Worth reading only because Burgess is such a gifted writer. Otherwise, not his best story.

In many ways "The Doctor is Sick" is very much like "A Clockwork Orange," Burgess' mega-hit novel. The structure of the main character going through a difficult journey is the same -and confronting surreal or out-of-wack situations via the journey is part of the fun in both Burgess books. Also I think the main draw to Burgress' work is his language play. Here is an author who loves the accent of the local population - and being set in London, its highly an adventure to accents and class structures. I didn't love the novel, but found it very interesting. I think because I am obsessed with London as a literary landscape, and Burgess uses that landscape quite well.

The book is written well, but not for me. I read that few years ago and even do not remember the plot. It was boring for me.

Not much to say except it will not be listed as one of my favorites books of 2016. Very little humor that I could see.

Aslında müthiş bir konu ama çeviri okumaktan mı kaynaklı bilemediğim bir şekilde asla romanla bir olamadım. Hele en önemli bulduğum yarıdan sonraki sona yaklaşan kısımda tamamem koptum. O kadar uzak ve saçma geldi ki ne asıl olayın ne olduğu hükmüne varabildim, sonra da zaten tadı kaçtı. Dip notlar eksiklik, epey bir yabacı dil kullanılıyor hikayede, hiç birinin çevirisi yok, buna rağmen en basit noktaların açıklaması var dip notlarda. Bu durumda ben puanı çeviriye mi vereyim romana mı? Hayalkırıklığı

This book left barely any lasting impression upon me. Anthony Burgess has a trove of other novels that are absolutely divine, and I urge readers to choose this only as a last resort, as to not draw unfair conclusions to the writer himself.

Kitabın bazı kısımlarında , yazarın içine serpiştirirken keyif aldığı kelime oyunları, aksanlar, filolojik kökenler bana bir şey ifade etmediği için; gözüne far tutulmuş tavşan gibi bakakaldım. Bu konulara hakim olmayanlar verimli bir okuma yapamayıp , sadece olayların akışını takiple yetinmeleri gerekiyor.

The Doctor Is Sick

Terribly interesting, brilliant language, intriguing characters.

Edition: Reissue

A darkly comic, wildly inventive novel by the remarkable Anthony Burgess, and it's a book that I'm delighted to award a full five-star rating. It is a story that weaves together strands of surrealism, irony, and introspection, making it a unique and memorable read.

The novel centres around Dr. Edwin Spindrift, a linguistics professor who is hospitalized due to a brain tumor. In his delirium, he escapes from the hospital and embarks on a surreal odyssey through the seedy underbelly of London. Along the way, he encounters a cast of bizarre characters, each more eccentric than the last, reflecting the disordered state of his mind.

Burgess's writing shines in his depiction of Spindrift's linguistic prowess and his descent into a kind of madness. The author's own background in linguistics enriches the narrative, offering fascinating insights into the power and playfulness of language. The way Spindrift's academic insights blend with his hallucinations results in a narrative that is both intellectually stimulating and wildly entertaining.

The novel's strength lies in its satirical and ironic tone. Burgess mocks everything from academia and medicine to religion and morality. His portrayal of London's underbelly, with its colorful characters and moral ambiguities, serves as a sharp contrast to Spindrift's sterile academic life, offering a critique of the ivory tower of academia and its detachment from reality.

Yet, amid the dark humor and surrealism, "The Doctor is Sick" is also a story of personal transformation. Spindrift's journey, both literal and metaphorical, leads him to confront his own fears and insecurities. It's a tale of a man stripped of his intellectual defenses, forced to navigate a world that's as absurd as it is menacing.

In conclusion, "The Doctor is Sick" is a brilliant blend of the cerebral and the surreal, filled with dark humor, linguistic playfulness, and profound insights. It is a testament to Burgess's ability to craft narratives that are as entertaining as they are thought-provoking. It's a thrilling ride from start to finish, making it fully deserving of a five-star rating.

Doktor Hastalandı'da Körleşme'yi yeniden okuyor gibi hissettim. İkisinin de ana teması (dünyadan kopuk kibirli akademisyenin bir nedenle ayaktakımının arasına düşüp sefil olması) bire bir aynı. Sanıyorum bu yüzden, biraz da çeviri yüzünden, ne yazık ki hiç tat vermedi.

Çevirinin kendisini de doğrusu pek tutmadım ama asıl mesele bu kitabın çevrilmeye müsait olmaması. Elimizde baş karakterin dilbilim uzmanı olduğu ve kitabın anlatım tekniğinin tümüyle İngilizce kelimelerin etimolojisine dayalı laf oyunlarıyla örüldüğü bir roman var ve bu durum çeviri işini çok güçleştiriyor. Ne yazık ki laf oyunlarını açıklayacak dipnotlar konusunda da epey cimri davranılmış. İngilizcesinden okusaydım herhalde daha çok severdim ama bu şekilde maalesef pek çekici değil.