Water. Lex Bohlmeijer in gesprek met Elif Shafak

The novel, written by Elif Shafak, centers around Asya Kazancı, a nineteen-year-old woman living in Istanbul, and Armanoush Tchakhmakhchian, an Armenian-American who travels to Istanbul to discover her roots. The story delves into the violent past of Turkey, particularly the 1915 Armenian deportations and massacres, and how these events impact the lives of the characters. The narrative is set in both Turkey and the United States, highlighting the complex relationships between the characters and their cultural identities.

The novel follows Tequila Leila, who is found murdered in the streets of Istanbul. In her final 10 minutes and 38 seconds of brain activity, she reflects on her life, recalling crucial moments and her friendships with a diverse group of outcasts. The book is a tribute to Istanbul and highlights the struggles and resilience of marginalized communities, including sex workers, trans individuals, and other minorities. It balances poignant themes with humorous scenes, providing a vivid and hopeful portrait of life on the margins of Turkish society.

The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak is a novel that weaves together the stories of multiple generations affected by the turbulent history of Cyprus. The narrative is partly told through the voice of a fig tree, which observes the lives of a young Greek Cypriot and a Turkish Cypriot couple, Kostas and Defne, who are separated by war. The story also follows Ada, a teenager in London, as she seeks to understand her family's history and ancestry. The novel explores themes of war, division, love, loss, and the search for identity and healing, highlighting the resilience of both human and natural life in the face of trauma and conflict.

This book presents the Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the earliest surviving works of literature, in Dutch. It follows the story of Gilgamesh, a king of Uruk, who embarks on various adventures, including a journey to the Cedar Forest and a quest for eternal life after the death of his friend Enkidu. The epic explores themes of heroism, friendship, and the human search for immortality. Vanstiphout's work is based on the historical and literary context of the original epic, which began to take shape around 2000 BCE in Mesopotamia.

De roman volgt drie tijdlijnen: in 1840 Londen, waar Arthur gefascineerd raakt door het oude Mesopotamië en het epische Gilgamesj-epos; in 2014 Turkije, waar de 10-jarige Narin moet vluchten voor ISIS samen met haar oma; en in 2018 Londen, waar Zaleekhah troost vindt in haar onderzoek naar rivieren. Het water dient als een symbolische verbinding tussen de personages en hun verhalen, onderstrepend dat 'water alle herinneringen bewaart, het zijn de mensen die vergeten'.