The Bastard of Istanbul (By Elif Shafak) — A Book Review

Set in the historical backdrop of the 20th century Turkish-Armenian genocide, this fictional tale portrays vigorous, gritty female characters an essential constituent in the novels written by Elif Shafak.

The protagonist of the story is the young troubled Asya who lives in Turkey with her mother and aunts. She is determined to find out the identity of her father hence, the title of the book. But the truth is dark, painful and shocking. In parallel, runs the story of Armanoush, the step-daughter of Asya’s uncle who is living in Arizona but travels to Turkey in search of her ancestral Armenian roots.

Interesting are the Kazanci family sisters, each one possessing eccentric traits. Worth mentioning are Zehila, Asya’s mother, who is a tatto artist, wilful and passionate about life; Banu who practices as a clairvoyant and has insightful conversations with djinn folk. While, Feride is the hypochondriac obsessed with impending doom.

As a trademark of her literary work, the author has exposed patriarchal double-standards and male privilege in this novel.

Not a tale to be taken lightly, glimpses into the forced displacement and massacre of the Armenian population by the Turk government sheds light on historical injustice that resonates with present day attitudes towards ethnic cleansing.

“But the past lives within the present, and our ancestors breathe through our children.” —- Elif Shafak (The Bastard of Istanbul)