A “vivid and entertaining” (Chicago Tribune) tale about the tangled history of two families, from the author of The Forty Rules of Love and The Architect’s Apprentice“Zesty, imaginative . . . a Turkish version of Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club.” –USA Today As an Armenian American living in San Francisco, Armanoush feels like part of her identity is missing and that she must make a journey back to … of her identity is missing and that she must make a journey back to the past, to Turkey, in order to start living her life. Asya is a nineteen-year-old woman living in an extended all-female household in Istanbul who loves Jonny Cash and the French existentialists. The Bastard of Istanbul tells the story of their two families–and a secret connection linking them to a violent event in the history of their homeland. Filed with humor and understanding, this exuberant, dramatic novel is about memory and forgetting, about the need to examine the past and the desire to erase it, and about Turkey itself.
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A fascinating book about two young women, a Turk living in Istanbul and an Armenian living in California, who become friends. The book explores questions of identity, coming of age, and dealing with victimhood and sins of past generations. I’m not big on the supernatural, but it is skillfully used in this novel to help us understand the past as well as present relationships. A good read! And the descriptive language is superb!
Great story, but there are so many foreign terms that aren’t explained, as if it’s written for an audience of Turks and Armenians only. A lot of the food terms I understand, being Greek, but others are totally incomprehensible.
A teen girl from CA/AZ goes on her own to Istanbul to meet her stepfather’s family and to find her real father’s roots; lots of secrets and intertwined relationships. Interesting look at life/food/family in Istanbul and at the history and current state of Turkish/Armenian problems.
Enjoyed the saga of a middle eastern family spanning several generations.
One of the best books I have read in a long time. The writing is beyond masterful. The characterizations brilliant. Has the weight of a classic with the entertainment value of a domestic “Catch 22”. I bought another Shafan book halfway through this one.
This story is about two families, a Turkish family living in Istanbul, an Armenian family who immigrated to the US – and the improbable way in which their lives intersect. The book is full of colorful characters, cultural practices, (think magical realism), politics, food, and intrigue. It’s unlike anything I’ve read before, and at times I wondered where the story line was headed with segues into several hot button topics, (rape, incest, abortion, and the Armenian genocide). Shafak ties up the loose ends in a reasonably satisfying conclusion.
This was actually the first book of Elif Shafak’s that I have read. I love this book. I love her writing style. Her word choices and writing structures are gifts to the reader. This story was amazing even in sadness. I can’t wait to read more of Elif Shafak’s works.
A great evening reading.
What a great story! This was very unusual and interesting, full of surprises. The writing is excellent.
It is an empathetic look into how our past and our cultures distort our perceptions and an unexpected twist of fate.
This is an excellent book. Describes the life and customs of three different nationalities and their historical origin, two of them living in the US and the other one in Turkey.
I just did not enjoy it.
Wonderful book, colorful characters, and a very new perspective on Istanbul.
A fascinating look at two families, Turkish and Armenian, one living in Tuscon, Arizona and the other in Istanbul and how they became intwined. A fascinating read!
Well written and translated. Enjoyable reading covering some of the dark portions of Turkish history and society (any society, really) without being excessively morbid. Not appreciated by many who are native to Turkey, it is nonetheless an important work.
Loved this book so much was hard to put down and different in so many ways highly recommend
Interesting cultural perspective.
I only read about 1/4 of the book, could not get into it
The Bastard of Istanbul has stayed with me since I first read it for a class ten years ago. Elif Safak is a talented author: she weaves together threads from many different lives into a rich tapestry that illuminates the tragedies of the not-so-distant past. In this complex and riveting saga, she reveals the impact of events, from the devastating to the joyous, on both an individual and a national scale.