by Elif Şafak
First published 2023
Elif, a young woman adrift in modern Istanbul, searches for meaning and connection amid the city's dizzying changes. As her family's traditional ties unravel, she navigates a maze of new relationships and beliefs, from a passionate affair to an unexpected spiritual awakening. But when a family crisis erupts, Elif must confront her past and find the courage to forge her own path. Brimming with vivid prose and deep insight, this spellbinding novel explores the tension between individual identity and cultural legacy.
Genres: literary-fiction, contemporary, 21st-century, family-drama
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, self-discovery
Setting: Istanbul, Turkey
Period: 21st-century
482 pages · Paperback · Viking