I failed utterly to get into this at all.

 

I know this is entirely my fault: the book, which is translated from the Dutch and tells a story about the modernisation of Persia (modern-day Iran) through the eyes of a weak shah, clearly draws on a literary tradition that I have no experience of. It's told as a fairytale of sorts - simple language, rare dialogue, events often summarised rather than experienced. Historical characters are fictionalised, and I think a century or so of history is collapsed into the reign of one shah, which makes the historical era hard to place.

 

In other words, the novel seems to be going for a certain kind of fictionalisation of history - making it, almost, into legend.

 

Which is interesting, in its way. I think it's probably doing some interesting thinking somewhere in there. But I just couldn't get emotionally invested.

bookshelves: published-2014, persia-iran, winter-20132014, net-galley, e-book, historical-fiction, currently-reading, translation, next

NetGalley: Canongate Books
Pub Date Jan 16 2014

From the description: It is the nineteenth century and the kingdom of Persia is at a turning point. When a young King, Shah Naser, takes to the throne he inherits a medieval, enchanted world. But beyond the court, the greater forces of colonisation and industrialisation close in. The Shah's grand vizier sees only one solution - to open up to the outside world, and to bring Persia into modernity. But the Shah's mother fiercely opposes the vizier's reforms and sets about poisoning her son's mind against his advisor.

With bloody battles, intrigue and extraordinary characters, The King brings a historical moment brilliantly to life. Reading as fairy tale and shedding light on a pivotal period in history, The King confirms Kader Abdolah as one of the world's most engaging storytellers.

Dedication
Map
List of main characters
STORY
Acknowledgements
Note from the author
Note from the translator

Opening: THE KINGS: In the beginning was the cow, and the cow was with God, who bore the name Ahura Mazda.
The cow did not yet produce milk. Ahura Mazda blessed the cow, saying, 'We have appointed no one to have dominion over you. We have created you for those who care for the four-footed beasts and for those who tend their pastures.'

Ahura Mazda tells Zarathustra to protect the cow

Okay, this is written as if a work of poetical, religious importance; easy to see that from the opening lines, however there is the underlying history which I found very interesting.

Overall though, this is not the work for me given that it is written 'now'.

2.5*

The 'Boekenweek' is a Dutch/Flemish book event in the beginning of March, trying to promote reading in general. They also give you a little extra book whenever you buy a book. You could get 'De Kraai' in March 2011... 

 

Dit was het boekenweekgeschenk van 2011. Ik had nog nooit iets van Kader Abdolah gelezen, maar was wel al een tijdje benieuwd. Nu is een boekenweekgeschenk voor mij nooit echt een goede graadmeter, aangezien ik niet bijzonder van korte verhalen hou (geef mij gerust maar een dikke pil van een 1000 ofzo pagina's). 

Maar dit verhaal was best leuk om te lezen. De schrijfstijl vond ik wel prettig en ik denk dat ik in de toekomst nog wel eens iets van Abdolah wil gaan lezen. (Als ik er ooit de tijd voor vind natuurlijk.)

Ik zag dit boek toevallig op de tafel liggen in de woonkamer. Mijn moeder had hem blijkbaar van een vriendin geleend. Ik bladerde het even door, en ik zag dat het maar 91 bladzijdes bevatte. Aangezien ik niets te doen had, besloot ik er meteen in te beginnen.

De eerste paar hoofdstukken waren al redelijk chaotisch. Zo was het eerste hoofdstuk niet echt een hoofdstuk, maar kon het beter de term 'Voorwoord' dragen. Het boek zelf is heel fragmentisch, en het enige vorm van onderscheid tussen deze fragmenten waren witregels. Dit is heel wat anders dan ik gewend ben in boeken, en het beviel me totaal niet. Nu lees ik heel weinig Nederlandse boeken, en Abdolah wordt ook wel een literaire schrijver genoemd. Het verhaal zelf kon me ook niet heel erg boeien. Al met al krijgt dit boek van mij niet meer dan 2 sterren.

The idea of Aga Akbar was interesting, i wish the book was more about him, I wish that we could have gone into his mind, and maybe read actual excerpt from his notebook. It would have been more interesting.
But I kinda lost the interest in the book once it started to be political. This is not criticism to the book, but I happen to hate politics, I avoid it as much as I can, and I certainly do not like reading about it for my enjoyment.
I also found the Dutch references confusing.
I did struggle a little at the end (with a little page flipping) because I needed to know Akbar's end. It was sad, but not what I expected. A little bit of a disappointment there.