Fiction
Verdict: Read it
Orhan Pamuk is another name that has been bouncing around my pinterest like a superball. Remember those? So much fun.
Orhan Pamuk is a Turkish writer. This is the first novel of his that I have read. I came away with mixed feelings. He explores a complicated family with a very complicated (one would wonder narcissistic?) grandmother. The grandkids gather from different corners to spend the summer with her. Unlike her househelp, a little person named Recep, her grandkids won't be bossed around or cowed by her. I won't give away the ending because it's a surprise, but man was this book a ride.
Upon reading certain authors from certain backgrounds, one can notice a heaviness in the tone and in this novel, I was waiting for a huge shoe to drop. It didn't drop like I expected, but it wasn't your usual happy or resolved ending. I'm not sure if I like it or not honestly.
I'm guessing Pamuk draws on some of his own experiences from family and relationships, and watching these relationships unfold is an interesting and uncomfortable process. One sees how history echoes, certain experiences last (the grandmother's crazy is a result of a less than stable partner and being stuck her whole life), and how differently people from the same family become and cope with difficult situations. It's fascinating in a train wreck uncomfortable way. But you can't look away, you have to keep watching until the end.
I found the pacing slightly slow in certain places, but that may just be my preference. I look forward to exploring more from Orhan Pamuk. Definitely worth the read for the cultural value and the unspoken family analysis.
Read it!
~Becky~
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