I downloaded this from Audible to listen on my journey between work and home. It's quite a confusing story as it seems to drift between dreams and rather improbable reality without clearly indicating the boundaries between the two. It seems to dart about in time too. After listening all the way through I still hadn't got all the characters sorted out in my head and remained confused so I've started again. This may be a book that you have to read twice as I am really enjoying it the second time around and as I'm now aware that all is not what it seems I'm finding it much easier to follow.
The one thing that still puzzles me, and I hope to understand when I finish my second reading, is why it is so much more offensive than any other work of fiction. Perhaps I have missed many other fatwas or if could be because of my ignorance of Islam and its associated culture. I can see that it could be interpreted in an insulting way, although I have not chosen this inerpretation myself, but I really don't, yet, find any justification for the order to take Rushdie's life.
The other unexpected element of this work is how funny it is. I wasn't expecting that.
