If you had to pick one author to call your favorite, who would it be? And why? Most of the avid readers out there would find those questions next to impossible to answer. However, each of them could surely curate a shortlist of writers whose novels they snatch off a shelf without even a short glance at the back of the cover.
For me, one of such authors is Elif Shafak, a Turkish-British novelist and political scientist, a fierce advocate for women’s rights and freedom of speech. My first encounter with her prose happened when one fine Christmas morning my husband presented me with a pile of books, one of which was the famous “The Bastard of Istanbul”. I was instantly captivated by Shafak’s incredible storytelling skills and the expert way she tackles heavy and controversial matters.
I deeply admire authors who don’t shy away from subjects which are still considered as taboo in certain societies of the modern word. This is one of the reasons why I was thrilled to stumble upon “Honor” – Shafak’s 2011 novel, tackling around a difficult matter of honor killings.
In the center of “Honor” is a story of twin sisters: Pembe and Jamila, whose fates are highlighted against a multi-generational family history. Although the sisters had once vowed to never be separated, Pembe ends up trying to navigate her life in London, while Jamila remains in Turkey. It is Pembe and her family that the novel focuses on, painting a picture of life of the immigrants struggling to preserve the values and traditions of the country they call home. Right from the very beginning we are made aware of how difficult the task is, watching the family slowly giving in to the temptations which foreign culture has to offer. Flipping through the pages, we often catch ourselves thinking: “this will not end well”. And it doesn’t.
If you’re after a story with the “good” and “bad” characters standing out clearly – this is not it. This is a story about people, with all their flaws and weaknesses. People whose actions are often guided by perceived responsibilities and expectations. Or, on the contrary, people who listen to their heart regardless of established societal norms. Oftentimes I stopped reading, discovering with surprise that I was actually feeling sorry for the supposed “baddies”, as much as I felt bad for their victims.
What is the true strength of this novel is how through her rich and powerful writing, Shafak allows us to understand the cultural mindset behind certain behaviors (in this case: honor killings), instead of simply judging it. And understanding is always a necessary first step towards the ultimate goal of eliminating the practice and safeguarding the victims.
Read if:
- You would like to learn more about the cultural background of the difficult subject of honor killings.
- You are a fan of Elif Shafak’s novels, but somehow skipped this one – it’s as good as her other books.
- You don’t need a happy ending in a book to be satisfied with your read.
Avoid if:
- The subject is too heavy for you – there’s no sugarcoating in this novel.
- You don’t like stories that switch between multiple points of view, and jump around the timeline.
