Three Daughters of Eve
by Elif Shafak
Publisher: Bloomsbury New York (Dec. 2017); Hardback, 369 pages.
Geographical Setting: Istanbul and Oxford University; Time Period: 1980s to the present day (2016)
Summary:
Over the course of a few hours in modern Istanbul at a luxurious dinner party, Peri is reminded of her childhood in another part Istanbul and college years at Oxford. There she befriends two girls - Mona, the religious Egyptian American and Shirin, the atheist Iranian Brit - and the popular yet controversial Professor Azur. Amidst scandal at Oxford, Peri loses their friendship and returns to Istanbul to eventually marry and have a family.
The novel alternates between Peri’s night at the dinner and her thirty plus years of memories. At the party, talk revolves around religion, economic disparities, politics, and governments while outside in the city there is chaos and threats. Peri’s memories are of her polar opposite parents (alcoholic father and religiously devout mother) and the conversations of Islam and feminism with her friends at Oxford that led to them taking Prof. Azur’s ‘God’ class. Over the course of the evening, the chaos of modern Istanbul will collide with the opulence of the dinner party. But, as Peri has been uncertain throughout her life, the readers are left uncertain about Pari’s fate.
Women’s Relationships Read-A-Likes:
Fiction:
Disgruntled by Asali Soloman
Girls of Riyadh by Raja Adb Allah Sani
The World We Found by Thrity Umrigar
NonFiction:
Midnight at the Pera Palace: The Birth of Modern Istanbul by Charles King
Turkish Awakening: A Personal Discovery of Modern Turkey by Alev Scott
Visible Islam in Modern Turkey by Adil Ozdemir and Kenneth Frank
Elements of a Women’s Relationship:
- Tone: Difficult yet serious issues, such as politics, religions, poor vs. rich, feminism, and violence are discussed and debated throughout the novel by Peri and her parents, Peri, Nora, Shirin, and Professor Azur, and at the dinner party. These issues although emotional are discussed with empathy and insight. Readers will get an intimate glimpse and be pulled into the lives of Peri, Nora, Shirin, and Prof. Azur.
- Story Line: Readers will intimately see the conflicts within Peri's family and how she tries to remain neutral. They will read how she befriends Mona and Shirin and their conflicts with religion and feminism and their unique relationships with Prof. Azur. Readers will learn over time why Peri sees a shadow figure at key moments in her life, who it represents and how it influences her decisions.
- Frame/Setting: Predominantly set in contemporary Istanbul at a dinner party of a very rich businessman just outside the city, the author takes us back thirty years to a less opulent part of Istanbul where Peri grew up. Peri then studies at Oxford for two years. The novel’s final chapters are set in present day (2016) Oxford and Istanbul. At the dinner party there are several other rich and important people (a bank CEO, an architect, an interior designer, an American hedge fund manager, a plastic surgeon, a journalist) who contribute to the discussions.
- Pacing: Although the reader is introduced to Nora, Shirin, and Professor Azur at the start of the novel, we don’t actually meet them until much later. Likewise with the shadow figure and the scandal; we learn in the last few chapters what both are and mean to Peri.
This sounds like something I would read. I am a philosopher at heart so the religion debate instantly has me intrigued. I like your summary enough to give us details but not to much to give it all away. Sounds great.
ReplyDeleteThe philosophy debates were pretty intense, especially between Shirin and Nora. I found them more intriguing because both girls came from the same religious background, but were brought up differently, so went in polar opposite directions.
DeleteI am intrigued by your annotation. It gave me just enough to think "oh this could be good". It also left me wondering how does just one night and flashbacks to memories of 30 years ago play into the fate of what happens in one night. Did you feel like the pacing was slow?
ReplyDeleteAt times the pacing was pretty slow, especially the scenes at the dinner party. The flashbacks were the better part of the novel. However, the author repeated a lot of thoughts throughout that after a while was "okay, we get it". The novel didn't really start picking up the pace until the last 1/4. In the beginning, I felt that I wasn't going to to be able to finish the novel, but then I would get this cliffhanger part and couldn't wait to read what happened next.
DeleteI've already added it to my TBR list. :) Maybe after May I can tackle the reading list.
DeleteYour summary makes me wonder how the author tied all that into one dinner party and what was said that triggered all of those memories. You did a nice job of establishing just enough intrigue to capture a potential reader.
ReplyDeleteI left the trigger part out of the summary. That actually happens before she gets to the dinner party and her daughter gives it back to her at the party. Are you intrigued enough to read the novel?
ReplyDeleteHonestly, based on the title and cover alone, I want to read this book. I truly do judge books by their covers lol. Your summary was great, it sounds like a fascinating read. I like that though there are serious issues discussed in the book, the author framed them in an empathetic and insightful way. Great annotation, thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI also look at the cover of the book when choosing something to read. I know I shouldn't. I'm sure I've missed so many good books because the cover didn't appeal to me. I'm glad I was able to help you add this to your TR list.
ReplyDeleteYour summary makes this book seem really interesting! The serious topics discussed in the book really intrigues me as to how that plays in to her memories. I am adding this to my "to read" list ASAP! I like how you mentioned (in a comment) that there were cliffhangers throughout. I would assume that this would make a book with such heavy topics, such as this one, have a little faster pace. Great job!
ReplyDeleteThe book was pretty interesting once Peri reaches the dinner party and starts to have her flashbacks. But definitely picks up more pace once she gets to University. However, at times it was very slow. The ending was totally bazar and out of character. I hope you do get to read it. Would love to know what think.
DeleteThis sounds like a very intriguing book! I feel like the shadow figure element gives the book some mystery. I feel like I need to diversify my reading and read more novels that take place in other countries with unique characters and this book seems to fit the bill. Great job with your annotation!
ReplyDeleteThe shadow figure came out of the blue, but we are first introduced to it at the beginning and then in just a few but very key parts of the novel. I like the way the author explained what it ended up being.
ReplyDeleteI alway like reading about other places more than America for some reason.
Thank everyone for the great comments. I hope I didn't give too much away in my responses.
ReplyDeleteWow- this sounds super interesting! I love picking up books that feature regular days and dramas in the life of diverse cultures. To me, this really resonates with making myself more aware of diverse authors as well- and finding books that everyone can relate to. I am going to check out this book and your recommendations too!
ReplyDeleteI hope you're able to read this book and enjoy it as well as the read-a-likes. I don't know when I'll be able to get to them, but they are on my to read list now as well.
DeleteWhat a cool book! Books where everyone gathers at a dinner or a party or big event and all kinds of big discussions break out is one of my favorite tropes. There's probably at least a hundred readalikes like that (although I have no idea how to word it well enough to find them). I really liked your recommendations (especially your nonfiction choices) and how they further the conversations within the book. Great post!
ReplyDeleteA lot can happen at gatherings and this novel doesn't disappoint. Glad you like the annotation and hope you enjoy the novel if you get a chance to read it.
DeleteThis sounds like a really interesting book. The tension between religion and feminism is an especially timely and thought provoking topic. I've found that often, books that switch back and forth between times and/or narrators create a sense of suspense, as well as the type of "cliffhanger" that you mention above. I wrote my special topic paper on the trend of diversity in relationship fiction, and although race, age, sexual orientation and neurodiversity all came up in the articles I read, no one said anything about religious diversity. But between the recent publication of Aisha at Last and the books you mention here, I wonder if there isn't a growing trend of Muslim fiction?
ReplyDeleteYour topic sounds interesting and along the same lines of what I wrote for my topic paper - promoting Muslim authors and awards. It's amazing how many Muslim authors are out there; now they have to become mainstream.
ReplyDeleteExcellent annotation! Like all your classmates said, between the cover and the summary I am super intrigued by this book! Great job on the elements and responding to all your classmates comments. Fantastic work! Full points!!
ReplyDelete