Lachnit

Good, but strange book (as was "Snow"). I liked it, but overall, what I really want to do is visit the museum, which Pamuk created in Istanbul.

Museum of Innocence

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