The Bastard of Istanbul - by Elif Shafak
In her second novel written in English, Elif Shafak confronts her country's violent past in a vivid and colorful tale set in both Turkey and the United States. At its center is the “bastard” of the title, Asya, a nineteen-year-old woman who loves Johnny Cash and the French Existentialists, and the four sisters of the Kazanci family who all live together in an extended household in Istanbul: Zehila, the zestful, headstrong youngest sister who runs a tattoo parlor and is Asya's mother; Banu, who has newly discovered herself as a clairvoyant; Cevriye, a widowed high school teacher; and Feride, a hypochondriac obsessed with impending disaster. Their one estranged brother lives in Arizona with his wife and her Armenian daughter, Armanoush. When Armanoush secretly flies to Istanbul in search of her identity, she finds the Kazanci sisters and becomes fast friends with Asya. A secret is uncovered that links the two families and ties them to the 1915 Armenian deportations and massacres. Full of vigorous, unforgettable female characters, The Bastard of Istanbul is a bold, powerful tale that will confirm Shafak as a rising star of international fiction
2 comments:
I was drawn into a world of Old traditions, customs, ...and chapters titled by earthy foods. I enjoyed reading about the richly flavored recipes. The relationships of the women, governed by traditions, the modern world, and the supernatural kept me very interested in their stories.
At times the writing seemed a bit drawn out for me, but noting that this book was translated from another language where what the author intended is not always what hits the page...keep me reading.
Over all I enjoyed the introduction to a very old culture, and a part of the world that is so far away.
I would recommend it.
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