The Experiment

by Piraye, Mona Kitap (Contributor)

The Experiment

416 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2022

Reviews

[Philip Kret · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a self help book masquerading as a novel. There are thousands of books about awakening from traumatic events or abusive relationships, but this one tries to “teach” (or preach maybe?) with story-telling. There are an abundance of aphorisms here to try to support the book’s premise but they are relentless to the point of exhaustion. Know thyself. Love thyself. Be in the now. Just be. Your body, mind, spirit, soul are all working together but the mind plays tricks on you. OK Mina, we get it already. I’m glad you found your magic wand, and from a character called “Ma” no less. Good for you. Too “kumbaya” for my taste. I also think this book was meant for women who are in abusive relationships and all that entails. A handbook to moving away from bad people, including oneself. I think we all scratch our heads sometimes wondering why people live in the ways they do. Everyone lives their own reality and there is no cookie cutter strategy to life. But I did feel that the book ostracizes those who choose a different path. It assumes everyone else is living in delusion, and, much like organized religions, the book tries to separate “us” from “them”. Having said that, I gave it three stars because one can be too cynical if something rubs you the wrong way, but if it helps others “see the light” to their future peace and happiness that’s a good thing.

N.b. As an aside maybe it’s the awkward translation that made me feel queasy? Knowing Turkish culture from my own experience I can read between the lines when a character calls someone “baby” or “hon” in an affectionate way but they don’t really work in English. I’m assuming they are saying “canım” which is not the same. My thinking is they should have left in the Turkish here. But then they’d have to explain it in the text. Which makes me believe this book would only work for Turks. Hmmm.

[Zeynep · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book in my eyes is up there with The Little Prince, Eat Pray Love, The Teachings of Don Juan, Jonathan Livingston Seagull. I wish that it gained recognition at an international level and more people could benefit from it.