by Elif Şafak
First published 2002
Meryem's comfortable life in Istanbul is upended when an inheritance forces her to confront her family's long-buried secrets. Traveling to her ancestral village, she pieces together a tragic history of love, loss, and betrayal. As Meryem digs deeper, she must decide whether to uncover the truth or let the past remain hidden. With lyrical prose and vivid characters, "Bit palas" is a spellbinding exploration of identity, memory, and the power of family.
Genres: literary-fiction, mystery, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, lyrical
Tropes: family-secrets, uncovering-the-past
Setting: Istanbul, Village
Period: Contemporary
260 pages · Paperback · Marion Boyars Publishers