The Museum of Innocence

De: Orhan Pamuk, Maureen Freely

Narrado por: John Lee

The Museum of Innocence - set in Istanbul between 1975 and today - tells the story of Kemal, the son of one of Istanbul's richest families, and of his obsessive love for a poor and distant relation, the beautiful Fusun, who is a shop-girl in a small boutique. In his romantic pursuit of Füsun over the next eight years, Kemal compulsively amasses a collection of objects that chronicles his lovelorn progress-a museum that is both a map of a society and of his heart.
The novel depicts a panoramic view of life in Istanbul as it chronicles this long, obsessive love affair; and Pamuk beautifully captures the identity crisis experienced by Istanbul's upper classes that find themselves caught between traditional and westernised ways of being. Orhan Pamuk's first novel since winning the Nobel Prize is a stirring love story and exploration of the nature of romance.
Pamuk built The Museum of Innocence in the house in which his hero's fictional family lived, to display Kemal's strange collection of objects associated with Fusun and their relationship. The house opened to the public in 2012 in the Beyoglu district of Istanbul.
'Pamuk has created a work concerning romantic love worthy to stand in the company of Lolita, Madame Bovary and Anna Karenina.' --Financial Times

©2013 Orhan Pamuk (P)2013 Faber & Faber

Romantic with a Sardonic Twist

John Lee's narration entertains and brings much humour as he narrates Orhan Pamuk's "Museum of Innocence". The audiobook gets better the further the story is told.

Sad and brilliant

Proust hovers in spirit over this masterful story of obsessive love.

John Lee's reading captures beautifully the tone of the book.

The Museum of Innocence

What made the experience of listening to The Museum of Innocence the most enjoyable?

The ability of the writer to combine beautiful descriptive writing with character development and plot structure. The book has soul.
John Lees, narrator, does a super job.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Kemal, of course. He is the ringmaster of his life and a great, rich character. He
is never easy to decipher and it will be along time before I feel I have truly discoveredI him; But then
that's the reason Pamuk is such a great writer: he lets the reader be involved.

Which scene was your favorite?

Early on, the chapter of the sacrificial goat. The final chapters of the love story - but that would be
spoiling it for you !

Who was the most memorable character of The Museum of Innocence and why?

Fuzun of course. An enigma, a mystery. A classic, romantic woman with a strong
mind.

Any additional comments?

Pamuk is reputedly not to everyone's taste. But why not, is beyond me. He is a
wonderful story teller. I suppose you have to work a little harder or be a little patient as he takes his
time developing the characters, plot. I love the sub-plot with Istanbul as the
protagonist.