A story of a young girl who learns at an insane speed, and seems destined to have a role in late 19th century Turkey's political turmoil.I enjoyed it but it doesn't really feel all that Turkish, in the end. You could have picked Eleanor up and dropped her into any exotic location with a sultan/king/emperor and the story could have been the same. I think the author wrote the book to get to write Istanbul but it wasn't essential for the story somehow.And while it isn't classified YA, it had that feeling to it to me, also in how quick of a read it is. I've always loved stories of kids who were too smart for their own good, who hang out in libraries and have special powers. "There are new buildings every day. New cafes and shops, new schools, mosques, and markets, but the essential character of the city remains unchanged. No matter who sits on the throne, no matter how many new railroad stations are built, no matter which country's warships patrol the Bosporus, Stamboul will always be Stamboul, from now until the end of time." I started this book and was totally captured by its simple charm. Finishing the book all in one sitting! I can't write as eloquently as Michael Lukas the author but here's an example for you to savour: "Outside, the air was heavy with evaporation and the sun bled through a shelf of swiftly moving cirrus. "It has many meanings this story of a young girl who is a savant. Also she is an orphan at an early age. First her mother dies in childbirth then as an 8 year old her father tragically dies in a boat capsizing. She has the characteristics of a seer but doesn't fully understand her role. It has a mystical sound but it is more realistic. She was completely honest and true to what she felt. She has a wise soul trapped in a little girls body. This book had one of the smoothest flow of words I've read in a long time. Excellent! And sadly the adventure is over!
What do You think about L'indovina Di Istanbul (2011)?
He is an excellent writer and we will hear more about him in the future.
—atkinson
Una favola per grandi ......... Da leggere tutto d'un fiato.
—Sami
terrible ending, ruined the entire book for me
—TopModel
