Dervishes Reviews
"What an elegant, wrenching storm of a novel! Beth Helms writes in crystalline, luminous prose that is reminiscent of the finest of James Salter's novels. Not since The Great Gatsby have I read a tragedy quite like this one." - Rick Bass, author of The Lives of Rocks.
"Starred Review. Elegant prose and exacting insight illuminate Helms's tale of intrigue and deception." - Publishers Weekly.
"The novel is awkwardly paced, too, with a slow start and a rushed ending. But these shortcomings are made up for by what the story reveals about the subculture of embassy wives, whose easy camaraderie can quickly turn cutthroat. Recommended for all libraries." - Library Journal.
"Set against a backdrop of clashing cultures, Dervishes is a story of duplicity, betrayal, and the cost of keeping secrets. . . . A brilliant, moving, and utterly riveting debut. The end will leave you gasping." - Sara Gruen, author of Water for Elephants.
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Dervishes Reader Reviews
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Rated 
of 5
by
Louise
Dervishes
Like the Dervishes, this novel left my head spinning. Having toured through Turkey, I could almost taste the sights and sounds of Istanbul and Ankara. This alone would make the time spent reading worthwhile. At its conclusion I found myself ordering a box of Turkish Delight aka Lokum.
Though all the characters are evil, and not totally believable, I couldn't put the book down. What a fun read.
Rated 
of 5
by
Kathleen
Great Read for Book Clubs
I strongly recommend this book for book clubs or for people who like to struggle with untidy issues. Dervishes is not a tidy book. On the contrary, it raises more questions than it answers, and is disturbing on many levels. The constantly shifting voice can be confusing, but emphasizes how everyday events can be interpreted quite differently. Seemingly trivial decisions result in lives that are irrevocably changed. The author shows great empathy for characters who aren't necessarily likable, but are people we can relate to all too well. I was expecting a story about a mother-daughter relationship set in Turkey, but the author delivered far more.
Rated of 5
by
Francine
Dervishes
This dark story tells the downward spiral of a mother and daughter caught in a web of secrecy and deceit sprinkled with questionable relationships. They are immersed in a whirlpool of outside influences that severely damages each of them personally as well as their already shaky relationship to each other.
Might this situation be what one might refer to as a "howling" or "whirling" dervish?
I believe this to be an excellent read for a book club - speculations and discussions would abound.
Rated 
of 5
by
Tracy
Dervishes
An interesting portrait of a culture, a time , a place and a society that heretofore was a mystery to me. The author does a superb job of evoking time and place.
Some of the writing was lyrical other portions were clunky and contrived - overwritten. Most difficult for me were the characters - none of whom were apealing to me. The father had potential - but his character was never developed - he was the one I had some desire to get to know. Add to that a slow developing plot and unfortunately, I lost interest and the book became tedious.
Rated of 5
by
Amber
Lovely Book
I enjoyed this book a lot. The setting and the characters were interesting and sympathetic. I was a little disappointed in the resolution; I didn't feel like the daughter's story was carried through to a satisfactory point. But the ending was engaging overall. The atmosphere of the book was probably my favorite thing about the book.
Rated of 5
by
Ellen
Dervishes
Beth Helms has written an excellent first novel and I look forward to reading her story collection.
This was an absolutely beautifully written book - descriptive, mysterious and magical. From the first few pages I was immediately drawn to the story of Canada and her mother and father. The author writes in an almost poetic form and I truly felt as though I knew this family as well as the places they lived.
I loved this book - it was entertaining yet also very personal - a story we can all relate to on many levels. I highly recommend this book.
...11 more reader reviews
