The Bastard of Istanbul

Aysa Kazanci grows up in Istanbul with her four crazy aunts : a Muslim seer, a nationalistic historian, a feminist, and a tattoo artist who is actually her biological mother. To escape her maddening family, Aysa frequents the coffeeshops and becomes friends with a subversive cartoonist. Meanwhile, her uncle Mustafa has grown up in America and ignores his Turkish heritage. Mustafa marries an Armenian woman, who has a daughter, Armanoush, from a previous marriage. When Armanoush travels to Istanbul she and Aysa become friends, but the Kazanci family is stunned to hear Armanoush tell stories of the Turkish atrocities committed against the Armenians. Elif Shafak, a Turkish novelist who has faced criminal charges for addressing Turkey`s Armenian genocide, spins a delightful yarn about history, family, and the complex cultural tapestry of contemporary Istanbul. Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005. For personal use only. All rights reserved.