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My reader friends have really good things to say about Elif Shafak, particularly ‘The Bastard of Istanbul’ and ‘The Forty Rules of Love’. But I didn’t like either of those books much. I found them a bit slow and they spun around in circles without the stories going anywhere for the most part.

I picked up ‘Three Daughters of Eve’ as I wanted to give Shafak another chance, for the sake of one of my closest friends who absolutely adores her.

I wouldn’t say Three Daughters of Eve is great. It takes time to build up and there are clichés that make you cringe. But the inner turmoil of the main character where faith and religion are concerned is palpable and the novel has conversations and contemplations on god that make it a riveting read. Shafak’s writing has also become much more nuanced than before.

The book starts with the mugging and attempted assault of a wealthy Turkish woman, Nazperi Nalbantoğlu, or Peri for short, on her way to a fancy dinner party. This incident leads her to think back about her life—growing up in Istanbul and then moving to Oxford University for higher education, her friendship with two Muslim women, and a scandal that changes everything.  

Narrated in two timelines—the present day (which is 2016) and 1990s/early 2000s, the story moves seamlessly between the chaotic and complicated Istanbul and the contrastingly calm Oxford. The novel also has Shafak’s trademark touches of magical realism—Peri experiences visions of a baby in a mist that is both comforting and unsettling. I have to say Shafak is skilled at alternating between timelines and infusing a bit of surrealism into everyday life.

The blurb says it’s a story about three friends—Peri, Mona, and Shirin—but it’s actually mostly about Peri. There’s very little about Mona or Shirin, with the former making fleeting appearances. I wish Shafak had focused a bit more on Shirin because I liked the unapologetic, fierce, and rebellious Shirin I got a glimpse of and felt her story could have been more interesting than Peri’s.

As for Peri, she has had a troubled childhood, having been torn between her mother’s and her father’s versions of religion. Her mother was a devoted Muslim and her father was always questioning the idea and existence of god, and thus getting into heated arguments with his wife. Peri never knew just what to believe in and the confusion follows her well into adulthood. It is this figuring out what or who god is and eventually coming into her own that is the theme of Three Daughters of Eve.

The verdict: The book deserves a read as it makes you think and rethink about your faith. It could have been better. For me, the ending was a little off. But it’s not bad. I would definitely recommend it, especially to those who have always been undecided about god and wanting to make up their minds.

Fiction

Three Daughters of Eve

Elif Shafak

Published: 2016

Publisher: Penguin Random House UK

Language: English

Pages: 367, Paperback

After last week’s Turkish delight “Mama’s Boy”, I wanted to explore more Turkish comedies, which this week led me to this absurdly named movie “Bir Baba Hindu”. Although it is listed under IMDB’s “Action, adventure, comedy” section, the 2016 release is a goofy slapstick that makes fun of everything Indian—including Bollywood, Hindu religion and culture, as well as India’s liberator Mahatma Gandhi. All in good humor and only borderline offensive tone.

So in Bir Baba Hindu, Fadil (Sermiyan Midyat)—a disillusioned gangster who overestimates his power and labels himself ‘Godfadil’—falls in love with his yoga teacher Gundhi (Nicole Faria). He is yet to confess his love when a turban-wearing Punjabi gang kidnaps her.

Fadil finds Gundhi has been taken to Mumbai and travels there with his trusted henchman Hulusi (Burak Satibol) in her search. There, to his shock, he discovers that Gundhi is the daughter of the biggest gangster in Mumbai, Jagadamba (Füsun Demirel), who has pledged her in marriage to someone else, and who also hates Fadil’s Turkish mafia family.

I haven’t watched many Turkish movies to be able to make a broad generalization, but BBH’s plot resembles that of a typical Indian film—especially one from down South. After a conflict is introduced, the movie revolves around Fadil trying to solve it and get back Gundhi, while there’s plenty of resistance from all sides.

Now as clichéd as the storyline sounds, the execution makes BBH interesting, to say the least. I mean, how many times have we seen Turkish actors dance to Bollywoodish music? Yes, there are plenty of song and dance sequences in BBH, as well as many other stereotypical Bollywood elements, all done to look like a spoof. The humor quotient in BBH mainly comes from absurdity, stereotyping and over-generalization, and given that Indian cinema is no less guilty of stereotyping Arabs, this Turkish film serves its own form of justice.

With comedy as its forte, BBH first takes a dig at India’s love for cows. While cows are worshipped in most parts of the country, they’re also left astray to starve and get hit by vehicles on busy roads. BBH takes more than just a light stab at this hypocrisy and has a whole comedy number dedicated to cows.

Then, we find out Gundhi is not a Turkish name but a misnomer for Gandhi. Her family wanted to name her after the Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi but there’s a spelling error while registering her birth and she ends up being called Gundhi forever.

Again, cow and Gandhi are not the only things about India that BBH mock. It attacks India’s people, customs, and traditions, but again, there is nothing truly offensive, and nothing that has not already been done by Hollywood and Bollywood movies. Despite heavy ridiculing and derision, the film is easy on the eyes.

As for the filmmaking, BBH does fall short in comparison to Mama’s Boy on various fronts. Sermiyan Midyat also takes credit for writing and directing the film, besides playing the lead role, and as such has too many things to do. There’s a feeling of hastiness in the script that doesn’t allow the audience to sit back and enjoy its humorous skits. The screenplay has many unwanted branches stemming from an already weak trunk and there are numerous jerks and jumps that don’t let the audience settle.

On the acting front, nothing stands out. Everyone’s doing their bit to make the film coherent, but the script and direction definitely hamper their efforts. Again, not having enough Turkish movie experience stops me from commenting on BBH’s acting in comparison to industry standards, but as a global audience, I think its tad below average on this one.

Who should watch it?

Despite all its shortcomings, BBH doesn’t deserve the 2.8/10 rating it has on IMDB. Maybe that has to do with a number of Indians taking offense at its theme. But for us neutrals BBH is definitely an enjoyable, nonsensical parody movie that is enjoyable while it lasts.

Rating: 2.5 stars

Genre: Comedy

Actors: Sermiyan Midyat, Burak Satibol, Nicole Faria

Director: Sermiyan Midyat

Run time: 1h 52mins

Xiaolu Guo’s “20 fragments of a Ravenous Youth” chronicles the life of Fenfang Wang, a 21-year-old girl who leaves the monotony of her village to start a new life in one of the most fast-paced cities in the world, Beijing. Determined to live a modern life but ill prepared for it, Fenfang struggles to make her dream come true, after having travelled 1,800 miles for it.

Originally written in Chinese in 2000 and translated into English in 2008, the novel doesn’t have a clear beginning or an end. Rather, it consists of a series of disjoined chapters and thus, feels more like listening to a friend sharing some memories with you in no particular order.

The book is essentially a compilation of little moments that make up life. You get to know about Fenfang’s attempts to get a job as a film extra—she is the 6,787^th person on the wait list for the job—her run-in with the police, estrangement with her parents, and financial struggles. Fenfang eventually gets around to writing scripts of her own, some of which are included in the novel.

But the story’s main theme is Fenfang’s failed relationships and how she desperately wants to be able to live independently of men. Fenfang is sardonic and detached, but full of dreams and is wise beyond her age. Her experiences are relatable and make her endearing, despite her sullen exterior.

20 Fragments of a Ravenous Youth isn’t a happy story. It’s filled with pain, longing, and the struggle to survive in a city that doesn’t allow a moment’s rest. But the melancholic undertone is what makes the book irresistible. You want to know how things turn out for Fenfang and if she can indeed get some of “those shiny things” in life. Guo doesn’t sugar coat the trials and tribulations of daily life neither does she neatly wrap up loose ends which lends the slim novel a realistic feel.

Apart from Fenfang, her miseries and the zeal to power through, you get to know quite a lot about Beijing too. The city comes alive through Guo’s descriptions. She also writes about Chinese culture and lifestyle thus giving us a window into one of the world’s most populous countries. In these travel restricted times, it’s the next best thing to actually being there.

Another fun thing about Guo’s writing is that she leaves you with many quotable quotes. The book has many little gems that will have your scribbling on your notebook as you read it.  All in all, it’s a wonderful little story, brilliantly written, that takes your mind off things for a while. Isn’t that a good enough reason to pick up Guo’s debut novel? I’d think so.

Fiction

20 Fragments of a Ravenous Youth

Xiaolu Guo

Translated from Chinese to English by Rebecca Morris and Pamela Casey

Published: 2008

Publisher: Vintage

Pages: 204, Paperback

It took me a whole of six months watching Netflix almost every day to get to my first-ever Turkish movie. And when I was done watching “Mama’s Boy”, I was glad I did, although not so glad that I discovered the realm of light-hearted Arab comedy so late. There’s evidently a lot more to watch where this comes from.

Originally titled “Qalb Ummuh”, ‘Mama’s Boy’ is a 2018 slapstick comedy that is also somewhat of a spoof of gangster movies. There’s fun, drama and melodrama for the whole family, all packed into this 1h 42mins film that is thoroughly enjoyable—just for entertainment purposes. I mean there’s no takeaway or life lessons or any ‘larger purpose’ here. Just some refreshing entertainment while you watch it.

Mama’s Boy is literally about a mama’s boy, Younis (Hesham Maged)—an almost middle-aged man—who lives under the control of his strict mother (Dalal Abdulaziz). Younis’ life, including his career and love life, is dictated by his mother. He wants to be a screenwriter, a career course his mother disapproves of. She is also strictly against the woman Younis is in love with and wants to marry. Then, one day, when Younis does something against her wish, she gets a stroke and is rushed to the hospital where the doctor informs Younis that her brain is dead while her heart is still working.

On the other hand, there is the gangster Magdy Takhtokh (Shikoo) who is having issues with rival gangs while also planning a major smuggling operation. Now Magdy is a big man, literally too, and a formidable figure whose violence knows no bounds. He’s one of those gangsters who ‘shoot before they speak’. But unluckily for him, a freak accident punctures his heart the same day Younis’ mother is admitted to the hospital.

Then the strangest thing happens which leads to a major confusion in the lives of the characters. Intimidated by Magdy and his gang, the doctor at the hospital replaces Magdy’s heart with Younis’ mother’s, and that’s where the story takes the motherly turn. The gangster’s body is now pumped by a sexagenarian mother’s heart.

Against his own will and control, Magdy starts developing maternal instincts for Younis, a dangerous thing for a gangster. That sets in motion a string of incidents and events, which are improbable in real life but hilarious to watch in a spoof movie nonetheless.

Directed by Amr Salah, Mama’s Boy sure doesn’t have the finesse of Hollywood or other major movie industries, but that does not make it any less enjoyable in terms of creativity and presentation. Yes, certain scenes are shot in amateur-looking sets with flimsy props but the filmmakers don’t seem to be trying to hide anything.

There’s this unapologetic attitude that says it doesn’t care for the trivialities, which can be sensed. Throughout the film, there are momentary lapses in all aspects including direction, cinematography and acting but as no one seems to be promising perfection, it all seems intentional and part of the act. (Or is this typical of all Turkish movies?)

Average performances in all fronts that compliment each other are what make Mama’s Boy enjoyable. But still, actor Shikoo playing the gangster Magdy deserves a special mention. Despite all the shooting and murdering, Magdy is still a lovable character. (Well, that’s classic slapstick for you.) The big man manages to play a violent gangster without looking evil and when it comes to parts where he has to show Magdy’s motherly nature, he manages to do it without appearing feminine. There’s tremendous control in Shikoo’s acting that puts him in charge of how he wants to frame his character onscreen.

Who should watch it?

“Mama’s Boy” is made for all those who love slapstick comedy. But again, be warned, this genre and style might not please everybody.

Mama’s Boy

Genre: Comedy

Rating: 3.5 stars

Director: Amr Salah

Actors: Shikoo, Hesham Maged

Run time: 1hr 42mins