Bold, vivacious and unexpected!
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Elif Shafak, the Turkish famous novelist commonly known as the writer of ‘Forty Rules Of Love’ has again impressed her fans and avid readers with her bold work ‘The Bastard Of Istanbul’.
Briefly, the novel is swarming with a number of distinctive and extraordinary characters; each has a peculiar style to deliver dialogues. The story revolves around a Turkish girl named Asya Kazanchi and Armanoush, an Armenian-American girl, who visits Istanbul to unfold the issues ,happened earlier in 1915, against Armenians by the Turks.
The contrasting novel is a complex swirl that discusses the life of great-grandmother, who is still alive and fighting against Alzheimer’s disease; a grandmother who is angry and loud; her four completely different daughters and one son and her great-granddaughter.
To my interest, ‘The Bastard of Istanbul’ has aroused my interest and desire to visit Istanbul one day in my life. Elif Shafak has beautifully opened up the mesmerizing city in her book and it’s glittering tales of every day will make you fall in love with the city and the Turkish cuisines (Shafak has also revealed the recipe of famous Turkish dessert ‘ashure’ in the book).
The book also draws attention toward amazing quotes or the articles (as mentioned in the book); each article delivers a message which is motivating and inspiring for the readers.
Many of you might have read Shafak’s book and it’s unique story, but I found these articles impactful and poignant. Although, every article is striking, but I picked few notes to pertain to the individual’s life.
Article one – If you cannot find the reason to love the life you are living, do not pretend to love the life you are living.
Article two -The overwhelming majority of people never think and those who think never become the overwhelming majority, Choose your side.
Article three – If you cannot choose, then just exit; be a mushroom or a plant.
Article four – If you have no interest in their answers, then do not ask questions.
Article five – If you have no reason or ability to accomplish anything, then just practice the art of becoming.
Article six – If you have no reason or ability to practice the art of becoming, then just be.
Article seven – If you have no reason or ability to be, then just endure.
(All the above articles are taken from the book ‘The Bastard Of Istanbul’, written by Elif Shafak)