The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak

The Bastard of Istanbul

Elif Shafak

368 pages • first pub 2006 (editions)

fiction contemporary literary emotional reflective slow-paced

Description

One rainy afternoon in Istanbul, a woman walks into a doctor's surgery. 'I need to have an abortion', she announces. She is nineteen years old and unmarried. What happens that afternoon will change her life.Twenty years later, Asya Kazanci lives w...

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Community Reviews Summary of 2,368 reviews

Moods

emotional 73%
reflective 66%
sad 34%
dark 33%
informative 33%
challenging 26%
mysterious 25%
funny 15%
adventurous 14%
tense 14%
inspiring 11%
hopeful 10%
lighthearted 3%
relaxing 2%

Pace

medium 60%
slow 35%
fast 4%

Plot- or character-driven?

Character: 56% | A mix: 35% | Plot: 8%

Strong character development?

Yes: 53% | It's complicated: 29% | No: 16%

Loveable characters?

Yes: 58% | It's complicated: 32% | No: 9%

Diverse cast of characters?

Yes: 85% | It's complicated: 7% | No: 5% | N/A: 1%

Flaws of characters a main focus?

Yes: 63% | It's complicated: 25% | No: 10%

Average rating

3.84

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Content Warnings

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