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serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Another gorgeously written novel from Elif Shafak’s backlist, albeit one that didn’t work as well for me as many of her others due to it’s subject matter. Perri is a young Turkish woman, raised by an non-believing father and a Muslim mother. She herself is fairly confused about her beliefs. She attends university at Oxford where she develops a friendship with two other Muslim woman - Mona who is devout and Shirin, who is very much not. At Oxford she takes a course on God, taught by an unconventional and supposedly charismatic teacher and develops something of an obsession with him. Lots of interesting inter-personal dynamics, commentary on the differences between East and West, as well as some important reminders for western readers about the diversity within the Muslim community and the dangers and limitations of assumptions and stereotyping. Overall there was too much discussion of God and spiritual beliefs for my personal taste. Had it not been Shafak I may have DNF’d but I really enjoy her way with words, the way she structures a story, and her storytelling abilities in general. This may not have been my favourite but it won’t put me off reading more from her backlist or any future releases.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Islamophobia, and Sexual assault
danachiong's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The pacing in the start might be a bit slow but it's really only to set up the tone of the book. Once you get into the rhythm it's an amazing read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Islamophobia, Xenophobia, Torture, War, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault, Alcohol, and Sexism
ohnoshin's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Islamophobia, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Torture and Suicide attempt
vaniavela's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Peri, a woman with a stable, upper-class life, is over-jumped by an robbery. She is a caring mother, but once upon a time she was a student in Oxford, England. When an old Polaroid snapshot falls out of her expensive handbag during the mugging, all the memories of that time [and of two friendships long gone] come flooding back to her.
This is a slow-paced book, full of rich and realistic descriptions, with which we embark on an exploration of faith, religion and finding our own path.
Three Daughters of Eve is a very philosophical book. I found it interesting to soak in these new perspectives and to meet a character like Peri.
Unfortunately, when I picked up this book, I got carried away with the idea that the friend group would be more important. The title of the book gave me the idea that this story would revolve around them, and their ups and downs, but more than that, we were given an introspection of Peri's life. I don't mention it as a complaint, I loved getting to know her story, but I was expecting more of her friends.
I really recommend this book.
CW: Graphic [Sexual assault, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry] Moderate [Suicide attempt, Torture, Child death] Minor [Animal death, Rape]
This is a slow-paced book, full of rich and realistic descriptions, with which we embark on an exploration of faith, religion and finding our own path.
Three Daughters of Eve is a very philosophical book. I found it interesting to soak in these new perspectives and to meet a character like Peri.
Unfortunately, when I picked up this book, I got carried away with the idea that the friend group would be more important. The title of the book gave me the idea that this story would revolve around them, and their ups and downs, but more than that, we were given an introspection of Peri's life. I don't mention it as a complaint, I loved getting to know her story, but I was expecting more of her friends.
I really recommend this book.
CW: Graphic [Sexual assault, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry] Moderate [Suicide attempt, Torture, Child death] Minor [Animal death, Rape]
Content Warnings
Graphic: Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Torture, Child death, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Rape and Animal death
tesslw's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Set across two timelines, between the drastically different but equally immersive cities of Oxford and Istanbul, Three Daughters of Eve offers the story of Peri; a now wealthy and comfortable mother and housewife, living in Turkey and raising her teenage daughter, whilst also reflecting back on her time studying at Oxford University, the revelations she experienced and life lessons she learned; both her triumphs and her regrets.
Three Daughters of Eve is beautifully woven with thick strands of philosophy, theism, faith and the fear of someone questioning them all. In our modern day narrative, Peri arrives late and disheveled to a dinner party thrown for Istanbul’s own aristocracy and most revered citizens, having been mugged and attacked on the streets en route to the party.
As a student in Oxford, some 20 years earlier, Peri takes an exclusive elective seminar simply titled ‘God’. Taught by an elusive and charismatic but notoriously hard to please Professor, the course is designed to test the robustness of students’ beliefs and teach them to question everything. However, for some it does even more than this.
Peri consistently struggles to balance her faith and identity with modern life - and this is also reflected in her two best friends; Shirin, who is bombastic, confident and modern, and Mona who is devout, reflective and modest. The three of them, all muslim but all with differing outlooks and approaches to their faith and lives, comprise the Three Daughters of Eve (or, in a fantastic turn of phrase by Shafak, ‘the sinner, the believer and the confused’).
Across both timelines, this book also has some really beautiful parent-daughter moments (both mother and father), and this is something that plays strongly into Peri’s unease with her identity. Trying to find a happy medium between her mother’s inflexible following of Islam, vs her father’s laissex-faire approach to religion leaves Peri roiling with uncertainty.
Three Daughters of Eve left me certain that I want to read more of Shafak’s novels (I already own The Bastard of Istanbul and The Island of Missing Trees so I am looking forward to picking one or both of those up soon!)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Torture
schorlett's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Alcoholism
Moderate: Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Torture, and Medical trauma
hollyway's review
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Reading Around the World: Turkey 🇹🇷
The main theme of this book is uncertainty and the indecisiveness that can come with it, turning you into a spectator of your own life. This is an issue I deeply resonate with, however it is mostly concentrated into the God question, which is a subject I am simply not invested in. Don't get me wrong, I could see why it was important to Peri, and it was still interesting to follow her journey in this faith limbo, but it was just *interesting* rather than particularly impactful. Of course this is entirely subjective and I'm sure this book could really hit home for many people who have struggled with their idea of and relationship to God. For me though, this was still a compelling story with thought-provoking ideas. Thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend :)
The main theme of this book is uncertainty and the indecisiveness that can come with it, turning you into a spectator of your own life. This is an issue I deeply resonate with, however it is mostly concentrated into the God question, which is a subject I am simply not invested in. Don't get me wrong, I could see why it was important to Peri, and it was still interesting to follow her journey in this faith limbo, but it was just *interesting* rather than particularly impactful. Of course this is entirely subjective and I'm sure this book could really hit home for many people who have struggled with their idea of and relationship to God. For me though, this was still a compelling story with thought-provoking ideas. Thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend :)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Suicide attempt
ziege's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Islamophobia, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Suicide attempt
mariebrunelm's review
challenging
dark
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I first read this book last year, having been drawn to the diverse take on dark academia, and the first time round the book had come very close to being a favourite of the year. The good news is, it's just as engaging the second time round!
You have elements of mystery, a pinch of magical realism, nuanced characters, diverse representation, gorgeous prose and thought-provoking conversations.
This book very much feels like basking in the light of a very charismatic and very knowledgeable speaker, you know the kind? These fascinating people you could spend hours listening to. That's close to what I felt reading this book, in a fiction format. I just wish the ending was a little less rushed, but that's probably because I would have happily read a couple more hundred pages like that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Alcohol, Suicide attempt, and Xenophobia
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, and Self harm
northernzephyr's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Torture, Suicide attempt, and Child death