The Bastard of Istanbul

I really enjoyed reading The Bastard of Istanbul. While this novel frequently refers back to the Armenian/Turkey massarces of 1915, it also places a great focus on the deep connection that Armanoush and Asya form throughout the novel. While they are both of different ethnic backgrounds, Armenian and Turkish, they both seem to look past their cultural differences and focus on being friends over enemies.

While Armanoush introduces Asya to a bit of her world, Cafe Constantinopolis, Armanoush's fellow cyber friends quickly place Asya into the "enemy" category as soon as they find out that she is Turkish. In this online world, they seem to hold nothing back to Asya and ultimately feel that she is responsible for her people's actions, which is definately unfair. I am glad that Armanoush can look past their cultural differences and just focus on their friendship and overall peace together.

It is apparent that the girls have a sense of dependancy and reliance upon one another because at one point, Asya questions herself if Armanoush really found out her real thoughts on suicide, and her instability of relationships and sex, if Armanoush could accept Asya still as a friend. "Would Armanoush understand without being judgmental; could she erally, truly see into Asya's soul fromthe echelons of that sterile tower of hers?" (199), Asya wonders.

Overall, the obvious controversy this novel produced is apparent as Shafak references to the "massacres" of 1915, but if you look at the novel in a deeper, different aspect you can see the other angels and aspects the author tries to reveal.