Each page of the novel âSweet Salt of the Bosphorusâ by Elchin Safarli was saturated with the smell of Istanbul, the enchanting atmosphere of the East, the aromas of spices and exotic dishes. Through the eyes of the author, the Turkish capital is outwardly bright and a little pretentious, mysterious and beautiful, and sometimes deaf and full of hopelessness.
Its inhabitants are very different from each other and reveal to the reader the amazing realities of Turkish reality: traditions, customs and way of life. Their fates are a dish from a beautiful story of love, despair, fulfilled hopes and ruined lives, densely seasoned with the originality of oriental flavor. They are a reflection of the Turkish capital, which Elchin Safarli sings in his novel.
Bosphorus Sweet Salt: Summary
For many, Istanbul is a city of attractive prospects, for others it is a secret refuge. Someone wants to leave him and go in search of happiness in Europe, someone hides in his arms from the routine of Western life. For visitors, Istanbul is always a lottery. Units win in it. A journalist from Baku, the protagonist of the book âThe Sweet Salt of the Bosphorus,â calls the Turkish capital âthe city of the soul.â For him, Istanbul is a dream that smells like pistachios in the fall and is coated with powdered sugar in the winter. A thorny path woven from personal tragedies leads the hero to her. The betrayal and the quick death of the woman he loves make him rush between Baku and the "city of the soul." Burned plane tickets to Istanbul, the room of the deceased Aida, her grave are on one side, a dream on the other. There he is waiting for the dog Aydinlig, the red-haired mute artist Gulben and the firebird on the top of the Chamlydzha hill. In Istanbul, the usual smell of strong coffee; pacified moon over the Bosphorus, a true friend, saving from loneliness; sweet mosque and the majestic Hagia Sophia Cathedral.
Istanbul ghost
There, on the way to the pastry shop, the journalist met Arzu, a woman who predicts happiness to the elite. She is the image from the tradition, the ghost of Istanbul, appearing in rainy weather. Half a century has passed since Arzu died. She committed suicide after learning about the death of her beloved husband. Allah did not forgive the sinner, who laid hands on herself, and doomed to eternal wanderings in the city, covered in a veil of rain. Arzu told the journalist that in Istanbul he will meet love and find his home. She disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving a pair of red shoes at his feet - dumb evidence of their meeting. The predictions of the ghost woman came true. The journalist, indeed, moved to the "city of the soul" forever and met the beautiful Zeynep, his future wife.
Istanbul - the "city of the soul"
In Istanbul, fetters fell from the heart of a young man. The journalist breathed freedom deeply and felt endless happiness from being in the city of his dreams. Everything was different here. The birthday, which used to be associated with futile introspection and timid hopes for a brighter future, turned into a stormy holiday with a noisy feast and clear plans for life. An atmosphere of freedom reigned in Istanbul. For the first time, a young man felt that he was living according to his desires, believed in himself, acted without doubt. Istanbul seemed to him a guardian angel and a home, a powerful city that does not tolerate parting. Wherever a journalist went, he always returned. The streets of the beloved Istanbul, the apartment with an oak floor, the aromas of spices in the Egyptian bazaar, the view of the Golden Horn and the people about whom he wrote in his notes became the world of the young man. This is, according to Elchin Safarli, the sweet salt of the Bosphorus. The plot of the book is a reflection of this statement, but sometimes very distorted. Indeed, for the protagonist, Istanbul turned into a fairy tale, and for others, hell.
Cascades of images of Elchin Safarli
Before the eyes of readers there are many contrasting images that create a holistic picture of life in the Turkish capital. The journalist describes in his sketches of women and men of Istanbul, their views, dreams and lifestyle. With his Turkish girlfriend Aisha, a young man dances in clubs in the morning, sings songs while walking around the city, and discusses at dinner European stereotypes about Turkish women. Westerners are sure that Muslim women still pray from morning to night, refuse the benefits of civilization and put on shapeless robes. AIChE agrees with this statement only half. In Istanbul, women are modern and vibrant, the girl believes, but sadly admits that in other parts of Turkey their rights are still violated. A typical resident of the capital can be called Shinay, editor of the newspaper in which the journalist works. She is a believer and is proud of it, but does not cover her head, smokes a hookah and can let go of a strong word.
Not for everyone, the Bosphorus salt is sweet
Another heroine of Safarliâs book âThe Sweet Salt of the Bosphorusâ is Sena, and she even dreams of escaping from Turkey. She hates Istanbul and compares the Bosphorus with a clogged swamp. The girl is convinced that the Turks lost their face under the influence of Europe. She herself is proud of her origin and will never succumb to the West. Sena considers herself a believer. However, the journalist finds his girlfriendâs Islam a little childish. Her clothes are exclusively green, which the Prophet Muhammad loved. Allah of the Seine is not a deity, but a good old man who is always ready to listen and help. She smokes a lot, does not cover her head. The girl is sure that God in this matter is in solidarity with her. Seine in life was not easy. Her kidney was removed, her nose was operated on. Now the Seine has an inflamed facial nerve. She goes to the hospital more often than to the mosque, but does not leave the dream of moving to London.
Centuries-old traditions through the eyes of the inhabitants of the Turkish capital
Safarli devoted a considerable part of his novel âSweet Salt of the Bosphorusâ to Turkish traditions. The content of each chapter is a new story. Some heroes obey centuries-old customs, others fight for the personal right to freedom and happiness. Sports columnist Mahsun is a successful young man. He makes good money, has a bright appearance. At home, his wife and son are waiting. Mahsun respects his wife, but does not love. Her young man was chosen by her mother. For him, Birsen is just a great hostess and mother of his child. Makhsun has a fiery temperament, often falls in love and regularly starts romance on the side, however, he is not going to leave the family. A wife and children in Turkey are sacred. The journalist sincerely does not understand why such a prominent guy could not marry for love. The answer is customs. The complete opposite of Mahsun is Tahir. He went against his motherâs will and married a Russian girl. Even after years, the woman did not come to terms with the choice of her son.
Sexual minorities in Istanbul
In his book, the author also addresses topics unusual for eastern culture. Among them is same-sex love. Turkish Damla and Guler are actively fighting against hypocritical morality in Safarliâs novel âThe Sweet Salt of the Bosphorusâ. What do these girls dream about and what are they striving for? Damla and Guler believe that Turkey will someday legalize same-sex marriage, and discrimination against gay people will disappear from the everyday life of society. They write letters to government agencies in which they openly express their position. The inhabitants of Istanbul have a twofold attitude to this issue: many openly condemn Damla and Guler, while others take their relationship as a given. However, they live quite comfortably. Damla is a screenwriter and works on TV shows. Guler is engaged in translation activities. Not so long ago they bought an apartment.
Not everyone wins the lottery
The fate of immigrants in Istanbul is another burning topic that the author of the novel paid attention to. The "sweet salt of the Bosphorus" reveals the unsightly truth of life to the reader. Not all happiness seekers win the lottery. Zhenya came to Turkey from Kiev after the death of her mother, unable to withstand sexual harassment from her father. Here she works as a prostitute. She talks about her life, not embarrassed, but her words blow hopelessness. Eugene says that the Turks pay well, but do not care about contraception, naively believing that circumcision is the best defense. She is most afraid of AIDS. In addition, the girl is not afraid of anything. Once, one Kurd ate her earlobe. Zhenya herself stopped the blood. The girl did not dare to go to the hospital: her visa was expired. Eugene does not believe in the future, for her it is covered in fog. Against the background of her tragedy, the story of the Russian girl Sveta stands out. She also came to Istanbul for happiness. Sveta was looking for a job for a long time and eventually got a waitress in a cafe, where she met her future husband. The girl admits that she was born under a happy star.
The fate of the Kurdish population of Turkey
Describes Safarli and the life of the Kurdish population in Turkey. In this country, they are neither ours nor strangers. The Turks skillfully hide their hostility towards them behind a mask of politeness. The Kurds themselves feel oppressed and dream of creating their own state. But women who are tortured by the harsh temper of their spouses do not always strive for this. One of the journalistâs sketches is dedicated to Kurdish Sana'a, who shudders about her life. The husband beats her because of the light after nine in the evening, he can poison the puppy of his daughter, because he disdains animals. The family lives poorly. There is only enough money for food. Sana dreams of a better future for her daughter: education and a prestigious profession. Mother refuses herself food to buy her another book. This is one of the darkest paintings that Elchin Safarli painted in his novel.
"Sweet salt of the Bosphorus": content
Images are rapidly replacing each other, not allowing the reader to come to their senses. An English teacher from Georgia who has lost her daughter is hiding from her sadness in Istanbul. At a concert by a flamboyant singer with red hair, Jandan Ercetin explodes a bomb. Fat Shirin dreams of losing weight and hates Sheker-Bayram for the abundance of sweets. The radical transvestite Hassan from Iran misses his motherland and his mother who has disowned him. Stripper Oksana refuses to sell her body to the Turks and hopes to get married. A talking aristocratic cat is having a conversation with a journalist in the darkness of the night. All these mottled stories are strung on the main storyline - the love story of an Azerbaijani journalist and Turkish girl Zeynep Chetin. Their relationship is simple and unpretentious, filled with tenderness, passionate sensuality and peaceful harmony, which has never been broken throughout the book. The whole charm of the novel "Sweet Salt of the Bosphorus" in contrasting images, laid on ideal happiness in an imperfect world. Reading a book, you can catch the smell of Istanbul, feel the breath of the wind, find yourself face to face with the legendary Constantinople.
Reader Reviews on Elchin Safarli's Novel
Readers leave reviews about the novel contradictory. Safarliâs book didnât leave anyone indifferent. Many captivate the fabulous atmosphere of Istanbul and the unusual idea of ââthe author. However, there are many readers who are irritated by excessive sentimentality and a truly huge number of gastronomic metaphors. But such is Elchin Safarli. âSweet Salt of the Bosphorusâ is a bright, emotional work. Perhaps, without sensual digressions and oriental sweets on every page, the book would not be so lively.