Rating: 
Summary: Pamuk's one of the few fine books
Review: Pamuk is a very talented author but unfortunalte he's getting create worse books. His first book Mr Cevdet and His Sons is a great novel though he wrote it when he was 22. The White Castle has been the book which made him poppular before he wrote The New Life. The White Castle has also affected a Turkish movie called Istanbul Is Under My Wings which is the true story of a young man who made artificial wings and flied above Istanbul during Ottoman Empire.
Rating: 
Summary: Native orientalism at work
Review: Pamuk is surely one of the few well-known Turkish writers. However, he is at the same time one of the most perfect examples of native Orientalism-- Orientalism that is launched and defended by the natives of lands that had been colonized. In his novel every detail is designed to fit the taste of the western perspective on Islam and muslims: exotic, erotic, and thus intriguing; hidden, unknown and thus dangerous. In this sense, I would rather suggest the work not as a literary favorite, but rather as a showcase for students of political theory and international affairs.
Rating: 
Summary: What if you were me and i was you?
Review: So, the story is untold for centuries until the time comes when an old bookstore owner reveals the hidden
meaning of "the idea of East" from the dusty shelves of the past. Story begins on the sea when a young scholar from Venice
was captured by the Turks. He was brought to Istanbul, the
city facing the unrational lives of sultans and more
sophisticated truths of "the East". "Can we exchange our lives?", he implicitly asked to a Turkish philosopher. Another story begins within another
and another within another.
The two men change their future and their past as Borges
once suggested. The White Castle is a futuristic novel that amazes the
reader as the reader becomes the scholar from Venice and the Turkish philosopher. It is an interactive journey in the sense that the reader feels like he or she can change the order of the stories and take part in them.
The mystic atmosphere created by the intelligent writing
style of Pamuk dazzles the reader with the question:
"Am I reading a book or am I dreamin about reading a book?".
I. Menguc TANRISEVEN
Rating:
Summary: Imaginative
Review: The first book by Pamuk I read was "The New Life" and I have to say that he has a gift of coming up with the most imaginative and magical of storylines. "The White Castle" deals with the (mis)understandings between East and West, between the different religions, cultures, belief systems and perceptions. Turkey, by virtue of its geographical position in the world, has to deal with the question of IDENTITY on a daily basis and perhaps only such a country can produce writers like Pamuk and stories such as his. This novel on the exchange of values, opinions, and ultimately identity is well-written, absorbing and strangely disturbing. Peopled with fascinating characters and a plot which culminates in a chilling ending, Pamuk's offering is an unforgettable piece of literature.
Rating:
Summary: Imaginative
Review: The first book by Pamuk I read was "The New Life" and I have to say that he has a gift of coming up with the most imaginative and magical of storylines. "The White Castle" deals with the (mis)understandings between East and West, between the different religions, cultures, belief systems and perceptions. Turkey, by virtue of its geographical position in the world, has to deal with the question of IDENTITY on a daily basis and perhaps only such a country can produce writers like Pamuk and stories such as his. This novel on the exchange of values, opinions, and ultimately identity is well-written, absorbing and strangely disturbing. Peopled with fascinating characters and a plot which culminates in a chilling ending, Pamuk's offering is an unforgettable piece of literature.
Rating:
Summary: Umberto Eco?
Review: This book is not a thriller. It is not a page-turner. It is not a Grisham or Chrichton. It definitely is not a Koontz. However, it is a book of literature. It is complicated in the Umberto Eco sense. The reader has to think a little. Isn't that why we read books anyway? The best way to explain it is... Grisham, Koontz & Chricton would be like a McDonalds hamburger where Pamuk (White Castle) is a very authentic Turkish kebab dish. One needs to take it slowly to enjoy the experience. It will also leave a better after taste too. I would recommend this book (or any other Pamuk) book to all Eco readers. If you want to read a Turkish novel, this is a good place to start.
Rating:
Summary: Scientific thought in Ottoman Empire
Review: This book reflects the conditions of the Ottoman Empire in 17 th century, with the eyes of Turkish Scientist- at least he thoughts he is a scientist. I recommend you to read this book if you are interested in the Ottoman Empire and development of scientific thought.
Rating:
Summary: Engaging and thoughtful work on the nature of identity
Review: This is an engrossing story of an outsider stranded in another culture who learns about himself, others and perhaps the nature of identity itself. I couldn't put it down.
Rating:
Summary: Light and layered
Review: This was a real pleasure to read. For a modest novel, it dealt with a multitude of topics and themes and does it so effortlessly that one is sometimes quite unaware of it. It is on the surface a history novel, a memoire, East and West, Christianity vs Islam, Orientalism vs positivism, and at the end a search of self, identity. The style and translation is very breezy, written with good economy, one almost wishes for a few more chapters. The very end is so masterfully done, one is left with a mild shock, disbelief and looking in a hall of mirrors almost. This is a quite different approach from some of his later work, which tends to be much more detailed, specific and heavy reading, like "Black Book". "White Castle" is what literature should be, fun, thought and most importantly emotion provoking.
Rating:
Summary: Pamuk is like Istanbul--complex, confusing but brilliant.
Review: When Istanbul made its Olympic bid for 2000 Olympics the slogan the organizers chose for their bid may also apply to Pamuk's works: "meet us at the meeting point of continents." But this is not fully accurate for Europe and Asia have interacted and learned from each other for centuries. But until now both sides understood the other only through the prism of faith and popular culture. Pamuk turns our understanding of East-West relations inside out. His novels are filled with tales that richly suggest how inseparable these two cultures have become through their centuries old interaction. Such is the relationship between Hoja in this book and his Venetian slave. What makes two people from two cultures so much alike is also what sets them apart from the cultural stereotypes of their respective cultures. Hoja is a practical scientist and the venetian slave turns out to be meditative and poetic. And at the end of the book Hoja sails for Europe while leaving the Venetian in Istanbul. However, despite this straightforward narrative, Pamuk is not a straightforward writer. His style is greatly influenced by the post-modernist school of writers. But to read one of his novels is more like watching a Tarantino movie: complex narrative, exotic locales and colorful characters only add to the mystery, while smooth directing and an elegant prose make his stories irresistible.( I am sure Mr. Pamuk is also aware of this) As we begin the 21st our need to understand each other is great. The tragedy in New York only confirmed my fears that both Americans and Islamic nations for long neglected mutual curiosity for each other. Art is our mutual treasure which sets us higher for it makes us great. It is also our link to each other as human beings. The art of Orhan Pamuk provides a richly symbolic terrain for this rendezvous. If you want to understand Islam, if you want to know about yourselves, read Pamuk's books and you will find much insight.
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