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Hm Rebekah Send a noteboard - 31/07/2010 10:53:46 PM
I found it bizarre that the Pilate chapers were so good but much of the rest of the book felt like a bad translation. What was up with that? I wonder how it comes off in Russian.


I'm possibly making stuff up, but I think Tim thought that too.

I didn't.

The two bits were obviously meant to feel different - one being the story written by one of the characters in the other story.

The Pilate story is very lucid, easy to follow, and understandable. It's a retelling of a very famous story, but this time from the "bad guy's" perspective. We know what's coming with the main action, so we can focus on the character instead. (At least, that's what I thought.)

The other story is completely different. It's madcap, it's anarchic, it's fantastical and bizarre, and so far out of the realm of normal life that it's hard to follow. I think that came across perfectly in the translation I read. It wasn't meant to feel smooth and accessible.

So. It mightn't be the translation? Or it might be a combination of the two things?
*MySmiley*

Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. - Groucho Marx
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The Joint Book Club: Mikhail Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita Rebekah - 15/07/2010 08:36:47 AM 1525 Views
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Ah. Tim - 26/07/2010 08:54:30 AM 897 Views
Interesting, I never gave that option a thought. Michael - 29/07/2010 02:54:17 PM 1026 Views
Yeah. I couldn't think of one that he would fit. Rebekah - 29/07/2010 10:35:35 PM 914 Views
See, that seemed obvious to me. nossy - 28/07/2010 02:55:02 AM 943 Views
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may be... aragornital - 26/07/2010 03:50:48 PM 847 Views
Ooh, I hadn't thought of that. Not a bad idea. *NM* Tim - 26/07/2010 04:11:43 PM 496 Views
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It is. They are my favourite bits. Rebekah - 21/07/2010 07:11:33 PM 874 Views
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Was wondering about that. *NM* Jacob - 20/07/2010 05:22:27 PM 483 Views
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That's neat. Rebekah - 18/07/2010 08:48:53 PM 907 Views
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I see that title and I think of taking up smoking... Larry - 18/07/2010 09:43:38 PM 796 Views
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I honestly have no clue. Tom - 20/07/2010 07:31:03 PM 1003 Views
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To the devil with this. I don't care if I am showing my ignorance. Tashmere - 31/07/2010 10:52:54 PM 1168 Views
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For all the expressed interest, this book club discussion is languishing. *NM* Tom - 21/07/2010 02:07:23 AM 474 Views
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I've nearly finished. Should be done tomorrow morning. *NM* Tim - 21/07/2010 11:22:05 PM 448 Views
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Names. Rebekah - 21/07/2010 07:16:23 PM 944 Views
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I thought that was so. nossy - 28/07/2010 02:53:21 PM 1019 Views
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Hm Rebekah - 31/07/2010 10:53:46 PM 958 Views
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