Wikipedia article
'A Strangeness in My Mind' is a 2014 novel by Orhan Pamuk. It is the author's ninth novel. Knopf Doubleday published the English translation by Ekin Oklap in the U.S.,["[http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-307-70029-2 A Strangeness in My Mind]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20151208235432/http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-307-70029-2 Archive]). 'Publishers Weekly'. August 24, 2015. Retrieved on December 2, 2015.] while Faber & Faber published the English version in the UK.["[https://bookshop.theguardian.com/catalog/product/view/id/337196/s/a-strangeness-in-my-mind/ A Strangeness in My Mind]." 'The Guardian' Bookshop. Retrieved on December 5, 2015. See "Product details" to view the publisher.]
The story takes place in Istanbul, documenting the changes that the city underwent from 1969 to 2012. The main character is Mevlut, who originates from central Anatolia and arrives as a 12-year-old boy; the course of the novel tracks his adolescence and adulthood.[Liss, Barbara. "[http://www.houstonchronicle.com/life/books/article/Istanbul-is-a-central-character-in-Orhan-Pamuk-s-6601420.php?t=34919cec20438d9cbb Istanbul is a central character in Orhan Pamuk's 'A Strangeness in My Mind']." 'Houston Chronicle'. October 30, 2015. Retrieved on December 2, 2015.] Mevlut gets married in 1982, and finds a lack of success in making money.["[https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/orhan-pamuk/a-strangeness-in-my-mind/ A STRANGENESS IN MY MIND]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20151208071934/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/orhan-pamuk/a-strangeness-in-my-mind/ Archive]). Kirkus Reviews. Posted online: July 29, 2015. Review issue: September 1, 2015. Retrieved on December 2, 2015.]
Elena Seymenliyska of 'The Daily Telegraph' described the book as "a family saga that is as much an elegy to Istanbul as to its generations of adopted residents."[Seymenliyska, Elena. "[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/a-strangeness-in-my-mind-by-orhan-pamuk-review2/ A Strangeness in My Mind by Orhan Pamuk, review: 'An elegy to Istanbul' ]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20151211001104/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/a-strangeness-in-my-mind-by-orhan-pamuk-review2/ Archive]). 'The Daily Telegraph'. October 19, 2015. Retrieved on December 2, 2015.] 'Publishers Weekly' stated that "what really stands out is Pamuk's treatment of Istanbul's evolution into a noisy, corrupt, and modernized city."[ Kirkus Reviews states that the author "celebrates the citys vibrant traditional cultureand mourns its passing".][
]
The novel is almost 600 pages long. Dwight Garner of 'The New York Times' wrote that the book has "the stretch of an epic but not the impact of one."[Garner, Dwight. "[https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/21/books/review-orhan-pamuks-a-strangeness-in-my-mind.html?_r=0 Review: Orhan Pamuks A Strangeness in My Mind]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20160722230204/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/21/books/review-orhan-pamuks-a-strangeness-in-my-mind.html?_r=1 Archive]). 'The New York Times'. October 21, 2015. Retrieved on December 2, 2015.]
Characters
* 'Mevlut Karatas' Mevlut was born in Konya Province in 1957 and moves to Istanbul at age 12,[Manguel, Alberto. "[https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/oct/02/strangeness-in-my-mind-orhan-pamuk-review-istanbul-novel A Strangeness in My Mind by Orhan Pamuk review an encyclopedia of Istanbul]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20151208071458/http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/oct/02/strangeness-in-my-mind-orhan-pamuk-review-istanbul-novel Archive]). 'The Guardian'. Friday 2 October 2015. Retrieved on December 2, 2015.] during the summer of 1969.[ Early in the novel he attends Atatrk Boys' Secondary School,] and he sells yogurt and boza.[ Kirkus Reviews describes him as a "nice guy" type person.][ One character describes Mevlut as "a bit of a weirdo, but he's got a heart of gold."][
]
* 'Rayiha' Mevlut ends up marrying Rayiha even though, in the course of writing love letters to her, he thought he was writing to her younger sister; it turns out the younger sister is named Samiha, but he chooses to marry her anyway and they have a happy relationship.[
]
* 'Sleyman' Mevlut's cousin, he tricks him into writing letters to Rayha instead of Samiha, because Sleyman wants Samiha.[
]
* 'Korkut' Another cousin of Mevlut. Kirkus Reviews describes him as an "odious right-wing" person who "treats his wife like a servant".[
]
* 'Mustafa' Mevlut's father[
]
Style
According to Garner the author was able to write "alert, humane, nonwonky prose" as a result of researching varied topics.[
]
Seymenliyska stated that the novel uses the same voice regardless of which of the characters are speaking. Sometimes characters speak directly to the reader.[ Dwight Garner wrote that the narrators "contradict one another as if they were talking heads in an early Spike Lee movie."][
]
According to Garner, the 2015 English version has humor that "flows freely" and was "lucidly translated".[
]
Reception
Seymenliyska rated the story four of five stars.[
]
Garner stated that the author had done a good job with research, but while Garner "was not deeply, viscerally bored" with the novel he "mostly turned its pages with polite interest rather than real desire."[
]
Kirkus Reviews stated "Rich, complex, and pulsing with urban life: one of this gifted writer's best."[ Kirkus named it as one of the "Best Fiction Books of 2015".]["[https://www.kirkusreviews.com/prize/nominees/fiction/ Best Fiction Books of 2015] " ([https://web.archive.org/web/20151120194537/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/issue/best-of-2015/section/fiction/ Archive]). Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved on December 2, 2015.]
The book was shortlisted for the 2017 International Dublin Literary Award.
References
|