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A review by thereadhersrecap
The Four Humors by Mina Seçkin
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
In The Four Humors, Sibel is sent to Istanbul to help care for her grandmother, visit her father’s grave, and study for the MCAT. But, instead of dealing with her grief, she becomes obsessed with self-diagnosing her chronic headaches using the four humors theory. Sibel believes that an imbalance of the four humors leads to disease.
The theory of the four humors established an understanding of the balance between the human body and the environment during the years of medieval medicine.
“Choler, as it turns out, is yellow bile, and in excess can compel even the most calm and gentle person into a hot-tempered rage. Phlegm makes you sleepy, and sluggish, but you are also known for your dependable nature. Black bile is melancholy, and blood is the best humor. Blood pumps you into a kind of optimistic person.
The story then shifts as Sibel uncovers a secret of her grandmother’s past. Suddenly, Sibel’s attention is drawn towards her recent discovery and she is transfixed with learning more. Her headaches become a distant memory as she searches for answers about her family.
In the aftermath of her father's untimely death, it is apparent that Sibel lost herself, and I think throughout the book she looks for ways in which to make herself whole again, (maybe) by balancing her humors?
This novel had a stream of consciousness aspect to it that I didn’t really care for. It also felt like it wanted to be a coming-of-age story with a hint of romance, then quickly changed to a family saga. Mina Seckin also omits the use of quotation marks which was kind of weird at first but hardly noticeable towards the end.
Overall, I enjoyed learning about the theory of the four humors, learning about Istanbul, and the family stories.
The theory of the four humors established an understanding of the balance between the human body and the environment during the years of medieval medicine.
“Choler, as it turns out, is yellow bile, and in excess can compel even the most calm and gentle person into a hot-tempered rage. Phlegm makes you sleepy, and sluggish, but you are also known for your dependable nature. Black bile is melancholy, and blood is the best humor. Blood pumps you into a kind of optimistic person.
The story then shifts as Sibel uncovers a secret of her grandmother’s past. Suddenly, Sibel’s attention is drawn towards her recent discovery and she is transfixed with learning more. Her headaches become a distant memory as she searches for answers about her family.
In the aftermath of her father's untimely death, it is apparent that Sibel lost herself, and I think throughout the book she looks for ways in which to make herself whole again, (maybe) by balancing her humors?
This novel had a stream of consciousness aspect to it that I didn’t really care for. It also felt like it wanted to be a coming-of-age story with a hint of romance, then quickly changed to a family saga. Mina Seckin also omits the use of quotation marks which was kind of weird at first but hardly noticeable towards the end.
Overall, I enjoyed learning about the theory of the four humors, learning about Istanbul, and the family stories.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder