Rated of 5
by Wendy A Taste of Turkey
Dervishes is a beautifully written novel, the characters intricately drawn, and the plot raw and yet unassuming. Mother and daughter are much alike, both distant, and difficult to grow close to as a result. However, as the story goes on, it is impossible not to feel for this family, whose members are lost and wounded, living together and yet apart.
Rated of 5
by Betty A Year in Ankara
This book is excellent. The author doesn't explain everything that happens at once, but gives clues that accumulate until the reader understands what is going on. She uses a lot of description to bring to life the experiences of an American family living in the Middle East in the 1970s. Anyone who read and liked "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini or "Reading Lolita in Tehran" by Azar Nafisi should enjoy this novel.
A minor criticism: If there were any dervishes (members of Muslim religious orders who take a vow of poverty) in the book, I missed them.
Highly recommended.
Rated of 5
by Beth Dervishes by Beth Helms
This swirling novel gives insight into both Turkish life in Ankora in 1975 and the families of diplomats and military personnel coping with postings in unfamiliar cultures. The characters are well drawn and it could be an interesting book group discussion choice. However it is occassionally hard to follow the rapid switching in voices. I enjoyed it, but I didn't love it.
Rated of 5
by Sylvia Dervishes
This very well written novel set in Turkey in the 1970's provides a new view of the clash between West and East. In fact everything and everyone seems to be clashing: the children with their parents, the husbands with their wives, lovers, frends, just to name a few. There are some very lyrical and wonderful passages and I was kept interested by the promise of secrets uncovered....secrets which proved to be underwheming when finally revealed. I thought the loneliness, alienation and despair that most of the characters operated in was so real that the novel reeked of bleakness, Certainly not for the reader who wants entertainment, but a well-crafted, beautifully expressed and believable book.
Rated of 5
by Ginger Dervishes by Beth Helms
I thought this book would be an interesting read with fully fleshed out characters and a mesmerizing plot. I was very disappointed. The character development was shallow; the characters were all cardboard figures with no depth and very superficial dialogue. The writing style was difficult to follow. I kept wondering when Ms Helms would get to the point of the novel. I was confused much of the time. I found myself having to go back to what I had read previously in order to understand what I was reading in the present. The author didn't provide many details about the country and the city where the action takes place. I thought that would be integral to the story. I think the author did not achieve what she had set out to do; namely, to show the intrigue and deception that was supposed to be at the heart of the novel. I had to force myself to keep reading it, I finished the book, however, I just skimmed the last ten pages or so. I would not recommend this book to anyone.
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