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Veda: Esir Şehirde Bir Konak (2012)

by Ayşe Kulin(Favorite Author)

3.82 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

9752894402 (ISBN13: 9789752894402)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Everest Yayınları

review 1: This is an intimate story of one family's experiences during the the epic history of the Turkish civil war. It's 1920, and the old Ottoman Empire is crumbling. Istanbul is occupied by British forces in concert with the Greeks and French. What will become the new Turkish state has retreated to Ankara to reclaim Turkey from the western forces who would rather break it into pieces.Against this background, Ahmet Resat, a civil servant to the last Sultan, must maintain his loyalty to the crown. But family matters intervene: He is harboring his injured nephew Kemal, an agent for the Turkish alliance. Typical epic complications ensue: Kemal falls in love with Resat's niece, who works as a servant in his mansion. Resat's wife becomes pregnant, and Kemal's cousin, Azra, feels a nee... mored to join the rebels as well. Kulin's story is tight and well told, as much a historical lesson as a forceful melodrama, and it rates an 8.5 on the meh-to-weepy scale (10 being Ole Yeller). Every character faces a satisfyingly resolved moral dilemma; the end is fittingly bittersweet. For those interested in historical family-oriented fiction in exotic lands, this is a highly recommended read.
review 2: This book was a tear-jerker for me. I feel like I learned so much about Turkish culture and history, while engaging in a beautiful love story full of tragedy and hope. I was moved not only by the romantic love between Kemal and Mehpare but also the love of family and one's country. The characters in the book are torn between two worlds, as the Ottoman Empire slowly meets its demise and a more modern Turkey begins to emerge. Despite the changes that are taking place and the uncertainty of the future, the Turks remain strong and never lose faith. This is a beautiful story that will leave the reader connected to the city of Istanbul and its people. (Note: some of the Turkish words are a bit difficult to pronounce and the pronunciation guide in the front of the book is not very helpful) less

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