Synopses & Reviews
Meryem, a fifteen-year-old girl, lives in a rural village on the shores of Lake Van in Eastern Turkey. Her simple life changes dramatically after her uncle, a sheikh in a dervish order, rapes her. She is considered an outcast for shaming her family. When she is locked in a shed and left alone for days, she comes to the painful realization that her family expects her to hang herself with a length of rope left on the dirt floor. But she is defiant.
As tradition still has it, a judgment must be made in the name of honor. She is told she is to be taken to Istanbul, a shining city she envisions being just over the nearest mountain. Many girls from her village have "gone to Istanbul," and she assumes it must be a wonderful place since not one has returned. In fact, those girls have been the victims of "honor-killings."
Cemal, Meryem's cousin, a commando in the army, has been fighting in the mountains against the rebels. On his return home, he is welcomed as a hero though he has been severely traumatized by his war experiences. His father, who had violated Meryem, charges Cemal with the task of executing his cousin's punishment. As he and Mereym begin their journey, they proceed through the marketplace where the townspeople have gathered, some weeping and others mocking her.
In Istanbul, a Harvard-educated professor named Irfan lives an elite existence. He has published many books, hosts a radio show, and seems to enjoy success and jet-set freedom. He revolts against the routine of his soulless life, deciding to leave his wealthy wife and Istanbul. He charters a boat to sail the Aegean. By coincidence, his path crosses with that of Meryem and Cemal. They embark on a journey togetherthat fills their hearts with hope and sets them free.
Already an international bestseller, this lyrical and moving tale juxtaposes the traditional and modern and draws attention to human rights violations against women in the Middle East.
Review
"A writer, composer, and elected member of the Turkish parliament, Livaneli offers readers a fascinating look at the diversity of Turkey today in his American debut." Library Journal
Review
"Eye-opening and deeply moving essential for anyone looking for decency in the world today." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"[T]his novel by an eminent Turkish writer and member of Parliament tells a gripping contemporary story that gets behind stereotypes of exotic Islam to reveal the diversity in individual people and the secrets and lies, cruelty and love, in family, friendship, and public life." Booklist
Review
"Livaneli is an essential force in Turkey's musical, cultural and political scene." Orhan Pamuk, author of the national bestseller, Snow
Synopsis
Raped by her uncle, a sheikh in a dervish order, teenage Meryem becomes an outcast for shaming her family, until her commando cousin Cemal is chosen to execute his defiant cousin, taking her instead to Istanbul, where the two encounter Irfan, a media celebrity professor, who joins them on a life-changing journey, in a novel that explores human rights violations against women in the Middle East. 50,000 first printing.
Synopsis
Already an international bestseller, this lyrical story ripped from the headlines embodies the sweep and contradictions of modern Turkey and shows that lovely things can happen in the space between wounded people.
Synopsis
Fifteen-year-old Meryem lives in a rural village in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey. Her simple, conventional way of life changes dramatically after her uncle, a sheikh in a dervish order, rapes her--and condemns her to death for shaming the family. Asked to carry out the "honor killing" is his son Cemal, a commando in the Turkish army. So begins a long, mystifying voyage for Meryem as her shell-shocked cousin ushers her to the shining metropolis of Istanbul where another troubled soul, the Harvard-educated professor Irfan, embarks on his own journey of transformation--one that catapults him into the heart of Meryem and Cemal's conflict. The crossed-paths and interwoven destinies of these three characters makes for an affecting, by turns brutal and life-affirming portrayal of traditional and modern-day Turkey that no reader will soon forget. "Livaneli is an essential force in Turkey's musical, cultural, and political scene."--Orhan Pamuk, Nobel Prize Winner and author of Snow
"Bliss is eye-opening and deeply moving."
--Kirkus Reviews (starred)
"Compelling [for] American readers ...hard to put down."
--The Cleveland Plain Dealer
"With lush scenes of Turkish life and nuanced depictions of the [characters'] inner lives. . .a convergence of lost, likable souls."
--Entertainment Weekly O. Z. Livaneli, one of Turkey's most prominent authors, is also an accomplished composer, and previously served as an elected member of the Turkish Parliament. For more information about his background and books, visit his website at www.livaneli.net.
Synopsis
Fifteen-year-old Meryem lives in a rural village in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey. Her simple, conventional way of life changes dramatically after her uncle, a sheikh in a dervish order, rapes her--and condemns her to death for shaming the family. Asked to carry out the "honor killing" is his son Cemal, a commando in the Turkish army. So begins a long, mystifying voyage for Meryem as her shell-shocked cousin ushers her to the shining metropolis of Istanbul where another troubled soul, the Harvard-educated professor Irfan, embarks on his own journey of transformation--one that catapults him into the heart of Meryem and Cemal's conflict. The crossed-paths and interwoven destinies of these three characters makes for an affecting, by turns brutal and life-affirming portrayal of traditional and modern-day Turkey that no reader will soon forget. "Livaneli is an essential force in Turkey's musical, cultural, and political scene."--Orhan Pamuk, Nobel Prize Winner and author of Snow
"Bliss is eye-opening and deeply moving."
--Kirkus Reviews (starred)
"Compelling [for] American readers ...hard to put down."
--The Cleveland Plain Dealer
"With lush scenes of Turkish life and nuanced depictions of the [characters'] inner lives. . .a convergence of lost, likable souls."
--Entertainment Weekly O. Z. Livaneli, one of Turkey's most prominent authors, is also an accomplished composer, and previously served as an elected member of the Turkish Parliament. For more information about his background and books, visit his website at www.livaneli.net.
Synopsis
Fifteen-year-old Meryem lives in a rural village in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey. Her simple, conventional way of life changes dramatically after her uncle, a sheikh in a dervish order, rapes her—and condemns her to death for shaming the family. Asked to carry out the “honor killing” is his son Cemal, a commando in the Turkish army. So begins a long, mystifying voyage for Meryem as her shell-shocked cousin ushers her to the shining metropolis of Istanbul where another troubled soul, the Harvard-educated professor Irfan, embarks on his own journey of transformation—one that catapults him into the heart of Meryem and Cemals conflict. The crossed-paths and interwoven destinies of these three characters makes for an affecting, by turns brutal and life-affirming portrayal of traditional and modern-day Turkey that no reader will soon forget. “Livaneli is an essential force in Turkeys musical, cultural, and political scene.”
--Orhan Pamuk, Nobel Prize Winner and author of Snow
“Bliss is eye-opening and deeply moving.”
--Kirkus Reviews (starred)
“Compelling [for] American readers …hard to put down.”
--The Cleveland Plain Dealer
“With lush scenes of Turkish life and nuanced depictions of the [characters] inner lives. . .a convergence of lost, likable souls.”
--Entertainment Weekly O. Z. Livaneli, one of Turkeys most prominent authors, is also an accomplished composer, and previously served as an elected member of the Turkish Parliament.
About the Author
O.Z. Livaneli is one of Turkey's most prominent and popular authors as well as an accomplished musician and composer, whose works have been recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra. He was held under military detention during the coup of March 12, 1971 and lived in exile for eight years. He studied music in Stockholm, then lived in Paris and Athens, returning to Turkey in 1984. He was one of the founders of the Turkish-Kurdish Peace Movement and the initiator of the Campaign Against Violence in Turkey, and he has made significant contributions to the Greek-Turkish Frienship Committee. He was elected a Member of Parliament in 2002.
Reading Group Guide
READING GROUP QUESTIONS
1. Discuss the reasons why the author may have chosen the title Bliss for his novel. What is its significance?
2. Did you have any ideas or opinions on Turkey before reading the novel? Take a moment to talk about your collective knowledge of Turkish history and culture before and after reading Bliss.
3. Who is your favorite character in Bliss and why? Are there those you like who are, in fact, "unlikable?" Take a moment to talk about the cast of characters----and range of personality types----in the novel.
4. Discuss the two distinct settings of the novel----the small rural village and the larger-than-life city. What does each locale mean to each of the main characters?
5. In what ways do Meryem and Cemal's encounters with different people on the train shed light on the problems of identity that characterize contemporary Turkey? Also, in what ways is sailing the Aegean Sea symbolic for them both?
6. What are the themes of tradition and modernity, religion vs. secularity, and male domination and female empowerment that resonate throughout Bliss?
7. Each of the main protagonists in Bliss experiences tragedy on a profound, indeed existential level. How would you describe each character's personal transformation? What unites them in their struggle to overcome their demons?
8. How do you interpret Irfan's final resolution at the end of the novel about what kind of a life he's to lead? And what about Meryems?
9. How would you describe Irfan's relation to Hidayet, a character who never appears in the novel but who's always in Irfan's thoughts?
10. One of the chapters in the novel is titled "At Night Don Quixote, Sancho Panza in the Morning." Were there times in your life when you felt the same? Please discuss.
11. At one point in the novel Irfan likens himself and all Turkish intellectuals to "trapeze flyers." Why?
12. Why is Irfan's relationship with his parents marked with deep feelings of guilt?
13. What are the differences between Irfan's and Cemal's attitudes about national identity and belonging?
14. Discuss the ambassador's comment that there are three phases in the life of an individual: camel phase, lion phase, and childhood phase.
15. There are numerous references to mythical figures and stories in the novel. Why do you think the idea of myth has such an important place in Bliss?