Nektaria Anastasiadou

WPo review. I loved this book - it’s a simple-ish story, with complex characters and a real sense of place for lovely Istanbul.

I had no idea there was a Greek Orthodox Christian community in Istanbul, and certainly nothing about the pogrom in 1955 that eliminated many of them. The older members of the community are scarred by the events of that past and live uneasily with the Muslim majority.

There are so many interesting characters - especially Mr Fanis. He is diagnosed with vascular dementia and cerebral arteriosclerosis, but what he really wants from his doctor is a prescription for viagra. Although he is 76, he wants to remarry and have children. I love how Fanis is unfazed by the diagnosis - he burns the prescriptions he does get from the doctor and really makes no changes to his life in Istanbul.

And Kosmas, who owns a patisserie and is a talented pastry maker - and lives with his mother Rea. Who is jealous of any woman Kosmas is interested in, not that he has the nerve to date much anyway.

Julien the professor. Dimitris the journalist (I think). Aliki the old woman. Gavriela and her niece Daphne of course. Daphne visits from Miami and falls under Istanbul’s spell. The others refer to Istanbul as The City. Daphne and Kosmas have a few dates - he is smitten with her, and she is slowly attracted to him. Kosmas begins to think for himself - he asks for dating advice from Fanis (a notorious womanizer) , who really wants Daphne for himself. His mother buys his clothes - does she really have bad taste or is she purposely trying to make him look unappealing?! Fanis takes him to an excellent tailor who steers him well (despite fanis’s attempt to foil).

I really liked the people in this story, their attachment to each other, and their love for Istanbul.… (altro)

The romance(s) are light, fluffy, and feel-good with many happy endings and a good sprinkling of humor. If you enjoy arm-chair traveling and are looking for a novel set in current times with descriptions of modern Istanbul, this novel may fit the bill. Lots of good history worked into the story as well as the current cultures showing the tensions between the Greek Orthodox Christians and the Muslims.

3.5 stars. I received a copy of this book through LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program in exchange for an unbiased review.… (altro)

Disclaimer: I received a free copy in a LibraryThing giveaway.

I'm probably more familiar with Greek culture than most Americans, because I'm married to a Greek, but I know little about contemporary Greeks living in Turkey. I requested this book in the LibraryThing giveaway to help fill in gaps in my knowledge.

Overall, I found the setting and the author's descriptions enchanting. The plot was less enjoyable for me because it was largely predictable, but that doesn't mean it can't be enjoyable.

Without giving away any spoilers, the book focuses on two Greek (Rum) men - Kosmas, a middle-aged baker, and Fanis, an elderly retiree - and their plans to woo and marry Rum women. The author set up some tension early on - will she go out with him or not? - but it was resolved without incident and that was kind of bland. I thought the Fanis part of the story was the weakest, and it could have been reduced to just the part about him coming to terms with his past to make the book stronger.

That being said, I did enjoy this book. (Side note: The length of time it took me to read should not be interpreted as lack of interest in the book. It's just that the copy I was given didn't play nice with my ebook reader and I could only read it in brief periods on my computer when my kid wasn't interrupting me.) The descriptions of Istanbul (Constantinople, or as Greeks call it, The City) really make me want to visit and sample local cuisine while taking in the architecture and historical sites.… (altro)