by Salman Rushdie
One of the most discussed books in the world and I do not know so many people who actually read it. For some reason I also avoided it so far, I am not sure why. Maybe because I thought it would be some Muslim legend, or even written in verses.
It is one of those books, which drives you to turn page by page and everything else is just an unwelcome interruption.
The basic plot is simple but from their many, many stories are told which are more or less related to each other. Between them the story of Mohammed’s life – the founder of Islam. I guess his interpretation is to much blasphemy for Muslims since most of them believe the Koran is God’s own word and not some sort of allegory or rule in an specific historic context. Therefore Khomeini banned Rushdie with a “fatwa” – basically asking Muslims to kill him. I think another story in the book contributed even more to Khomeini’s ban: he himself is portrayed in one of the stories – easily detectable and not so favorable. It seems that Rushdie foresaw the conflict and treat’s it preemptively in the same book. The Mohammed – Baal conflict I interpret like this. I stop here with more interpretations and discussions since you could fill a book with them.
And here the basic, simple plot: two Indian actors survive and airplane crash. The effect of falling from 10,000 m height causes one to become similar to the devil and the other shows all features of the archangel Gabriel. Their previous lives are told and how they deal with their changes. I mean, the devil-like actor develops horns, fur and tail. He cannot deny it, therefore he has to think about himself why does it happen to him. It is foremost all a book about identity and immigration, and, of course, about good and evil.
It is one of those books, which drives you to turn page by page and everything else is just an unwelcome interruption.
The basic plot is simple but from their many, many stories are told which are more or less related to each other. Between them the story of Mohammed’s life – the founder of Islam. I guess his interpretation is to much blasphemy for Muslims since most of them believe the Koran is God’s own word and not some sort of allegory or rule in an specific historic context. Therefore Khomeini banned Rushdie with a “fatwa” – basically asking Muslims to kill him. I think another story in the book contributed even more to Khomeini’s ban: he himself is portrayed in one of the stories – easily detectable and not so favorable. It seems that Rushdie foresaw the conflict and treat’s it preemptively in the same book. The Mohammed – Baal conflict I interpret like this. I stop here with more interpretations and discussions since you could fill a book with them.
And here the basic, simple plot: two Indian actors survive and airplane crash. The effect of falling from 10,000 m height causes one to become similar to the devil and the other shows all features of the archangel Gabriel. Their previous lives are told and how they deal with their changes. I mean, the devil-like actor develops horns, fur and tail. He cannot deny it, therefore he has to think about himself why does it happen to him. It is foremost all a book about identity and immigration, and, of course, about good and evil.
Facts:
English title: The Satanic Verses
Original title: The Satanic Verses
Published: 1988
