The novel begins with the story of a young man who finds his beautiful wife murdered on their wedding night. What is more perverse, the innocent young man is charged with the murder of his wife and thrown into prison. In order to prove his innocence and to find the murderer of his lover, his only clue is a tulip bulb that he found in the palm of his dead wife. He has a secret identity, which he was initially unaware of - he is a prince, a sultan's son, who has grown up outside the palace. An intrigue develops in the power circle about his rumored existence.
The story is interwoven with historical and cultural details. introducing the reader to life within royal palaces and dervish lodges, horticultural secrets about growing exclusive tulips, innovative treatment for the mentally unstable in the asylum, torture devices in the prison, and conspiracies hatched in coffee houses and humans by disaffected revolutionaries and gangsters.
Iskender Pala creates a bewitching tapestry of the splendours and vices of Istanbul at a time when the world was still in thrall to its military, political, and artistic achievements.
For years, I had been holding public seminars under the heading "Divan Poetry Hour" at six o'clock every Wednesday evening. That particular day, the discussion had strayed somewhat from poetry and I found myself having to discuss the idea that those who dismiss the importance of anything, in reality consider everything to be important. I had been wandering around Beyoğlu on my own, pondering the questions that had arisen during the seminar, with a blizzard raging around me and a biting wind whistling past my ears and stinging my eyes. The auction room was bustling with people, many of them well-known collectors. After a few friendly greetings, I went to look at the books on sale. About half of them were handwritten works, so I asked for a catalogue to see if any might be useful for my work.
**Contents and Sample Pages**
For privacy concerns, please view our Privacy Policy
Send as free online greeting card
Email a Friend
Manage Wishlist