WINNER OF THE 2021 PRIX FEMINA FOR BEST FOREIGN NOVEL The third volume of the internationally acclaimed Ottoman Quartet, written by Ahmet Altan while he was imprisoned by the Turkish regime This masterly constructed, sweeping novel centers on the story of Nizam's tormented love affair with a Russian pianist, Anya, and is told against the backdrop of the Ottoman Empire's tumultuous history in the years leading up to WWI. Underlying the novel's tale of war and love and Altan's absorbing exploration of the inner lives of a vast cast of characters, is a fierce criticism of masculinity and of its degeneration into violence against women, nationalism, and authoritarianism. Once again, Altan confirms to be an elegant, powerful, and courageous writer, who is not afraid to denounce an arrogant and undemocratic government that, today as a century ago, relies on bigotry, censorship, and intimidation to cling to power and control the lives of its people.
