The Bastard of Istanbul

The Bastard of Istanbul, a novel by Elif Shafak. The reader is presented with the novel “The Bastard of Istanbul,” by Elif Shafak, a contemporary Turkish novelist, indeed a global one in every sense of the word. She is a novelist who differs radically from other novelists, both male and female, in various aspects, in terms of her cultural roots, her comprehensive readings, and her intellectual, political, and social aspirations. She writes and excels in novels, despite having never studied literature in a systematic academic manner. Elif Shafak’s novels, which transcend time and place, encompass political, historical, religious, and social thought, placing her in a prominent position in modern world literature. Shafak conveys to the reader a picture of what has happened, or is happening now, in certain countries around the world, particularly in terms of ethnic, sectarian, nationalist, religious, and political conflicts, all of which are based on mythical and historical arguments. Shafak believes these arguments are no longer suitable, in today’s world, as a criterion for proving points of view that are deeply fanatical, reflective of the past, and sanctify its events. The world no longer takes such arguments seriously, as long as, as the author believes, they do not lead to definitive, final results. On the contrary, they increase the foci of sectarian, nationalist, religious, and societal conflict in a single country with multiple cultures, nationalities, and religions. In this vision, which she expressed in her novels, she relied primarily on the arguments of modern political thought in its various contemporary trends. This novel tells the story of the women of the Kazanci family, who live in a large house: Zeliha, the younger sister who owns a tattoo parlor and is the mother of Asya, the bastard; Banu, who has recently discovered her talents as an astrologer; Sezi, the widow and teacher; and Feride, who is obsessed with disasters. The only brother lives in the United States, and his daughter, Armanush, along with Asya, will uncover great secrets about the family and modern Turkish history. “The Bastard of Istanbul” is a brutal and powerful novel that established Elif Shafak as a star of international fiction.