The Museum of Innocence
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The Museum of Innocence
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Narrated by:
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John Lee
About this listen
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
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What listeners say about The Museum of Innocence
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ezada
- 01-07-22
Excellent loce book
I loved everything about it. Highly recommended book. The reading is superb as well.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Lana
- 04-11-22
Too long
The first novel I listend to by Pamuk, My Name is Red, was a masterpiece, so I was slightly comprehensive about this one. This is a story about the everlasting love, turned into all-consuming obsession, I as a reader got irritated with after listening for hours about a repeated heart pain, dinners, smoking, drinking.
If this novel were shorter, I personally would give it more stars. I know I can skip chapters, I did parts of few, but I would like not to have to do it.
John Lee's performance was impeccable, just like always. He helped me to finish it. The last long chapter was endearing again.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 28-03-20
An amazing book
It turned out to be an amazing book, but 1/4 of the way through it got a little tedious (hence 4 stars). If I had been reading and not listening to it, I might have given up, which would have been a great shame. Persevere and you'll be rewarded. A beautiful story.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- mikeep
- 08-02-21
A literary masterpiece brilliantly performed
This is an unusual love story set against a vivid portrayal of Istanbul society and Turkish culture. It’s a depiction of obsessions: of love and yearning, of collecting (actually hoarding) keepsakes related to the beloved, of clinging doggedly to memories and hopes and dreams, no matter what.
The hero refuses to give up hope, and the story of his struggle is colourful, sad and heartbreaking. His love is relentless and encompasses every part of his life, seemingly to the point of delusion, perhaps madness.
He understands that in spite of her beauty and personality, his beloved has flaws, is just a woman as he is just a man. But his vision of her and of what they become together drives him on until the impossible is within reach.
This epic novel is a brilliant exploration of the human condition, which requires us to cling desperately to the illusion that happiness, our idea of happiness, in the end will be attained, or else it’s hard to know what there is to live for. We believe with him that his love is not in vain, for in the face of despair he finds a way forward.
To the author and narrator: Bravo, this is a literary masterpiece brilliantly performed.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Juha Lipponen
- 31-07-22
Great love story, beautifully read.
Best description of consuming and agonizing love I've encountered.
Provides a fascinating glimpse to Istanbul and Turkish culture in the 50ies to 70ies.
Book is further enhanced by fantastic, soulful reading by John Lee, which is only surpassed by Jeremy Irons's narration of Lolita.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Ralu Ueralu
- 09-03-20
Pretty boring story of some sort of mental illness
Except the links to the specifics of Turkish society in the 70s and 80s, nothing really piqued my interest. Long, boring, neither plausible, nor fantastic story, written with a limited vocabulary. Kept on listening in case the genius of a Nobel literature laureate would surface but it never did :-(
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- granahaj
- 07-12-22
Very good book, superb narration
This is an excellent book. Pamuk’s writing is simply sublime and the way he plays with his characters and their and the readers perspective is fascinating.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Al Ward
- 30-01-23
Everyone has some of this story in them
I have really enjoyed this book, there are so many elements that I found to relate to. A craving for love and forgiveness.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amal Mosawi
- 20-01-18
a wonderful love story of faithfulness
complex emotions captured ... orhan pamuk captures a true love story as if it was his.. with the utmost adoration to the characters that lived a love story so ordinary yet so soulful because of the faithful attention of the lover that transformed him to be her.. And his love to her has turned into a profound selflove and love for life.. I was moved by the book and by fusun and kemal that I felt deep love for my womanhood and my soul!!!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Elizabeth Marshall
- 08-03-18
Just simply elegant!
A book after my own heart. The language was perfect! Fusan was the object of Kemals obsessive love yet its was poignant, immersive, highly captivating. Nothing like I hv read before.
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1 person found this helpful