Scan barcode
spo0kyayden's review against another edition
4.0
poetic prose and surreal imagery that evokes a sense of deep despair and beauty that is both haunting and devastating.
“A sensation which had long been familiar to me was this, that I was slowly decomposing while I yet lived. My heart had always been at odds not only with my body but with my mind, and there was absolutely no compatibility between them. I had always been in a state of decomposition and gradual disintegration. At times I conceived thoughts which I myself felt to be inconceivable. At other times I experienced a feeling of pity for which my reason reproved me. Frequently when talking or engaged in business with someone I would begin to argue on this or that subject while all my feelings were somewhere else and I was thinking of something quite different and at the same time reproaching myself. I was a crumbling, decomposing mass. It seemed to me that this was what I had always been and always would be, a strange compound of incompatible elements…”
― Sadegh Hedayat, The Blind Owl
“A sensation which had long been familiar to me was this, that I was slowly decomposing while I yet lived. My heart had always been at odds not only with my body but with my mind, and there was absolutely no compatibility between them. I had always been in a state of decomposition and gradual disintegration. At times I conceived thoughts which I myself felt to be inconceivable. At other times I experienced a feeling of pity for which my reason reproved me. Frequently when talking or engaged in business with someone I would begin to argue on this or that subject while all my feelings were somewhere else and I was thinking of something quite different and at the same time reproaching myself. I was a crumbling, decomposing mass. It seemed to me that this was what I had always been and always would be, a strange compound of incompatible elements…”
― Sadegh Hedayat, The Blind Owl
discopiig's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
jazzylemon's review against another edition
4.0
Images come tumbling out as if from a fevered dream.
iliriadeluca's review against another edition
5.0
5⭑ unsettling, fragmented, haunting descent into paranoia, grief & subconscious terror.
leucadendron's review against another edition
3.75
well this was. A Lot. sassan tabatabai’s introduction/summary/analysis was crucial to my understanding and appreciation of this book, and without it i would’ve been left far too confused to feel impressed. the first part of the book was well written and the second part (which is most of the book, consisting of monologue-like passages within the book written by the narrator) was long and hard to follow; however, i think the point is that the narrator is disturbed and confused so how could he possibly have written something coherent?
this book was bizarre and disturbing. check content warnings before you read!
this book was bizarre and disturbing. check content warnings before you read!