Book Review: The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak

Published on December 31, 2025
ENGLISH BOOKSHOP
Amsterdam
 
Bookclub Review
 
 
 
 
The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak is a beautiful contemporary novel and a surprisingly accessible read, despite tackling complex and sensitive themes. The book is often funny and largely believable, though some readers felt the ending was slightly implausible and left too many loose ends and unanswered questions. Shafak’s writing style is lyrical and poetic in places, but a few readers found the novel overly long-winded and excessively detailed.
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