Sunday, April 27, 2008

The Bastard of Istanbul

Elif Shafak
2007

This is probably the best read in my list of fiction in the last several years. The stories of the characters are complex and windy, but Shafak intertwines them skillfully to weave the fabric of a sophisticated plot. The main themes of the book oscillate between national and transnational identity, past and present, memory and remembering. Fascinating work!