The Bastard of Istanbul

The Bastard of Istanbul is a captivating tale that delves into the tangled history of two families, Armenian and Turkish, and their connection to a violent event in their homeland.

Through humor and understanding, this exuberant novel explores memory and forgetting, the need to examine the past, and the desire to erase it.

As an Armenian American living in San Francisco, Armanoush feels like part of her identity is missing, and she must make a journey back to Turkey to start living her life.

The story unfolds through the interactions among and between them, tracing tragic patterns of blame, denial, suppression of memory that have characterized relations between the two peoples since the massacres and deportations suffered by the Armenians at Turkish hands in 1915.

Despite the Turkish state's refusal to acknowledge these atrocities, Elif Shafak's masterful storytelling sheds light on this dark chapter of history with empathy and insight.

Don't miss out on this unforgettable read!