Reviews

The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak

alwroteabook's review against another edition

funny lighthearted reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I liked it well enough, but drifted in and out too often. Overusing some terms like "Dipsomaniac Cartoonist" got on my nerves at times. I will try another in the future though.

bookishani's review

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Really loved this

georgia_e17's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

amandafitz's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

gillbooks42's review

emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

3.75

suvata's review against another edition

5.0

Continuing my TBR project:
This is one of the oldest selections on my TBR list - Originally added December 9, 2017.

The Bastard of Istanbul weaves together the stories of two rival cultures, those of the Turks and the Armenians—peoples who haven’t yet healed from the wound opened by the 1915 Armenian Genocide. Shafak uses the stories of two families—the Turkish Kazancis and the Armenian Tchakhmakchians—who live seemingly disparate lives on two different continents but are connected by a past that reveals how deeply interconnected these families and historical enemies are.

rijahabib's review

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

3.75

lisatierney's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

abey's review

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

bibliothequeofdragons's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

2.0

Started off strong with interesting characters, but it lost me at 50%. I didn’t care for the younger girls, although the history of the Armenian genocide was interesting (pls give more of the history and less of young girls fucking creepy old guys). Asya was insufferable and I just didn’t care for her shenanigans. Skimmed through the rest of the book, still not really my cup of tea. Loved other works from Shafak, but this one’s not it