Review of Orhan Pamuk's "Cevdet Bey and His Sons"

(Written: Aug. 30, 2011)

This book took about 300 pages to actually start (SIGN). I had to force myself to read it, just because I don't like unfinished books. Until about page 300 it merely recounted everyday facts "he went here, he drank tea, he thought what a boring man, the street was empty, he took a carriage, he snoozed for a bit..."

Then somewhere in the vicinity of page 320 the book actually started saying something. Only then did it become remotely interesting to see what it had to say, what it was actually written for.

The book jumped 30 years here, 3 months there, leaving created characters in the air without any explanation. Then later one of the personages would quite clumsily recount a few facts of what had happened in that time.

I know the writer got his Noble prize for "discovering new symbols for the clash and interlacing of cultures",  but for this book he could only get one award: award of never-ending exposition.

Although, in places I liked the writer's style, and I will try his other works like "My name is Red", I rate this book with one-and-a-half stars only - and that's plenty, I'd say.