Book: Three Daughters of Eve
Author: Elif Shafak
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4 stars
GoodReads Synopsis:
Peri, a married, wealthy, beautiful Turkish woman, is on her way to a dinner party at a seaside mansion in Istanbul when a beggar snatches her handbag. As she wrestles to get it back, a photograph falls to the ground--an old Polaroid of three young women and their university professor. A relic from a past--and a love--Peri had tried desperately to forget.
Three Daughters of Eve is set over an evening in contemporary Istanbul, as Peri arrives at the party and navigates the tensions that simmer in this crossroads country between East and West, religious and secular, rich and poor. Over the course of the dinner, and amidst an opulence that is surely ill begotten, terrorist attacks occur across the city. Competing in Peri's mind, however, are the memories invoked by her almost-lost Polaroid, of the time years earlier when she was sent abroad for the first time, to attend Oxford University. As a young woman there, she had become friends with the charming, adventurous Shirin, a fully assimilated Iranian girl, and Mona, a devout Egyptian American. Their arguments about Islam and feminism find focus in the charismatic but controversial Professor Azur, who teaches divinity, but in unorthodox ways. As the terrorist attacks come ever closer, Peri is moved to recall the scandal that tore them all apart.
My Review:
After thoroughly enjoying the author's previous work, "Forty Rules of Love," I decided to give another book of theirs a try. Thankfully, Three Daughters of Eve did not fail to live up to my expectations. I liked many aspects of this book, but I was surprised to find that the political satire and theological debates were the parts that I appreciated the most. In addition to this, I cherished the concept of "the sinner, the believer, and the confused."
Peri, a little Turkish girl, is the protagonist of this book. Throughout the story, she reminisces about her life in the years gone by. The first half of this book concentrates on Peri's present life as a mother and wife, while the second half explores her memories from the past. The initial section of the story focuses on Peri's efforts to comprehend the presence of God and religion, and it is here that we learn about her struggles. Her mother was a practising Muslim, while her father, who was raised as a Muslim but turned away from the religion later in life. Their never-ending argument about the proper way to practise their faith causes Peri to have a never-ending stream of doubts about the presence of God, which she struggles with for the rest of her life. In the second segment, Peri reflects on the time she spent attending Oxford University, where she was introduced to the three persons who would go on to become the most significant influences in her life. She finds herself thinking fondly about her friends Shirin (the unbeliever) and Mona (the believer), as well as professor Azur. Peri's life was turned upside down by the mysterious instructor of the divinity, Azur, and as a result, she was forced to leave college and return to Istanbul without completing her education there.
This book is one of my favourites because of the way the narrative alternates between Peri's life in the present and her life in the past. Because of Peri, we are able to acquire knowledge regarding the history of the city, both in the past and in the present. The people, homes, cuisine, and culture of both historical and modern Istanbul are depicted in a style that is immensely captivating to the audience. You won't be able to take your eyes off of the author's poetic style of writing, which is accompanied with vivid visuals throughout the text. You'll be hooked for the entirety of the read thanks to the numerous short stories interspersed throughout. There is hardly any section in this book that will make you wish you could take a little break. Very strongly suggested!
My favorite Lines:
“if you are unwilling to change, do not enter into philosophical arguments”
“The highest activity a human being can attain is learning for understanding, because to understand is to be free.”
“The civilized world is ahead of us; we have no choice but to catch up.”
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