The Girl From the Golden Horn

Book excerpt: Politics, war, and desire make waves in the life of a Turkish woman living in exile in post-WWI Berlin in this novel by the author of Ali and Nino. It is 1928, and Asiadeh Anbara and her father, members of the Turkish royal court, find themselves in exile in Berlin after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Years ago, she had been promised to a Turkish prince but now, under the spell of the West, the nineteen-year-old Muslim girl falls in love and marries a Viennese doctor, an “unbeliever.” But when she again meets the prince—now a screenwriter living in exile in New York—and he decide he wants her as his wife, she is torn between the marriage she made in good faith and her promised duty made long ago… The Girl from the Golden Horn is a novel of the clash of cultures and values—of prewar Istanbul and decadent postwar Berlin. And, of course, Muslims and Christians. But it is also about the clash within Asiadeh herself, and the tension between duty and desire. Praise for The Girl from the Golden Horn “This rich and memorable work follows one woman’s journeys in the landscape of exile and love in post-WWI Europe. . . . Like the Asiatic musical scale referenced so often in the narrative, this novel is hauntingly beautiful, a lyrical and moving tribute to the meaning of homeland. . . . [A] brilliant exploration of cultural heritage.” —Publishers Weekly “Alluring, romantic, exotic. . . . Narrated with a sparkling, high-spirited intelligence.” —Elle “A deeply felt, lucidly presented contrast of old and new worlds... Any reader who loved Ali and Nino won’t want to miss it.” —Kirkus Reviews “[Said] eloquently evokes the shifting relationships between East and West, Christian and Muslim, male and female.” —Entertainment Weekly “East collides with West in Said’s daring and suspenseful second novel. . . . Astute and provocative, this novel successfully questions the development of personal as well as societal values, ethics, and expectations. Highly recommended for all libraries.” —Library Journal