The Satanic Verses: A Novel | 
so-soIf you took the weirdest Kurt Vonnegut novel and inserted a dose of dark stuff, complicated writing, made it way too long, and also took most of the fun out of it, you'd have this book. There are parts of it that are engrossing. There are many parts of it that are overwritten and almost unbearably complex. I'm not ashamed to admit that I had no idea what was going on in the first chapter. I had to google it.
pickI remember when this book came outand all the outrage over certain passages. There are some interesting passages, but a lot of the time it feels overwritten and confusing. There are a lot of characters introduced and many of them make more than one appearance. The two main characters are not very likable. I feel like this could have been much shorter and still gotten the point accross. Still, there are portions of the book that will stick with me.
so-soI finished this on the last day of August to complete the #authoramonth2023 challenge.It had been sitting on my bookshelves since 1989. It was a struggle for me,but I was determined to finish it to honor Salman Rushdie,who nearly died for writing this book.At first,I was fascinated with the main characters,Gibreel,the movie star/angel and Saladin of the many voices as they fell from the sky.Then it became very strange.I started to lose my way.
#AuthorAMonth I have mixed feelings about our author this month. In the end I‘m bailing on 2 of his books and not finishing any, but I also kind of love his writing, am glad I got this introduction to it, and will definitely return to him sometime when I‘m in a different mindframe. I read the first few chapters of this and immediately knew I would have been obsessed with it as a teenager when I was reading a lot of Tom Robbins and Kurt Vonnegut.⬇️
pickTwo men literally fall out of the sky after their plane is hijacked. Both survive & one goes on to a devil like role and the other to play out the angel part. Then it gets nuts. There are historical flashbacks, ghosts, gods, prophets, & your never sure what is real 🐐
But in my opinion it's worth the craziness. Although I would like to suggest the audio version & Tears For Fears 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World' really works.
#TitlesAndTunes
so-soWell, this wasn't for me. For some reason the book just didn't grab my attention. Every now and then there were some interesting parts, but all in all it's just a shrug to me. I can't even review it. But at least I know now why it got all that negative attention. That's also why I can't rate it as a Pan, because too many people got hurt and I have to keep that in mind. For a free and open world.
Last weekend I went to an exibition called “Satanic verses & banned books” in Zurich. It was very interesting and explained why books have been banned through the ages.
A few of us after our discussion of “The Satanic Verses.” We were all proud to have tackled this challenging book. Onward!
I‘m glad to have finished this. I am hoping book club discussion this weekend will help illuminate this for me. I struggled mightily with this book, but I got through it.
Me, starting about 8 pm any Friday night, thinking about reading quietly in my pjs. #TrueStory
Halfway point achieved. Book club discussion of first half this Saturday. One of the most challenging books I‘ve ever read.
I‘m heading into the 4th part of “The Satanic Verses” for book club next weekend, and part of my prep is reading the chapter synopsis for the next part so I have some idea what the hell I‘m reading. After part 3 and this preview of the next part, I‘m feeling a bit like George Costanza on Seinfeld when he finds himself saying to Susan‘s parents, “All right, we‘re taking it up a notch!” #FirstSaturdayReaders
Actual photo of me after finishing Part 1 of this month‘s book club book, Salman Rushdie‘s “The Satanic Verses.” #FirstSaturdayReaders #UhOh
Starting this for book club. We are spreading this over two months. I admit I have been feeling apprehensive about tackling this book. #FirstSaturdayReaders
pickNot bad, not sure what all the fuss is about. Solidarity with the author. If you don‘t like it, don‘t read it.
“A poem cannot stop a bullet. A novel can‘t defuse a bomb … But we are not helpless … We can sing the truth & name the liars.” - Salman Rushdie
This happened at the Chautauqua Institute, just down the road from my town. Hope Rushdie pulls through, though it doesn't sound great...
https://www.npr.org/2022/08/12/1117164727/author-salman-rushdie-was-attacked-on-...
pickI did It! It only took me 41 days to read it. 😂 This was my 2nd Rushdie, so I was used to his style which helped.
A wild ride about faith, belonging, prejudice, xenophobia, etc. all told in a jumbled, often absurd story. Two men descend from the sky, one an angel and one a devil...but which has free will? What is evil and does our interpretation change based on who is committing the act and why? Who can be redeemed? #DashingDecember
pickThis was a superbly written book, although also somewhat cacophonous regarding its number of narratives spread over thousands of years (from the establishment of holy Mecca to 1980s London) but which all share a disorienting parallel in characters and motifs. Really enjoyed the author's exploration of what separates dreams/madness from the realm of holy visions and how either can bring out both humanity's most virtuous and most despicable acts.
Another long awaited TBR book. Very curious as to what exact elements in the novel unleashed that famous (and still standing?) fatwa upon Rushdie, as well as an immense battle between those who believe it a book that blasphemes the Islamic Prophet Mohammad and those protesting religious censorship.
Day 28: Here are #3Books #BannedBooksIHaventRead - I actually left my copy of tagged book in Singapore with a friend because I was afraid it will be confiscated here in the UAE.
I‘m excited to try Book Spin for the first time. These have been books on my list for a long time. Thank you @TheAromaofBooks for hosting the Book Spin! #bookspin #doublespin
I am posting one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join the fun if you want.
This is day 133 #bookstoread #tbrpile #bookstagram
‘The archangel sings to me,‘ she admitted, ‘to the tunes of popular hit songs.‘
“ Now I know what a ghost is. Unfinished business, that‘s what.” #readyoursign progress so far 📖☠️sooo many to go yet but I‘m almost halfway! 📚
I think I want to read this, but I have a very complicated relationship with Rushdie‘s work...
#Verse #AcrossApril @Eggs
Day 18 - #Verse #AcrossApril
#TheSatanicVerses #SalmanRushdie
I have a copy of this book but have not read it yet! It is on the #1001BooksToReadBeforeYouDie list.
#7days7books Day 5
An all-time favorite. Salman Rushdie can really be the best storyteller, taking me to places beyond my imagination 💕
You wanna join @thebluestocking and @readordierachel ? Share 7 books that have been important to you. No explanation needed.
Good day! Long story short,I lost my original Hardcover of The Satanic Verses in a break up with a boyfriend years ago.Found this lovely copy for 25 cents today.
pickThis book took me a bit to read and digest. Salman Rushdie has turned into one of my favorite writers and his book did not disappoint. I enjoyed the many elements of magical realism and how they made the story. I also found the plot compelling and thought that the messages got across.
Uk littens bbc Iplayer has a program on the satanic 30 years on that is super interesting.
I‘m really going to recommend it for getting the background politics and lots of different points of views on the book.
I‘ve learnt a lot and got a lot to think about it. Thought you guys would be interested. Littens elsewhere I‘d recommend seeing if you can find this too.
#CallingAllMonsters #OctoberXFiles
The creature hospital scene from Satanic Verses came to mind for this, along with the fact that the manticore is rallying the patients to rise up and not stand for being defined by others.
I had much spooky fun this month @Robothugs and @Cinfhen - very well done!
Happy Halloween all 🎃💀👹👻
The title gives me the heebee jeebees...but I want to know why this book shook up the world. With that said- happy banned book week! Has anyone read this?? Did you enjoy it?
Oooohhhh did I score today at Goodwill! (Insert *happy dance* here)
That‘s just so...wrong. 😂😂😳😭😭😭😭
bailed
