Reviews
I read this after getting a recommendation, and it is very unique. It suited my taste, so I enjoyed reading it.
Although the author provided a reading guide in the preface and I followed it, it was a refreshing novel that broke away from traditionally entrenched reading methods and encouraged readers to reconstruct the story for themselves. It felt just like being a historian cross-referencing various historical sources. The subject matter itself—the process of choosing a national religion—was also incredibly intriguing.
The process of inferring the truth and content of the Khazar people and the Khazar controversy from the perspectives of the Red Book (Christianity), Green Book (Islam), and Yellow Book (Judaism) recorded in three dictionaries was so fresh and original that it felt akin to the return of the Obra Din from the game. I began by reading the entry on the Khazar people and the Khazar controversy that was included in common across all three dictionaries (), and I was surprised to find that the
It has a unique structure, and there is no boundary between reality and imagination. I heard the author was a poet, and as expected, it was difficult to follow the metaphors and similes. It was even harder because I didn't read the preface properly, so I read through it like putting together a puzzle. Still, I don't think there are many books that give you this much of a sense of accomplishment when you finish them. It was difficult, so I read it carefully, and if I get the chance, I plan to
I like Open Books haha
A colossal truth hidden within the format of a dictionary! *The Khazar Dictionary* is a work by Milorad Pavić, Serbia's most beloved poet and novelist. It is the 183rd book in the "Open Books World Literature" series, which presents classics with a fresh, youthful sensibility, ranging from representative works by world-renowned masters to Korean classical literature. Titled the "world's first dictionary novel," this work is a peculiar historical mystery novel where history and fantasy
I recommend reading it twice. It will be difficult the first time. However, the second time is fun and easy to read quickly.
I came to know it through Kim Young-ha's Book Reading Time. A mysterious and exotic sensibility. The dictionary format is novel.
Milorad Pavić: Khazar Dictionary
*The Khazar Dictionary* by Milorad Pavić, Serbia's most beloved poet and novelist. It is the 183rd book in the "Open Books World Literature" series, which presents classics with a fresh, youthful sensibility, ranging from representative works by world-renowned masters to Korean classical literature. Titled the "world's first dictionary novel," this work is a peculiar historical mystery novel where history and fantasy intertwine. It tells the story of the Khazar people, who once ruled the Mediterranean but suddenly vanished, and the three characters who track them down. While scattered details interlock like puzzle pieces to gradually reveal the truth, the task of piecing together the chronologies of the characters, arranged alphabetically, to complete the story is left to the readers. It is a masterpiece distinguished by its original structure, humorous metaphors, and fantastic imagery.
Korean title: 하자르 사전
Korean author: 밀로라드 파비치
Korean publisher: 열린책들
ISBN-13: 9788932911830
Reviews
I read this after getting a recommendation, and it is very unique. It suited my taste, so I enjoyed reading it.
Although the author provided a reading guide in the preface and I followed it, it was a refreshing novel that broke away from traditionally entrenched reading methods and encouraged readers to reconstruct the story for themselves. It felt just like being a historian cross-referencing various historical sources. The subject matter itself—the process of choosing a national religion—was also incredibly intriguing.
The process of inferring the truth and content of the Khazar people and the Khazar controversy from the perspectives of the Red Book (Christianity), Green Book (Islam), and Yellow Book (Judaism) recorded in three dictionaries was so fresh and original that it felt akin to the return of the Obra Din from the game. I began by reading the entry on the Khazar people and the Khazar controversy that was included in common across all three dictionaries (), and I was surprised to find that the
It has a unique structure, and there is no boundary between reality and imagination. I heard the author was a poet, and as expected, it was difficult to follow the metaphors and similes. It was even harder because I didn't read the preface properly, so I read through it like putting together a puzzle. Still, I don't think there are many books that give you this much of a sense of accomplishment when you finish them. It was difficult, so I read it carefully, and if I get the chance, I plan to
I like Open Books haha
A colossal truth hidden within the format of a dictionary! *The Khazar Dictionary* is a work by Milorad Pavić, Serbia's most beloved poet and novelist. It is the 183rd book in the "Open Books World Literature" series, which presents classics with a fresh, youthful sensibility, ranging from representative works by world-renowned masters to Korean classical literature. Titled the "world's first dictionary novel," this work is a peculiar historical mystery novel where history and fantasy
I recommend reading it twice. It will be difficult the first time. However, the second time is fun and easy to read quickly.
I came to know it through Kim Young-ha's Book Reading Time. A mysterious and exotic sensibility. The dictionary format is novel.
