Only one in 8 of our members finished the book. Pamuk's writing is very self-indulgent, difficult to follow, not engaging. I just didn't like it at all. I was excited to read a mystery written by a top-notch author but it wasn't much of a mystery and I couldn't stand his writing style.

I cannot put into words how much I hate this book. I was determined to get through it, and tried to attribute the writing to cultural or translation differences. The author discussed the missing wife minimally even though that was what the blurb on the back stated as the main point of the story. The main character was pathetic and had very odd relationships with both his wife and cousin. The majority of the text was Turkish history, storytelling, and mysticism that did not make sense to the average readaer or most likely to anyone not currently obtaining an Ivy League education.