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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 1589 Views
Things you liked Rebekah - 15/07/2010 08:37:57 AM 994 Views
I can barely comment at this point nossy - 15/07/2010 03:19:45 PM 1037 Views
You don't have to post only under those headings. Rebekah - 15/07/2010 04:39:36 PM 1027 Views
You contrarian you. Jacob - 16/07/2010 08:44:25 PM 1039 Views
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Yeah. Rebekah - 18/07/2010 08:46:33 PM 953 Views
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The Passion interludes and Margarita's witchification and night flight. Tim - 23/07/2010 11:19:59 PM 1178 Views
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I'm not sure if it's the translation, Rebekah - 21/07/2010 07:17:41 PM 971 Views
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There wasn't much character-building, was there? Tim - 23/07/2010 11:26:44 PM 1099 Views
Too much crazy. nossy - 28/07/2010 02:59:46 AM 1060 Views
Things that didn't make sense to you Rebekah - 15/07/2010 08:38:54 AM 949 Views
Hm. Rebekah - 21/07/2010 07:19:12 PM 1117 Views
The murder of Judas. Tim - 23/07/2010 11:13:58 PM 912 Views
Does it make more sense if Aphranius is seen as... Vodalus - 26/07/2010 12:39:46 AM 862 Views
Ah. Tim - 26/07/2010 08:54:30 AM 955 Views
Interesting, I never gave that option a thought. Michael - 29/07/2010 02:54:17 PM 1086 Views
Yeah. I couldn't think of one that he would fit. Rebekah - 29/07/2010 10:35:35 PM 976 Views
See, that seemed obvious to me. nossy - 28/07/2010 02:55:02 AM 1004 Views
Oh, so that was them making up a story to tell anyone else if needed? *NM* Tim - 28/07/2010 08:29:10 AM 527 Views
Mm, not just that. nossy - 28/07/2010 02:45:58 PM 1047 Views
That's how I read it, also. Michael - 29/07/2010 09:53:17 AM 1038 Views
The walls have ears. Nobody would know that better than Aphranius and Pilate. Tashmere - 31/07/2010 07:32:09 PM 1045 Views
Wait, isn't that what happened? Tim - 31/07/2010 07:39:32 PM 1123 Views
You are right. He didn't wield the metal weapon. Tashmere - 31/07/2010 10:19:57 PM 1065 Views
Also, who was Koroviev supposed to be? Tim - 23/07/2010 11:44:28 PM 928 Views
Re: Also, who was Koroviev supposed to be? Vodalus - 26/07/2010 12:40:32 AM 1042 Views
may be... aragornital - 26/07/2010 03:50:48 PM 912 Views
Ooh, I hadn't thought of that. Not a bad idea. *NM* Tim - 26/07/2010 04:11:43 PM 526 Views
Ivanovich's dream. Michael - 29/07/2010 02:43:43 PM 1061 Views
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Are Russian characters always over the top? Rebekah - 15/07/2010 05:25:43 PM 863 Views
I had a hard time remembering who was who. Tim - 23/07/2010 10:18:44 PM 1110 Views
War and Peace was easier than this. Tashmere - 31/07/2010 07:38:51 PM 1018 Views
Characters (supernatural) Rebekah - 15/07/2010 08:40:36 AM 907 Views
The story of the Passion is strikingly intense. Ghavrel - 20/07/2010 07:27:26 AM 1056 Views
It is. They are my favourite bits. Rebekah - 21/07/2010 07:11:33 PM 937 Views
I agree – those were my favourite bits to read. Tim - 23/07/2010 10:15:55 PM 926 Views
Behemoth was hilarious. I love the idea of him being a large mischievous cat. Tim - 23/07/2010 11:22:01 PM 829 Views
He is MY cat. nossy - 28/07/2010 03:03:26 AM 986 Views
I'm reserving a spot for my comments but not posting them just yet. Tom - 15/07/2010 03:46:34 PM 986 Views
(I just actually posted below) *NM* Tom - 20/07/2010 05:22:00 PM 495 Views
Was wondering about that. *NM* Jacob - 20/07/2010 05:22:27 PM 509 Views
I had a very interesting conversation about the novel yesterday. Jacob - 16/07/2010 02:44:53 PM 1066 Views
That's neat. Rebekah - 18/07/2010 08:48:53 PM 965 Views
Re: I had a very interesting conversation about the novel yesterday. aragornital - 21/07/2010 12:22:28 PM 958 Views
I suspect I'm missing a hell of a lot. Tim - 23/07/2010 10:45:35 PM 1131 Views
I haven't collected my thoughts on the experience of reading the novel yet, but I wanted to share... Jacob - 16/07/2010 02:50:03 PM 1068 Views
I was slightly disappointed on my second read. Rebekah - 18/07/2010 08:48:02 PM 1088 Views
Re: I was slightly disappointed on my second read. aragornital - 21/07/2010 12:31:50 PM 1054 Views
I see that title and I think of taking up smoking... Larry - 18/07/2010 09:43:38 PM 853 Views
My thoughts Tom - 20/07/2010 04:50:06 AM 1140 Views
Does this story translate well? Jacob - 20/07/2010 06:27:50 PM 961 Views
I honestly have no clue. Tom - 20/07/2010 07:31:03 PM 1075 Views
That is what I thought you'd say. Jacob - 21/07/2010 02:04:26 PM 951 Views
About evil in this book. Rebekah - 21/07/2010 07:14:59 PM 874 Views
There is a Russian author who believes Margarita was Gorky's girlfriend. Tom - 22/07/2010 03:15:13 AM 1037 Views
More about evil in this book. Vodalus - 23/07/2010 02:01:40 AM 991 Views
Aha. There's the question I was going to ask: Rebekah - 31/07/2010 10:32:17 PM 853 Views
To the devil with this. I don't care if I am showing my ignorance. Tashmere - 31/07/2010 10:52:54 PM 1229 Views
Any time you have a dual story, the invitation to draw parallels exists. Tom - 10/08/2010 05:56:23 PM 966 Views
For all the expressed interest, this book club discussion is languishing. *NM* Tom - 21/07/2010 02:07:23 AM 494 Views
I am trying to catch up. I've had NO time to read lately. nossy - 21/07/2010 02:58:23 AM 1049 Views
An anniversary, a birthday, and a successful job interview do tend to slow me down somewhat Larry - 21/07/2010 02:08:10 PM 911 Views
I've nearly finished. Should be done tomorrow morning. *NM* Tim - 21/07/2010 11:22:05 PM 478 Views
Vacation and all the stuff associated with it. Will try to write something, but it might be a while. *NM* Vodalus - 23/07/2010 02:03:57 AM 496 Views
Give me a day or two to catch up on things and finish the book. *NM* Legolas - 24/07/2010 11:14:17 PM 476 Views
Names. Rebekah - 21/07/2010 07:16:23 PM 999 Views
They're not common. Tom - 22/07/2010 03:08:55 AM 990 Views
The Damnation of Faust has been steadily moving up on my list of books to read. So many Tashmere - 26/07/2010 05:42:41 PM 959 Views
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I have finally started it. Tashmere - 25/07/2010 04:30:57 AM 1014 Views
Have any of you heard of The Whisperers: Private Life in Stalin's Russia? Tash - 25/07/2010 09:01:30 PM 1023 Views
Unfortunately do to my eye surgery I could not participate. everynametaken - 28/07/2010 12:36:28 AM 1033 Views
I "read" it in audiobook form, in the car and on the move. Michael - 29/07/2010 02:55:50 PM 1026 Views
I wonder if having the words in front would have helped Ivanovich's dream make (more) sense. Rebekah - 29/07/2010 10:37:27 PM 812 Views
Indeed, it may have. Michael - 30/07/2010 09:06:27 AM 1523 Views
I've finished. nossy - 28/07/2010 02:39:57 AM 977 Views
I am about 2/3 of the way through the book and it sounds like my feelings on almost all of it are Tashmere - 28/07/2010 05:48:07 AM 839 Views
Civil Rights? You do realize that Russia never imported slaves, right? Tom - 28/07/2010 01:52:12 PM 1089 Views
I thought that was so. nossy - 28/07/2010 02:53:21 PM 1076 Views
It felt like two different books.One part I felt like I was wading through a meaningless fluff. Tashmere - 31/07/2010 10:45:52 PM 977 Views
Hm Rebekah - 31/07/2010 10:53:46 PM 1028 Views
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