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The King
The King, young Shah Naser, takes to the throne of Persia at a turning point of history: he inherits an enchanted medieval world of harems, eunuchs, and treasures as well as a palace of secret doors, sudden deaths, and hidden agendas. Within the court is danger enough: outside all manner of change threatens—industrialization, colonization. Russia and England conspire to open the King’s empire; his mother and his vizier take opposing sides. The poor King—almost an exact contemporary of Queen Victoria—is trapped. He likes some aspects of modernity (electricity, photography) but can’t embrace democracy. He must be a sovereign: he must keep his throne. The King cannot face change and he cannot escape it.
With this gleaming and seemingly simple story, breathlessly paced and beautifully told, Kader Abdolah, the acclaimed Iranian émigré novelist, speaks of deeper truths. A novel which has many timely things to say about eras of change and upheaval, The King is an unforgettable book.
With this gleaming and seemingly simple story, breathlessly paced and beautifully told, Kader Abdolah, the acclaimed Iranian émigré novelist, speaks of deeper truths. A novel which has many timely things to say about eras of change and upheaval, The King is an unforgettable book.
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
45 people are currently reading
902 people want to read
About the author
Kader Abdolah
54 books590 followersKader Abdolah is the penname of Hossein Sadjadi Ghaemmaghami Farahani, an Iranian writer who also writes in Dutch. Abdolah has lived in the Netherlands since 1988.
He studied physics at the Arak College of Science and fled the country as a political refugee in 1988. Today he lives in Delft (The Netherlands), writing under a pseudonym made up of the names of two murdered friends. Het huis van de moskee (The House of the Mosque), catapulted Abdolah into the Dutch bestseller lists.
He studied physics at the Arak College of Science and fled the country as a political refugee in 1988. Today he lives in Delft (The Netherlands), writing under a pseudonym made up of the names of two murdered friends. Het huis van de moskee (The House of the Mosque), catapulted Abdolah into the Dutch bestseller lists.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
October 15, 2019
First off, let me start by saying that I have a clear weakness for Kader Abdolah’s style of writing and its tone; I consider it to be the style of a true storyteller, and not one I come across very often. There is always such a humbly objective tone to it, and it derives strength from its simplicity. Whereas others might not find it original enough, or wish he gave more flair to his prose – I understand your arguments, because his style is indeed not very complex nor is it fantastically elegant. Yet that is what I love so much about it – it’s completely devoid of frivolities. Something about it just oozes: “This is simply how it happened”, and one takes it as a given.
But, I digress. De Koning is Abdolahs newest historical novel, and details the history of Persia, its shah (Naser al-Din Shah Qajar), and its inhabitants at the end of the nineteenth century. Modernisation is at hand while Russia, France, and the United Kingdom all inch closer to get themselves a piece of Persia’s strategically positioned, oil-rich pie. Meanwhile, the current shah tries to turn a blind eye, more interested in his women, riches, and entertainment; torn between his mother’s traditionalist approach and his prime minister’s wish for modernisation. However, he can’t ignore what’s happening around him forever – revolutions in technology and especially communication all around the globe allow even his loyal citizens to learn of other practices in other countries… and to eventually rebel against him.
Starting at page one, you can already slowly feel the shah’s kingdom crumbling down around him. There’s always this sense of a threat looming somewhere in the background, even though the shah himself doesn’t quite feel it yet at the start of the story. However, there’s simply no way out for him: every decision he makes is off and offensive in some way, and he finds that he can’t really please anyone – not his traditionalist mother, who concocts plans with the Russians, or his more modern prime minister, who dreams of a democratic Persia filled with modern cities, factories, and railroads. Though the shah is far from a very likeable character, you feel for him, especially in the beginning. I could understand his position and his behaviour, formed by his sheltered upbringing and his sociocultural climate – he’s simply not fit to be king, but there’s no way around it. And naïve as he is, he tries to be a vigorous and ruthless one, like his father was, but somewhere in his heart, he knows he’ll never be. So when consequences of bad decisions start hitting him harder, he starts to choose to ignore them and focus on the finer pleasures of life instead.
Of course, he grows worse and worse while the story progresses. Constantly finding himself in situations in which he sees no way out, he starts resorting to ugly methods to get what he wants or to get things out of his way. He ignores every voice around him begging him to listen to reason, and when his prime minister takes it too far, a sad fate awaits him.
As expected, this is a very political book, and immensely interesting if one’s interested in the history of Persia and how modernisation came about. It provides the reader with a thorough perspective of how everything went down, and gives honest and believable depth to every relationship in the story, from politically founded ones to more personal ones. To see the shah and his prime minister grow from trusting and frank towards each other to dismissive and disrespectful is heart-breaking in some ways, even though you can see it coming.
I was impressed with this book for its scope on Persia’s nineteenth century history, providing its readers with perspectives of the shah, his prime minister, his wives, his mother, his enemies, and his people and the rebel ringleaders among them. Abdolah’s observations are beautifully objective and intelligent. It feels complete, it feels honest, and it feels tragic. It reads fast, thanks to its short chaptered format, and the slight threat in the background makes one keep on reading.
Recommended for fans of historical fiction, those interested in Persia’s history/role in nineteenth century modernisation, and people who simply cannot turn away an eastern fairy-tale written by a master storyteller.
But, I digress. De Koning is Abdolahs newest historical novel, and details the history of Persia, its shah (Naser al-Din Shah Qajar), and its inhabitants at the end of the nineteenth century. Modernisation is at hand while Russia, France, and the United Kingdom all inch closer to get themselves a piece of Persia’s strategically positioned, oil-rich pie. Meanwhile, the current shah tries to turn a blind eye, more interested in his women, riches, and entertainment; torn between his mother’s traditionalist approach and his prime minister’s wish for modernisation. However, he can’t ignore what’s happening around him forever – revolutions in technology and especially communication all around the globe allow even his loyal citizens to learn of other practices in other countries… and to eventually rebel against him.
Starting at page one, you can already slowly feel the shah’s kingdom crumbling down around him. There’s always this sense of a threat looming somewhere in the background, even though the shah himself doesn’t quite feel it yet at the start of the story. However, there’s simply no way out for him: every decision he makes is off and offensive in some way, and he finds that he can’t really please anyone – not his traditionalist mother, who concocts plans with the Russians, or his more modern prime minister, who dreams of a democratic Persia filled with modern cities, factories, and railroads. Though the shah is far from a very likeable character, you feel for him, especially in the beginning. I could understand his position and his behaviour, formed by his sheltered upbringing and his sociocultural climate – he’s simply not fit to be king, but there’s no way around it. And naïve as he is, he tries to be a vigorous and ruthless one, like his father was, but somewhere in his heart, he knows he’ll never be. So when consequences of bad decisions start hitting him harder, he starts to choose to ignore them and focus on the finer pleasures of life instead.
Of course, he grows worse and worse while the story progresses. Constantly finding himself in situations in which he sees no way out, he starts resorting to ugly methods to get what he wants or to get things out of his way. He ignores every voice around him begging him to listen to reason, and when his prime minister takes it too far, a sad fate awaits him.
As expected, this is a very political book, and immensely interesting if one’s interested in the history of Persia and how modernisation came about. It provides the reader with a thorough perspective of how everything went down, and gives honest and believable depth to every relationship in the story, from politically founded ones to more personal ones. To see the shah and his prime minister grow from trusting and frank towards each other to dismissive and disrespectful is heart-breaking in some ways, even though you can see it coming.
I was impressed with this book for its scope on Persia’s nineteenth century history, providing its readers with perspectives of the shah, his prime minister, his wives, his mother, his enemies, and his people and the rebel ringleaders among them. Abdolah’s observations are beautifully objective and intelligent. It feels complete, it feels honest, and it feels tragic. It reads fast, thanks to its short chaptered format, and the slight threat in the background makes one keep on reading.
Recommended for fans of historical fiction, those interested in Persia’s history/role in nineteenth century modernisation, and people who simply cannot turn away an eastern fairy-tale written by a master storyteller.
February 18, 2025
The content is an overview of the shah of Iran in the late 1800's. Shah Naser is taking his country into a more modern era. He is trying to broker peace with Russia and Britain and he trusts no one.
This is an examination of someone in power that isn't quite sure what do with that power. He makes mistakes at every turn in his efforts to be greater and to get an upper hand in his political aspirations.
The reading is easy here. The chapters are short and the timeline often jumps several years between chapters, but not in a way that diminishes the narrative.
I feel there is a lot of down time in the plot and not much happens until the last third of the book. I am interested to read Adbolah's earlier works.
This is an examination of someone in power that isn't quite sure what do with that power. He makes mistakes at every turn in his efforts to be greater and to get an upper hand in his political aspirations.
The reading is easy here. The chapters are short and the timeline often jumps several years between chapters, but not in a way that diminishes the narrative.
I feel there is a lot of down time in the plot and not much happens until the last third of the book. I am interested to read Adbolah's earlier works.
November 26, 2012
Kader Abdolah è un affabulatore e ogni suo libro riesce a inchiodarmi alle pagine fino alla fine, grazie alle sue storie che sono ambientate in un tempo lontano e hanno un’ aurea di lievità fiabesca ma che ci parlano dei nostri giorni e dei suoi drammi.
Il libro ci porta nella Persia del secondo ottocento, un paese che rimpiange la grandezza passata narrata dai cantastorie e diviso fra tradizioni feudali e voglia di cambiamento e modernità.
I due personaggi principali sono lo Scià, un monarca debole, attaccato al proprio ruolo visto come emanazione del potere millenario, più affezionato alla sua gatta che al resto del mondo, ed il suo Visir, figura luminosa legata al proprio dovere e che lavora per portare il paese verso la modernità cercando di evitare di diventare colonia dei paesi occidentali e della Russia . I due uomini e la loro contrapposizione sono il simbolo della storia di questi anni dell’ Iran: tradizione abbarbicata su se stessa contro cambiamento che vuole fare piazza pulita dei retaggi del passato.
Tutto ciò è narrato con toni da favola, quasi da mille e una notte, pur con complotti, omicidi e crudeltà varie.
Non è difficile capire cosa pensi l’ autore: come ha scritto nella prefazione “Ho lasciato morti dietro di me, i miei compagni di lotta sono in carcere o sepolti in qualche cimitero, mentre io vengo ricevuto ovunque come un re”, ed il suo pseudonimo viene dal nome di due dissidenti assassinati dall’ attuale regime ; ma la sua narrazione è lieve, senza condanne preconcette.
Il romanzo ha i toni delle fiabe, i colori dell’ Iran , la nostalgia un po’ disincantata dei ricordi e la crudeltà della storia recente . Un gran bel libro.
Il libro ci porta nella Persia del secondo ottocento, un paese che rimpiange la grandezza passata narrata dai cantastorie e diviso fra tradizioni feudali e voglia di cambiamento e modernità.
I due personaggi principali sono lo Scià, un monarca debole, attaccato al proprio ruolo visto come emanazione del potere millenario, più affezionato alla sua gatta che al resto del mondo, ed il suo Visir, figura luminosa legata al proprio dovere e che lavora per portare il paese verso la modernità cercando di evitare di diventare colonia dei paesi occidentali e della Russia . I due uomini e la loro contrapposizione sono il simbolo della storia di questi anni dell’ Iran: tradizione abbarbicata su se stessa contro cambiamento che vuole fare piazza pulita dei retaggi del passato.
Tutto ciò è narrato con toni da favola, quasi da mille e una notte, pur con complotti, omicidi e crudeltà varie.
Non è difficile capire cosa pensi l’ autore: come ha scritto nella prefazione “Ho lasciato morti dietro di me, i miei compagni di lotta sono in carcere o sepolti in qualche cimitero, mentre io vengo ricevuto ovunque come un re”, ed il suo pseudonimo viene dal nome di due dissidenti assassinati dall’ attuale regime ; ma la sua narrazione è lieve, senza condanne preconcette.
Il romanzo ha i toni delle fiabe, i colori dell’ Iran , la nostalgia un po’ disincantata dei ricordi e la crudeltà della storia recente . Un gran bel libro.
June 3, 2015
A sort of "I, Claudius" meets "A Thousand and One Nights" with a dash of "Richard III" thrown in. Nasir Shah however is not either Claudius or Richard, and Mahdolia is not Livia, but Kader Abdolah is certainly a spiritual descendant of Shahrazad, in that he can tell a story.
There are no real surprises, however, in this story of a Shah, of ayatollahs, and young revolutionaries trying to change the history of Persia. Knowledge of the history of present-day Iran is proof that those who do not know their history are condemned to repeat it. And this is a very quick way of getting to grips with the history of nineteenth century Persia, or modern Iran.
There are no real surprises, however, in this story of a Shah, of ayatollahs, and young revolutionaries trying to change the history of Persia. Knowledge of the history of present-day Iran is proof that those who do not know their history are condemned to repeat it. And this is a very quick way of getting to grips with the history of nineteenth century Persia, or modern Iran.
January 10, 2016
Kader Abdullah, an Iranian who lives in exile, has illuminated an important part of his country's history for those (many) of us who are ignorant of it. Abdullah opposed the shah, then opposed what the revolution against the shah became.
The book tells the story of a nineteenth century shah and the vizier who tried to guide him to modernize the country. I was surprised at how similar nineteenth century Persia was to nineteenth century China. The shah had a large harem (230 "wives" even when he was a prince, not yet a shah). Eunuchs guard the harem. The shah's advisers are split between traditionalists and those who believe the country needs to develop modern education and transportation systems.
The British are trying to get whatever power and raw materials they can get, and so are the Russians. The imams played a more progressive role against an all-powerful shah than I had expected.
The book is well written, indeed fascinating. I strongly recommend it as background for understanding Iran.
The book tells the story of a nineteenth century shah and the vizier who tried to guide him to modernize the country. I was surprised at how similar nineteenth century Persia was to nineteenth century China. The shah had a large harem (230 "wives" even when he was a prince, not yet a shah). Eunuchs guard the harem. The shah's advisers are split between traditionalists and those who believe the country needs to develop modern education and transportation systems.
The British are trying to get whatever power and raw materials they can get, and so are the Russians. The imams played a more progressive role against an all-powerful shah than I had expected.
The book is well written, indeed fascinating. I strongly recommend it as background for understanding Iran.
June 23, 2022
4 sterren - Nederlandse hardcover
In bit boek werd ik meegenomen naar het sprookjesachtige Perzië van halverwege de 19e eeuw.
De sjah die aan alle kanten te maken krijgt met westerse invloeden en moderniseringen probeert met hand en tand zijn soevereiniteit te waarborgen.
Ik wist hier echt niet veel vanaf.
Dit centrale thema, die ook tegenwoordig in het Midden-Oosten erg actueel is, heeft Kader Abdolah prachtig tegen een sprookjesachtig decor van het oude Teheran geschilderd.
Ik vond het echt een interessant boek om te lezen. Zelf zou ik het niet hebben gekozen maar het was onderdeel van een challenge. En nu ben ik heel blij dat ik het heb gedaan.
In bit boek werd ik meegenomen naar het sprookjesachtige Perzië van halverwege de 19e eeuw.
De sjah die aan alle kanten te maken krijgt met westerse invloeden en moderniseringen probeert met hand en tand zijn soevereiniteit te waarborgen.
Ik wist hier echt niet veel vanaf.
Dit centrale thema, die ook tegenwoordig in het Midden-Oosten erg actueel is, heeft Kader Abdolah prachtig tegen een sprookjesachtig decor van het oude Teheran geschilderd.
Ik vond het echt een interessant boek om te lezen. Zelf zou ik het niet hebben gekozen maar het was onderdeel van een challenge. En nu ben ik heel blij dat ik het heb gedaan.
November 7, 2014
Review originally posted on http://eatreadexplore.wordpress.com
I've loved Kader Abdolah's writing since I first read The House of the Mosque many moons ago. His style of writing and use of language is unique, and whenever I read any of his works I feel as though I'm being taken on some sort of magical journey (and yes I do realise how cheesy that sounds). His books always have some connection to Iran, or take place entirely in Iran, and this one is no exception. The story takes us to 19th century Persia, a country ruled by the young Shah Naser. The country is on a turning point of modernisation and industrialisation, but the Shah is weary of these rapid changes, and prefers to pretend he's still living in the medieval fairytale-like country whose throne he has inherited from his father. His grand-vizier, however, does realise that the country is in need of some much needed change, and that if nothing is done their power and autonomy will be threatened by colonial superpowers such as Great Britain. The story finds a perfect and harmonious balance between an historical account and a thrilling story, which makes for a great read. Abdolah has truly perfected the art of storytelling, and his books are always a joy to read.
I had the honour of meeting Kader Abdolah at the Edinburgh International Book Festival back in August, which I still need to write a blog post about. He's a truly fascinating man with an incredible life story, and his novels are a testament to his achievements. I would urge everyone to read at least one of his books, even if you don't have a special interest in Iran. I assure you that you'll be swept away by his writing and beautiful turn of phrase.
As this was the first time I read one of his works in the English translation (I usually read them in the original Dutch), I need to acknowledge the translator, Nancy Forest Flier, who did an amazing job in maintaining his unique style of writing, and made the translation just as pleasurable to read as the original.
I've loved Kader Abdolah's writing since I first read The House of the Mosque many moons ago. His style of writing and use of language is unique, and whenever I read any of his works I feel as though I'm being taken on some sort of magical journey (and yes I do realise how cheesy that sounds). His books always have some connection to Iran, or take place entirely in Iran, and this one is no exception. The story takes us to 19th century Persia, a country ruled by the young Shah Naser. The country is on a turning point of modernisation and industrialisation, but the Shah is weary of these rapid changes, and prefers to pretend he's still living in the medieval fairytale-like country whose throne he has inherited from his father. His grand-vizier, however, does realise that the country is in need of some much needed change, and that if nothing is done their power and autonomy will be threatened by colonial superpowers such as Great Britain. The story finds a perfect and harmonious balance between an historical account and a thrilling story, which makes for a great read. Abdolah has truly perfected the art of storytelling, and his books are always a joy to read.
I had the honour of meeting Kader Abdolah at the Edinburgh International Book Festival back in August, which I still need to write a blog post about. He's a truly fascinating man with an incredible life story, and his novels are a testament to his achievements. I would urge everyone to read at least one of his books, even if you don't have a special interest in Iran. I assure you that you'll be swept away by his writing and beautiful turn of phrase.
As this was the first time I read one of his works in the English translation (I usually read them in the original Dutch), I need to acknowledge the translator, Nancy Forest Flier, who did an amazing job in maintaining his unique style of writing, and made the translation just as pleasurable to read as the original.
April 18, 2019
The book tells a fictional account of the rule of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar, Shah of Persia in the late 1800s. Plenty of political intrigue with the English and Russians playing their Great Game and the Shah losing control to the forces of change for modernisation.
What makes this book is the fine story telling style of the author. I felt like he was in the room telling a story. His writing is quite simple and comes across as "this is what actually happened".
One of the best historical novels I have read.
What makes this book is the fine story telling style of the author. I felt like he was in the room telling a story. His writing is quite simple and comes across as "this is what actually happened".
One of the best historical novels I have read.
December 7, 2018
Ovo je bilo divno putovanje u Perziju.
Ako se volite vratiti u prošlost,čitati o vladavini prilično nesposobnog šaha,pročitajte ovu knjigu.
Ako se volite vratiti u prošlost,čitati o vladavini prilično nesposobnog šaha,pročitajte ovu knjigu.
June 6, 2011
Another excellent book by Abdolah. It tells the story of a 19th century Persian Shah and the struggle of Persia with modernity. It is very interesting how this sheds light on the current 'freedom protests' that take place in the Middle East. Here also, the autocrat ruler seems to be so distanced from what happens among the common people that he is not able and not willing to understand the seriousness of what's going on. Also the interaction of the struggle for modern privileges and the ambivalent role of religion is portrayed in a realistic way that is relevant for understanding our contemporary times.
December 27, 2011
Wat een meesterwerk weer van Kader Abdolah!
Net zoals in zijn andere boeken staat de Islam in het Midden-Oosten (Afghanistan) centraal. In dit boek ga je naar de 19e eeuw, naar Perzië. De oude sjah komt te overlijden en zijn zoon, de kroonprins, neemt het van hem over. Dit is het moment waarop het verhaal begint, als de sjah zijn intrek neemt in het paleis in Teheran. De geschiedenis van de koningen van Perzië wordt uitgelegd en het systeem hoe de sjah, sjah wordt. Het was erg interessant om meer over de cultuur van de Islam te leren, hoe sommige rituelen het leven beheersen. Zo laat de (bijgelovige) sjah bepaalde belangrijke (!) beslissingen afhangen van een bladzijde uit de Koran/gedichtenbundel, die hij willekeurig openslaat. Je kunt je niet indenken dat een land zo wordt bestuurd, door in onze ogen 'toevalligheden'. De rechterhand van de sjah, de vizier, bestuurd in feite het land, waarbij de sjah de besluiten goed/fout keurt. De vizier in het verhaal probeert van Perzië, wat geteisterd wordt door armoede/analfabetisme etc., een modern land te maken. Het land wordt aan 2 kanten ingesloten door de machtigste landen van de wereld: Rusland en Engeland, die elkaar alleen maar proberen af te troeven in de strijd om de doortocht naar Indië. Hoewel de vizier erg into Engeland is, is de moeder van de sjah helemaal op de hand van Rusland, wat ze allebei bij de sjah proberen te 'verkopen'. Zonder veel te verklappen komt het er uiteindelijk op neer dat het volk zelf ook inziet dat er veranderingen nodig zijn (onder leiding van Djamal Khan) en met hulp van de belangrijkste ayatollahs van het land proeberen ze dat ook duidelijk te maken aan de sjah. Maar eigenwijs als hij is, hij die zichzelf ziet als het allerbelangrijkste op de wereld, wil er niet aan geloven, wat leidt tot een oorlog tussen het volk en het leger, met bloedige slagen en al.
Het einde van het verhaal zie je van te voren al aankomen, maar dat mag het prachtige verhaal niet drukken. Wat me ook vooral opviel was die eigenwijsheid van de sjah, hij wil niet naar zijn vizier luisteren, maar uiteindelijk (na allerlei omstandigheden) doet hij toch alles was de vizier eerder gezegd had. Het verhaal leest verder ook lekker weg, hoewel de namen allemaal op elkaar lijken en ik dus af en toe in de war was wie nou wie was, maar dat was zeker niet storend.
Zeker een aanrader!
Net zoals in zijn andere boeken staat de Islam in het Midden-Oosten (Afghanistan) centraal. In dit boek ga je naar de 19e eeuw, naar Perzië. De oude sjah komt te overlijden en zijn zoon, de kroonprins, neemt het van hem over. Dit is het moment waarop het verhaal begint, als de sjah zijn intrek neemt in het paleis in Teheran. De geschiedenis van de koningen van Perzië wordt uitgelegd en het systeem hoe de sjah, sjah wordt. Het was erg interessant om meer over de cultuur van de Islam te leren, hoe sommige rituelen het leven beheersen. Zo laat de (bijgelovige) sjah bepaalde belangrijke (!) beslissingen afhangen van een bladzijde uit de Koran/gedichtenbundel, die hij willekeurig openslaat. Je kunt je niet indenken dat een land zo wordt bestuurd, door in onze ogen 'toevalligheden'. De rechterhand van de sjah, de vizier, bestuurd in feite het land, waarbij de sjah de besluiten goed/fout keurt. De vizier in het verhaal probeert van Perzië, wat geteisterd wordt door armoede/analfabetisme etc., een modern land te maken. Het land wordt aan 2 kanten ingesloten door de machtigste landen van de wereld: Rusland en Engeland, die elkaar alleen maar proberen af te troeven in de strijd om de doortocht naar Indië. Hoewel de vizier erg into Engeland is, is de moeder van de sjah helemaal op de hand van Rusland, wat ze allebei bij de sjah proberen te 'verkopen'. Zonder veel te verklappen komt het er uiteindelijk op neer dat het volk zelf ook inziet dat er veranderingen nodig zijn (onder leiding van Djamal Khan) en met hulp van de belangrijkste ayatollahs van het land proeberen ze dat ook duidelijk te maken aan de sjah. Maar eigenwijs als hij is, hij die zichzelf ziet als het allerbelangrijkste op de wereld, wil er niet aan geloven, wat leidt tot een oorlog tussen het volk en het leger, met bloedige slagen en al.
Het einde van het verhaal zie je van te voren al aankomen, maar dat mag het prachtige verhaal niet drukken. Wat me ook vooral opviel was die eigenwijsheid van de sjah, hij wil niet naar zijn vizier luisteren, maar uiteindelijk (na allerlei omstandigheden) doet hij toch alles was de vizier eerder gezegd had. Het verhaal leest verder ook lekker weg, hoewel de namen allemaal op elkaar lijken en ik dus af en toe in de war was wie nou wie was, maar dat was zeker niet storend.
Zeker een aanrader!
September 27, 2023
Kader Abdolah is a story-teller, that’s a much shared opinion, also by me. In many of his stories, columns, novels, his home country Iran plays an important role. In the case of ‘De Koning’ (The king) the state is a sort of a character. The main person-characters are the shah Naser, which is based on shah Naser Eddin (1831-1896) and the grand vizier Mirza Kabir, which is based on the author’s greatgrandfather’s father; they turn out to be counterparts in their political ideas about further development of the country. They have to deal with a variety of foreign countries with significant influence in Iran. Especially Russia is mentioned as an unreliable entity to come to an agreement with. But during the social unrest in his own country the shah becomes all the more unpredictable in his decision-making. Naser and Kabir, respectively, represent conservatism and modernisation. Shah Naser makes some strategic decisions that don’t help him in reaching his goal. In essence, this novel is less of a historic novel than a novel of ideas, about power and abuse of power, be it embedded in a historical context, for better understanding of the theme. I think Kader Abdolah has succeeded in bringing the central theme to life, but he maintains a simple style. JM
November 6, 2018
A fine historical novel about Persia at the end of the 19th-century and Shah Naser, shahanshah, well-meaning but foolish, heir to a decayed empire, overwhelmed by outside powers (Britain and tsarist Russia) that he can no longer keep out of Persian affairs and by his own inability to grasp the new era. Kader Abdolah tells the story not as a strict historical account, but as a bazaar storyteller's version, one with cleverly-inserted criticism not just of Shah Naser and his modernity-stricken opponents, but of the ayatollahs and the traditional middle classes as well. Lovely in language, and a fine depiction of the end of an era as the Shah tries to deal with a world that's no longer something he can understand.
May 25, 2011
Erg mooi geschiedenis boek! :)
January 21, 2012
Voor mij is dit het beste boek van Kader Abdolah. Mooi geschreven en een goed opgezet verhaal. Het heeft een zekere actualiteit met de huidige ontwikkelingen in Noord Afrika. Een aanrader.
March 6, 2014
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2023
Citaat : Mensen huilen, mensen smeken, mensen worden beroofd, de boeren zijn getroffen door een sprinkhanenplaag, de vrouwen worden verkracht, de kinderen worden blind van de pokken, de jongens lijden aan haaruitval. Moeder wij voelen ons machteloos.
Review : In de roman De koning voert Kader Abdolah zijn betovergrootvader, die ruim honderd jaar geleden premier (grootvizier) van Perzië was, ten tonele. Het is een roman over de sjah van Perzië, die op 1 mei 1896 werd vermoord. Sjah Naser ed-Din Kadjar (1831-1896) genoot van zijn rijkdommen, zijn kat en zijn poëzie, en ook van zijn harem met ruim tweehonderd vrouwen. Net als zijn vader liet hij het bestuur van het land voornamelijk over aan de grootvizier.
Deze Mirza Kabir was een ervaren bestuurder, die inzag dat Perzië hopeloos verouderd was. In het door-en-door corrupte land, waar Rusland, Frankrijk en Engeland streden om de invloed, wilde de vizier vooruitgang: telegrafie, treinen, democratisering met onder andere een grondwet. Het alom heersend wantrouwen en hun verschil van inzicht over hoever de modernisering moest gaan, kostten de vizier het leven. En uiteindelijk ook de sjah zelf.
Kader Abdolah stuwt zijn roman aanvankelijk zéér traag maar wel sterk opgebouwd naar een hoogtepunt. De Koning zit in een hopeloze situatie. Zijn ooit glorieuze land is gebieden kwijtgeraakt en verarmd. Hij wil het in ere herstellen, zoals zijn vader hem dat heeft opgedragen. Zijn moeder, een keiharde vrouw maant hem harder op te treden tegen zijn tegenstanders en zijn adviseurs houden er een dubbele agenda op na. Hijzelf heeft weinig voeling met zijn onderdanen tot berichten door telegrafie naar hem gestuurd hem duidelijk maken hoe erg het met zijn onderdanen gesteld is.
Aanvankelijk trekken de vizier en de heerser samen op. De sjah is verrukt van de tapijtfabriek die de vizier laat bouwen. De Britten mogen een telegrafielijn aanleggen naar India. Maar dat de vizier de Franse grondwet laat vertalen, gaat de sjah veel te ver. Hij wil wel wat vernieuwing, maar geen democratie. Dat blijkt als de illegale oppositie te machtig wordt, met behulp van een paar ayatollahs. Hij geeft de vernieuwers zogezegd de ruimte een grondwet op te stellen, om vervolgens bloedig toe te slaan.
Abdolah Kader is een uitstekend vertegenwoordiger van Perzische vertelkunst. Zijn taal is ook heel visueel en doet zijn personages werkelijk tot leven komen. De toestand in Iran is dezer dagen nog steeds zorgwekkend en door deze roman krijgt de lezer een beetje zicht op de machtsstructuur in dit grote en mooie land.
Review : In de roman De koning voert Kader Abdolah zijn betovergrootvader, die ruim honderd jaar geleden premier (grootvizier) van Perzië was, ten tonele. Het is een roman over de sjah van Perzië, die op 1 mei 1896 werd vermoord. Sjah Naser ed-Din Kadjar (1831-1896) genoot van zijn rijkdommen, zijn kat en zijn poëzie, en ook van zijn harem met ruim tweehonderd vrouwen. Net als zijn vader liet hij het bestuur van het land voornamelijk over aan de grootvizier.
Deze Mirza Kabir was een ervaren bestuurder, die inzag dat Perzië hopeloos verouderd was. In het door-en-door corrupte land, waar Rusland, Frankrijk en Engeland streden om de invloed, wilde de vizier vooruitgang: telegrafie, treinen, democratisering met onder andere een grondwet. Het alom heersend wantrouwen en hun verschil van inzicht over hoever de modernisering moest gaan, kostten de vizier het leven. En uiteindelijk ook de sjah zelf.
Kader Abdolah stuwt zijn roman aanvankelijk zéér traag maar wel sterk opgebouwd naar een hoogtepunt. De Koning zit in een hopeloze situatie. Zijn ooit glorieuze land is gebieden kwijtgeraakt en verarmd. Hij wil het in ere herstellen, zoals zijn vader hem dat heeft opgedragen. Zijn moeder, een keiharde vrouw maant hem harder op te treden tegen zijn tegenstanders en zijn adviseurs houden er een dubbele agenda op na. Hijzelf heeft weinig voeling met zijn onderdanen tot berichten door telegrafie naar hem gestuurd hem duidelijk maken hoe erg het met zijn onderdanen gesteld is.
Aanvankelijk trekken de vizier en de heerser samen op. De sjah is verrukt van de tapijtfabriek die de vizier laat bouwen. De Britten mogen een telegrafielijn aanleggen naar India. Maar dat de vizier de Franse grondwet laat vertalen, gaat de sjah veel te ver. Hij wil wel wat vernieuwing, maar geen democratie. Dat blijkt als de illegale oppositie te machtig wordt, met behulp van een paar ayatollahs. Hij geeft de vernieuwers zogezegd de ruimte een grondwet op te stellen, om vervolgens bloedig toe te slaan.
Abdolah Kader is een uitstekend vertegenwoordiger van Perzische vertelkunst. Zijn taal is ook heel visueel en doet zijn personages werkelijk tot leven komen. De toestand in Iran is dezer dagen nog steeds zorgwekkend en door deze roman krijgt de lezer een beetje zicht op de machtsstructuur in dit grote en mooie land.
December 23, 2012
Dit is het eerste boek van Kader Abdolah dat ik lees, en ik ben zeer positief verrast. 'De Koning' is een zeer goed geschreven historische roman over sjah Naser uit de 19e eeuw. Ik ben vooral onder de indruk van de manier waarop het kleine en het grote verhaal in elkaar zijn verweven; dwz, het leven van de sjah (die van de oude stempel is, en liever met zijn kat speelt of in de harem is) en de maatschappelijke ontwikkelingen die zich in rap tempo voltrekken om hem heen. De achterflap noemt het boek 'een fascinerende roman over de relatie tussen Europa en het Oosten, maar het gaat meer over de relatie tussen de oude en nieuwe machtsorden binnen Perzië. De sjah noemt zich ergens 'de laatste ouderwetse koning' en houdt dat beeld tot op de laatste zin van het boek in stand, terwijl de wereld - ook in Perzië - inmiddels radicaal is veranderd.
Het is schrijnend je te realiseren hoe de situatie in Perzië / Iran zich sindsdien heeft ontwikkeld en hoezeer dezelfde strijd in het Midden-Oosten nog woedt, maar juist dat maakt dit boek zo lezenswaardig.
Het is schrijnend je te realiseren hoe de situatie in Perzië / Iran zich sindsdien heeft ontwikkeld en hoezeer dezelfde strijd in het Midden-Oosten nog woedt, maar juist dat maakt dit boek zo lezenswaardig.
March 4, 2018
This book is about Naser et Din Shah Ghajar, it is not a fiction nor history. It is very simple fictional presentation of this ghajar king and the start of the new modern Iran. Kader Abdolah has done a good efford in writing and presenting this story to international audience . If he was more respective to the historic events the book would definitely be more interesting. He has heard about characters of the king Naser and uses these fistic chharacters, but don't necessarily they have relation to the history. In total he has introduced the king Naser and the book worth reading once.
January 18, 2018
De koning is een sprookjesachtig geschiedkundig verhaal.
De Sjah van Perzië is toch wat gekant tegen vernieuwing, maar zal hij het kunnen tegenhouden ?
Kader Abdolah heeft een eenvoudige, maar mooie schrijfstijl. Het boek bestaat uit verschillende korte hoofdstukjes.
Beide zaken maken het een aangenaam boek om te lezen.
Alleen heb je het tegen het eind van het boek wel een beetje gehad met die Sjah.
De Sjah van Perzië is toch wat gekant tegen vernieuwing, maar zal hij het kunnen tegenhouden ?
Kader Abdolah heeft een eenvoudige, maar mooie schrijfstijl. Het boek bestaat uit verschillende korte hoofdstukjes.
Beide zaken maken het een aangenaam boek om te lezen.
Alleen heb je het tegen het eind van het boek wel een beetje gehad met die Sjah.
June 20, 2012
Het verhaal begint met het voorstellen van de belangrijkste personages. De personages worden tijdens het verhaal voorgesteld, waardoor het verhaal langzaam op gang komt.Toch blijft het verhaal treken een echte page turner. Mede doordat er in het begin vn het verhaal kleine bij verhalen zijn en wilt weten waar het toe zal leiden.
February 15, 2016
De eerste helft las als een politiek sprookje en was daarin heel geslaagd. De tweede helft las als een feitelijk en soms tikkeltje droog verslag van de gebeurtenissen. Het sprookje was over, maar het grote leesplezier ook wel. Tot hoofdstuk 61 (van de 64) "De Elektriciteit", wat prachtig! Out with a bang.
May 12, 2012
De Koning geeft een kijk op Perzie vanuit het oogpunt van de Sjah. Literair gezien vind ik het niet zo'n goed boek, maar het is wel interessant voor wie zich interesseert voor geschiedenis en het Oosten. Niet spannend, wel intrigerend.
September 29, 2011
Eerder een kroniek dan een roman.
Het huis van de moskee kon me veel meer bekoren en was ook beter geschreven.
Wel boeiend tijdsbeeld van Perzië rond de eeuwwisseling.
Het huis van de moskee kon me veel meer bekoren en was ook beter geschreven.
Wel boeiend tijdsbeeld van Perzië rond de eeuwwisseling.
May 4, 2012
Not his best, or just more of the same, i'm not sure. But i wasn't as drawn into the story as i was with some of his other work. Still worth the read though.
June 15, 2014
A disappointment, compared with The House.... At times entertaining, but many long, utterly boring passages to cope with.
February 18, 2017
Mag zijn boeken graag lezen en dit is ook weer een interessant boek.
Het gaat met name over het leven en bevoegdheden van de sjah en zijn vizier.
Het gaat met name over het leven en bevoegdheden van de sjah en zijn vizier.
October 25, 2025
Boeken van Kader Abdolah zijn geen pageturners: Je leest ze langzaam en met aandacht, om de sfeer ten volle te absorberen. Wat dat betreft is ook deze roman weer een voltreffer. Ik waande me helemaal in het oude Perzië en in de turbulente 19de eeuw.
Voor een korter boek was dat dan ook voldoende geweest, maar in een verhaal van 400 pagina's wordt het gebrek aan een overkoepelende plot op den duur vervelend.
Wat ook niet helpt, is dat een centraal personage, door wiens ogen we veel van het verhaal hebben gevolgd en voor wie je als lezer sympathie ontwikkelt, ongeveer in het midden van het verhaal sterft en daarmee van het toneel verdwijnt.
Als panorama van een historische periode was het dan ook mooie lectuur, maar als verhaal had ik er meer van verwacht.
Voor een korter boek was dat dan ook voldoende geweest, maar in een verhaal van 400 pagina's wordt het gebrek aan een overkoepelende plot op den duur vervelend.
Wat ook niet helpt, is dat een centraal personage, door wiens ogen we veel van het verhaal hebben gevolgd en voor wie je als lezer sympathie ontwikkelt, ongeveer in het midden van het verhaal sterft en daarmee van het toneel verdwijnt.
Als panorama van een historische periode was het dan ook mooie lectuur, maar als verhaal had ik er meer van verwacht.
June 24, 2020
Moving, thrilling, extra-ordinary.
Undoubtedly, Kader is the master of narrating history as an exuberant tale. He digs history from grave.. history that was murdered with a black blanket.
In this book of Kader Abdolah, we see a Persian king of royal family impertinent to the change of wind in his land. We see how Western wind of revolution changes a middle Eastern country's mass people, makes them rethink about their lifestyle. We see how the land of Persia was intervened by foreign powers again and again...
For thousands of years, kings and emperors considered conquering land as the supreme mission of a kingdom or empire. They built army, captured cities and inscribed their glory in the pages of history. The more land your kingdom acquires, the more powerful you are as a king. The more jewelry stones in your cellar, the more glory you have.
Suddenly at the beginning of the twentieth century, the equation changed. People are becoming matured to understand that pen is mightier than the sword, that you can gain power by passing agreements and not by deploying resources to wage wars and killing millions of lives. The more you satisfy your citizens by creating employments and reducing tax, the more glory you have as a prime minister. Indeed, you can not feed your population by reserving gold and diamond in your cellar unless you convert the resources into foods by any means.
But a tradition of thousand years can't be changed overnight. The Western world reached where it is today after the Industrial revolution that lasted for a long time. The middle East is just turning its own revolution maybe. It took hundreds of years for the Persians to cultivate Islam. And we don't know how this land will look in next couple of hundred years. "The King" tells about the unrest in the last century Persia experienced. How it occurred for the ayatollahs to participate in the state's affair, how foreign powers played their role, what strategy was chosen by the free-thinkers.
With the magical storytelling power of Kader Abdolah, this book escorts the reader to the beginning of 19th century Persia, a land of exquisite carpets, flavorsome tea and traditions that lived thousand years.
I would like to thank Barbara for suggesting this book! And yeah, Kader's books should be way more famous.
Undoubtedly, Kader is the master of narrating history as an exuberant tale. He digs history from grave.. history that was murdered with a black blanket.
In this book of Kader Abdolah, we see a Persian king of royal family impertinent to the change of wind in his land. We see how Western wind of revolution changes a middle Eastern country's mass people, makes them rethink about their lifestyle. We see how the land of Persia was intervened by foreign powers again and again...
For thousands of years, kings and emperors considered conquering land as the supreme mission of a kingdom or empire. They built army, captured cities and inscribed their glory in the pages of history. The more land your kingdom acquires, the more powerful you are as a king. The more jewelry stones in your cellar, the more glory you have.
Suddenly at the beginning of the twentieth century, the equation changed. People are becoming matured to understand that pen is mightier than the sword, that you can gain power by passing agreements and not by deploying resources to wage wars and killing millions of lives. The more you satisfy your citizens by creating employments and reducing tax, the more glory you have as a prime minister. Indeed, you can not feed your population by reserving gold and diamond in your cellar unless you convert the resources into foods by any means.
But a tradition of thousand years can't be changed overnight. The Western world reached where it is today after the Industrial revolution that lasted for a long time. The middle East is just turning its own revolution maybe. It took hundreds of years for the Persians to cultivate Islam. And we don't know how this land will look in next couple of hundred years. "The King" tells about the unrest in the last century Persia experienced. How it occurred for the ayatollahs to participate in the state's affair, how foreign powers played their role, what strategy was chosen by the free-thinkers.
With the magical storytelling power of Kader Abdolah, this book escorts the reader to the beginning of 19th century Persia, a land of exquisite carpets, flavorsome tea and traditions that lived thousand years.
I would like to thank Barbara for suggesting this book! And yeah, Kader's books should be way more famous.
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