A review by medievalfantasyqueen
The Architect's Apprentice by Elif Shafak

emotional tense slow-paced

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

4.0

Set in Ottoman Turkiye, The Architect's Apprentice takes you on a journey through the minarets and streets, and the grandeur of the palaces and harems and the squalor of the commoner streets. I like how Shafak does not shy away from the depiction of the unpleasant aspects of life, including fratricide, plagues and the treatment of those deemed as the Other from the majority. I adored the way the relationship between the protagonist, Jahan and his white elephant, Chota, forms the bulk of the story around which everything else happens. Very touching, very heartfelt, a must-read for any animal-lover out there.