InQ Episode 85: "The Blind Owl"

In this masterpiece of Iranian literature by Sadegh Hedayat, the nameless narrator is slowly falling into madness. The images he sees are troublesome to say the least. Is he dreaming? Is he losing touch with reality? Are we dealing with the hallucinations of an opium user? The text does not provide any answer and the reader is left to decide on his/her own how to interpret the maniacal laughter and the various shadows that keep disturbing the narrator’s peace. And death, ever so present.

A fascinating read but not recommended for a fun novel to bring on the beach. It will make your mind wonder if you are all sane yourself and if the murderous tendencies the narrator exhibits may not be yours just as well.  “The Blind Owl” has been compared to Poe’s stories, to “One Hundred Years of Solitude” and to some of Dostoevsky’s novels.

Written from the first person narrative for a more “hands-on” experience, “The Blind Owl,” short yet dense, will shake you to the core. Prepare to be moved!