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The Museum of Innocence
The Museum of Innocence | Orhan Pamuk
The Museum of Innocence - set in Istanbul between 1975 and today - tells the story of Kemal, the son of one of Istanbul's richest families, and of his obsessive love for a poor and distant relation, the beautiful Fusun, who is a shop-girl in a small boutique. In his romantic pursuit of Fsun over the next eight years, Kemal compulsively amasses a collection of objects that chronicles his lovelorn progress-a museum that is both a map of a society and of his heart. The novel depicts a panoramic view of life in Istanbul as it chronicles this long, obsessive love affair; and Pamuk beautifully captures the identity crisis experienced by Istanbul's upper classes that find themselves caught between traditional and westernised ways of being. Orhan Pamuk's first novel since winning the Nobel Prize is a stirring love story and exploration of the nature of romance. Pamuk built The Museum of Innocence in the house in which his hero's fictional family lived, to display Kemal's strange collection of objects associated with Fusun and their relationship. The house opened to the public in 2012 in the Beyoglu district of Istanbul. 'Pamuk has created a work concerning romantic love worthy to stand in the company of Lolita, Madame Bovary and Anna Karenina.' --Financial Times
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review
Decalino
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Pickpick

An intricately detailed, meditative account of obsessive love set in 1970s Istanbul, this novel brings its narrator's world to vivid life. Kemal, son of a wealthy family, seems destined for a happy marriage and bright future until his fixation on a beautiful shopgirl becomes the focal point of his life. Somehow this hyperfocus gives the book a surreal air, the internal workings of Kemal's mind taking precedent over any other point of view.

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Parvez
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Pickpick

The story is about a wealthy businessman, Kemal Bey, and his obsessive love for a young shop girl, Fusum. Unlike other Pamuk's novels, Istambul takes a backseat, however, we also get a fine portrait of 70's Istanbuls well as an exploration of the concept of memory and how it shapes our lives.

The writing is lyrical, however, the story drags in the middle as we get into the headspace of Kemal.

4out of 5 stars

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azulaco
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I am slowly making my way through this physical book as I have time for it. I bought it several years ago, and it didn‘t hold my interest. Now I‘m savoring the prose and the slow pace. I like that it‘s set in Istanbul in the 1970s. I know so little about Istanbul, and I‘m comparing it against my memories of 1970s America.

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DavidThePavid
Mehso-so

Good but a bit long

quote
kingdomofbookss
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"I realized that the longing for art, like the longing for love, is a malady that blinds us, and makes us forget the things we already know, obscuring reality."
-Orhan Pamuk, The Museum Of Innocence

MrBook #NiceStack! Welcome to @Litsy ! We hope you enjoy your stay with us 😊👍🏻. We're the most positive, tight-knit, passionate bibliophile community you'll meet. Careful: this'll take over your life. 😂👏🏻🙌🏻 7y
BooksTeasAndBookishThings Welcome to Litsy!!! 😊❤️🙌📚🎉 7y
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Jenni_Capps Loving your page!! Welcome to Litsy!! ♥️♥️♥️ 7y
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sofiaga
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The Museum of Innocence in Istanbul is a beautiful little gem and the only place I know that brings a book to life without ruining your emotions. Listening to passages of the book made me want to instantly read the novel. If you are ever there, please visit.

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review
Jex
Panpan

I wanted to like this book, I really did. But the narrator came off as icky and sad. I couldn't help thinking through the entire story, "If a guy stalks you this hard, please call the police, that is not a healthy love."

Stephkesey I threw this book across the room. I never want to read another book by an old male author fantasizing his way into a relationship with a young woman. Gross. 6y
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