I absolutely loved “40 rules of love” and decided to chance another Élif Shafak novel. I’m not sure which one I prefer, I’m in love with both!!!

She writes a true story weaved into fiction of a Turkish architect & his apprentice, well known for his glorious creations; Mimar Sinan. As gifted as Michelangelo, but not widely known because such is the bias of art history.

Plot-rich and character-driven, the novel is deliberately archaic, stemming as if from a rich body of Turkish folk literature. And like all good folk stories, it conveys deeper meanings about human experience. Contradiction is not only a motif in the plot, it’s at the heart of the book itself.

Beneath the facade of coming across as a simple novel, The Architect’s Apprentice explores issues of power and bigotry, creativity and freedom, but its overarching theme is love. The love of learning and learning about love