Calis Beach and Fethiye Turkey Discussion Forum
General Topics => Books => Topic started by: Colwyn on March 22, 2010, 14:09:21 PM
-
I have recently come across the novels of Barbara Nadel. Since she started publishing in 1999 this is a little tardy. I am reading her police detective murder stories set in Instanbul where we follow chain-smoking, hard-drinking, Inspective Cetin Ikmen through familiar Istanbul tourist settings and unknown (to me) seedy backwaters. The books not of the 'who dunnit?' variety, since the culprit is often clear from about half way through, but are well written and with memorable characters. There are interesting observations on the Turkish class and status system: with distinctions between village and city; Moslem, Christian (Greek, Armenian, Russian)and Jewish; Turks, Kurds and old Ottomans; the (Ottoman) nobility, the professional middle class and the "lamacun-eating classes" (as one character refers to them); and so on. I am not well enough informed about Turkish society to be able to tell how plausible these discussions are, but they do remind me of some of the conversations I have had with Turkish colleagues and acquaintances (e.g. on the subject of dolmuses - "My family doesn't travel on public transport", on Turkish food - "We don't eat bread in my house", on getting past a university doorman - "I told him I was a graduate of the university and the rector was a family friend so he could let us pass". All of this adds an interesting colour to what are already nice-plotted stories.
So far I have read the first two of the series - Belshazzar's Daughter, and The Chemical Prison - and am now on Arabesk.
-
I have also just read one of her books - Arabesk and I was really impressed with it! Not usually my cup of tea but it was a really good book and it was good to read and be able to know where she was talking about, having been to Istanbul!
Definitely a recommended read!
Denise
-
Been raiding my bookshelf as well as my laptop then Colwyn ??
-
I finished Arabesk and thought it the best of the three. I get the books from Eastville Library - not the shelves of Chinook!
-
Im glad you posted as I had forgotten to check when her next book is out and in fact it was this January. I have read all her books apart from this one, so Im going to request it from my local Library! I have enjoyed all her books and dont have a favourite.. yet! She has also written a few books set in London during the 2nd world war which are worth reading - see link below for details of all her books:
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/n/barbara-nadel/