When jahan travels to 16thcentury istanbul as a stowaway carrying the gift of a white elephant for the sultan, little does he know the journey on which he is about to embark. The domes of discovery elif shafaks ambitious novel illuminates the scale and style of 16thcentury istanbul james runcie. The domes of discovery elif shafak s ambitious novel illuminates the scale and style of 16thcentury istanbul. In this followup to her acclaimed 2007 novel the bastard of istanbul, turkish author elif shafak unfolds two tantalizing parallel narrativesone contemporary and the other set in the th century, when rumi encountered his spiritual mentor, the whirling dervish known as shams of tabrizthat together incarnate the poets timeless message of love. The financial times and its journalism are subject to a selfregulation regime under the ft editorial code of practice. Internationally bestselling turkish author elif shafak s new novel is a dramatic tale of families, love, and misunderstandings that follows the destinies of twin sisters born in a kurdish village. The architects apprentice by elif shafak old istanbul. Elif shafak talks about her latest novel, the architect s apprentice, set in 16th century istanbul and whether the increasingly popularity of. Filled with the scents, sounds and sights of the ottoman empire, when istanbul was the teeming centre of civilisation, the architect s apprentice is a magical, sweeping tale of one boy and his elephant caught up in a world of wonder and. But then again, in elif shafak books your ships never work out, yet somehow i seem to still love them regardless. Elif shafak builds on this simple idea to argue that fiction can overcome identity politics. The architects apprentice, by elif shafak financial times.
Elif shafak pays homage to the great ottoman architect mimar sinan in her new multilayered novel the architects apprentice. Shafak, one of turkeys finest novelists has opened a door into the past and presents both an exciting adventure tale and a portrait of istanbul and its people at the time that is masterly. The architects apprentice by elif shafak, paperback. A conversation between egyptian satirist bassem youseff and bestselling turkish author elif shafak reveals the push and pull of modernism versus traditionalism, as muslim women redefine and.
When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy. The architects apprentice by elif shafak penguin books. An honor killing shatters and transforms the lives of turkish immigrants in 1970s london. Elif shafak excels in this alchemy with her latest novel, the architects apprentice, which explores how living a duplicitous life has profound. The architects apprentice is a joy to read, and especially so for lovers of historical writing. More than anything perhaps, this novel is a story of love, of finding it, losing it and feeling how it can twist and mold you into something else, even if thats. The architects apprentice by elif shafak used well. Like youd think that having jahan as a 90 somethingyearold marry and a 30 somethingyearold, a widow who is expecting the child would be weird or creepy. Shafak s novel the architect s apprentice revolves around mimar sinan, the most famous ottoman architect. In 1540, jahan, a 12yearold runaway from anatolia, arrives in istanbul by ship with a baby white elephant he names chotalittlea gift to sultan. Imagine then the possibilities presented to elif shafak, one of turkeys most acclaimed contemporary authors, as she marries in the architects apprentice her longtime interests in religion, philosophy, oral storytelling, and architecture in a story that is part political intrigue, part romance, and, above all, part a celebration of istanbuls history. The architects apprentice, by elif shafak if you happen to be born in an indian village in the 16th century and end up on a ship sailing for the court of the ottoman ruler suleiman the. The architects apprentice by elif shafak goodreads. The story goes as the indian boy jahan sneaks into a ship that traveled to istanbul to deliver an elephant a gift from the maharaja to the sultan.
Being a huge fan of elif shafak s writing, i started this book with a certain level of bias, and high expectations. Tedtalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the. Its also a love poem to the cosmopolitan beauty of istanbul. Filled with the scents, sounds and sights of the ottoman empire, when istanbul was the teeming centre of civilisation, the architect s apprentice is a magical, sweeping tale of one boy and his elephant caught up in a world of wonder and danger. From the acclaimed author of the bastard of istanbul, a colorful, magical tale set during the height of the ottoman empire in her latest novel, turkeys preeminent female writer spins an epic tale spanning nearly a century in the life of the ottoman empire.
A palace education leads jahan to mimar sinan, the empires chief architect, who takes jahan under his wing as they construct with chotas help some of. Praise for the architects apprentice by elif shafak an impressive achievement, a novel populated by swashbuckling soldiers, mysterious gypsies and more than a few guileless courtesans. The architects apprentice is a dazzling and intricate tale from elif shafak, bestselling author of the bastard of istanbul. As an animal tamer in the sultans menagerie, he looks after the exceptionally smart elephant chota and befriends and falls for the sultans beautiful daughter, princess mihrimah. The same evening, in a mansion at the other end of istanbul, the kahya was awake, a rosary dangling from her hand, thumbing the beads. The architects apprentice audiobook by elif shafak. The architect s apprentice is a dazzling and intricate tale from elif shafak, bestselling author of the bastard of istanbul. Shafak, one of turkeys finest novelists has opened a door into the past and presents both an exciting adventure tale and a portrait of. The architects apprentice by elif shafak old istanbul brought to life a tale of ottoman intrigue, youthful curiosity and a boys love for an elephant. Following the life of an invented apprentice to the actual ottoman empire architect sinan, turkish novelist shafak offers a liberal interpretation of islam thats bound to create controversy, as her previous books have honor, 20, etc. As he settles into life in istanbul, jahans fortunes are shaped by chance encounters. Elif shafak s latest novel, the architects apprentice, is set in 16thcentury istanbul at the height of the ottoman empire, and so instead of ruins we find glorious buildings mosques.
The architect s apprentice is the latest historical novel by turkish author elif shafak the author said that that a 1559 painting of sultan sulieman standing, an elephant in the background was the inspiration of the novel. The architects apprentice by elif shafak overdrive. Written so simply and beautifully this tale of the architects apprentice, jahan, is a magical tour of the 16th century ottoman empire. The architects apprentice by elif shafak old istanbul brought to life a tale of ottoman intrigue, youthful curiosity and a boys love for an elephant aditi sriram. Description of the book the architect s apprentice.
The architects apprentice succeeds because of that sense of being in good hands, but also because of shafak s passionate, farreaching contemplations layered within the story. In this novel shafak explores how seeing and being seen shapes our lives. Isbn 9780241004920 978052542971the best historical novels impose familiar tensions upon unfamiliar locales and eras, making place and time come alive with accurate details and bold imagination. Sixteenth century istanbul a city of wonder and danger. The architects apprentice by elif shafak waterstones. Elif shafak is an awardwinning britishturkish novelist and the most widely read female author in turkey. She writes in both turkish and english, and has published seventeen books, eleven of which are novels. A number of the characters in the architects apprentice, including the various sultans, mihrimah, and sinan, were real people, refigured by elif shafak in her fiction. The architects apprentice by elif shafak petyr baeish books. Pity, there was no one to relay this last wish for him. Do a little reading about one of these actual people and discuss how shafak s portrayal both resembles and reimagines the original. In the guide to elif shafak part one coming in june. The architects apprentice, by elif shafakthe architects apprentice, by elif shafak, viking, rrp14. In her latest novel, elif shafak spins an epic tale spanning nearly a century in the life of the ottoman empire.
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