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Iqbal Al-Zirqi's Reviews > قصة حب إيرانية تحت مقص الرقيب
قصة حب إيرانية تحت مقص الرقيب
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I finished reading it in 1 month, meaning that I was reading little every day or two days. This means that this novel did not capture me the way a good novel does usually. I usually finish a good novel in less than 5 days if i feel so attracted. The novel is about a love story between a miserable Iranian dreamer young man and a delicate beautiful lovable Iranian girl in Iran after the revolution. Both of them are readers and live in their mini worlds in a way. This could make it a beautiful story , just thinking about their poetic personalities both, living in such hostile environment as this religious state in Iran. However, the author wanted something else, making it as a story of his trials to write such stories with least damages escaping from the power of censorship in Iran. I understand the frustrations of authors and creative people in any land with censorship like Iran or KSA, but the author trial to make it as the main theme in this novel, had really damaged the whole novel in my opinion. All the time while u read, u find his voice disturbing u with his story and his trials, in very direct speech full of detailed description. The reader get exhausted trying to concentrate, while the author is working all the time against the readers concentration to understand and enjoy. Such description of the role of censorship in Iran could be described in a n article or a different book of social sciences, not in a novel. In addition, the author has so much flight of ideas, making us struggling to concentrate without benefit. In a way, I feel he sabotaged the love story with his selfishness, being busy describing to us how he writes!! Moreover, he crowded the novel with many small stories inside small stories!! Too much details, too many unnecessary talks, too much shit!! The events are not logical, and many characters are just inserted for no reason. What is the story of this dwarf man, appearing many times in the story, sometimes a live and sometimes dead? It really does not make a sense, and it shows in may places that the author does not know how to lead the reader into suspense or to the expected train of events. I simply felt I have to study this book in order to understand, and this was a big failure.
Some may think it is a translation problem, but I dont think so. It is obvious there is a problem in the main theme and style of writing. A good book should covey the message indirectly, and not directly like in this book. I got tired of the effects of clerics and religious police in Iran on every thing, and I know about it, but this should not be told in such way in this novel. The novel was just lost, and it got me lost as reader. This novel was not right for me and I did not enjoy it.
Some may think it is a translation problem, but I dont think so. It is obvious there is a problem in the main theme and style of writing. A good book should covey the message indirectly, and not directly like in this book. I got tired of the effects of clerics and religious police in Iran on every thing, and I know about it, but this should not be told in such way in this novel. The novel was just lost, and it got me lost as reader. This novel was not right for me and I did not enjoy it.
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قصة حب إيرانية تحت مقص الرقيب.
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Reading Progress
Finished Reading
September 3, 2012
–
Started Reading
October 4, 2012
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Finished Reading
September 15, 2024
– Shelved
Comments Showing 1-19 of 19 (19 new)
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I will continue reading it today; I have to admit I am not thrilled so far :)
Oh no :( I thought it's captivating
We have to give it a chance. I might be wrong, and I am just in the beginning :)
waiting for your rating :) this novel is in my list to buy in the next Sharjah book fair :)
Still reading :) When is the book fair?
07/11/2012 - 17/11/2012
Good; U will know before that then :)
did u read the arabic or english version? i thought the english version was good and would still recommend it to those who were planning on reading it :)
I read the Arabic one; I dont think it s a problem in translation. I just did not like the novel. I will write a review in coming days.
Finally I posted my review :)Hope you find time to read it and maybe give your opinion.
I like the novel because it's work on many layers between the love story and the author struggle with the censorship and the (One Thousand and One Nights) theme wrapping the whole novel.
When you stop care about the love story and focus on the theme the novel gives you meaningful joy.
the part about the censorship shined over the love story, maybe cuz of my own experience with religious censorship in Saudi.. so in a way i was glad to see someone finally write about something so truthful..his interference with the love story gave it a tone similar to the film "stranger than fiction".
i guess because it was one of the few humorous middle eastern stories i've read, which made me admire it even more.. :)
Dear Fahad,Thank u for your comment. I understand your view, but I still feel his way of describing the censorship and how to sneak and find your way away from it, was not so successful; I felt it was just saying the same all the time. Could it be cause I dont live in restrictive country that I got bored with this? Who knows!! I will defintely read your review with pleasure :)
Dear Maha,I think I dont feel it so much cause I live in a free speech country. May be this is the reason. I Know , however, a lot about the censorship in Islamic countries, as I am originally from Kuwait. I think I understand a lot also about Saudi Arabia, and I understand the suffering of creative people to escape the censorship. However, I still felt that the story was ruined for me, don this way. Even if I forget the love story, I felt his trials were repetitive and consuming, and boring !!
I think you totally missed the point. The novel is not about Dara and Sara, it is about censorship. Thus the title. Since you read it expecting a sweet love story, it's not surprising that you didn't like it. This isn't popular fiction, it's literary fiction. And it's GOOD literary fiction. It is very post-modern in approach, with its magical realism and meta fictional narrative, so if you don't understand post-modern literature, then you're not equipped to enjoy this book. Personally, I give it 5 stars. I loved it.
First, I think u need to get some lessons how to speak to people as u are very rude. secondly, my dear, I hate it cause he concentrated a lot on the weak love story , repeating it again and again and not concentrating on something else. Thirdly, his trial to describe the censorship were very direct like speeches in schools, boring to people who read many books ! so before u start attacking other readers, think first what is your depth of reading shown in your stupid arrogance!
And you have to learn to respect other peoples point of view regarding books! If u do like a book, this does not mean that you have to force other people to like the book like you! This is a free world !
1) If you don't want people to respond to your comments, don't post them in a public forum.2) I didn't call you names. Why do you feel it is necessary to call me names?
People are welcomed to respond but in a polite way! Read what u wrote and think carefully! No, u did not call names, but all your sentences are accusing me with ignorance and being naive! The advanced expressions u use are not going to work on my perception as a reader. This is my taste, and u have to accept that instead of assuming the opponent does not understand! A novel is good when it reaches to the reader no matter the technique used. I will not stop publishing my reviews in public, and people are welcomed to add an opinion as long they are polite, not dictating their views on others!
Hope its worth it.