Three Daughters of Eve — In Search of God
Book Review: Three Daughters of Eve by Elif Shafak
I recently finished up Shafak 10th novel “Three Daughters of Eve” and it took me a while to struggle with my inner self to take the risk of questioning those things which consider forbidden to talk about so boldly in our society.
Even as I read one chapter after another, my soul and mind demanded me to “Think” more on the world around myself.
To expand the wisdom and dive into rich and complex debate on present-day issues that Shafak illuminate in a thought-provoking way: the clash between religion and secularism, faith and identity, feminism and extremism, political oppression and personal struggle.
Review:
If you had read Shafak’s previous novels such as “The Forty Rules of Love” one find similar echoes here. The story rides in parallel time-zone around the protagonist, Peri’s — past and present.
Presently, she is in her mid-thirties as a wealthy housewife and a mother who is on her way to a dinner party at seaside mansion in the heart of Istanbul; along with her daughter — Deniz.
Unfortunately, they got stuck in traffic-jam badly and what’s worse even, they had been mugged by some beggar. Peri, who was already late and frustrated enough because of road rage, went out of the car without second thoughts to knock down those who trigger her.
Meanwhile, in a fist fight a Polaroid dropped down from her purse. A picture of four faces there: Peri with her two best friends (Shirin and Mona) and their charismatic professor at the University of Oxford. It was the only photo she had and as Shafak writes
“She could not afford to lose it.”
A photo that brings random memories, repressed anxieties, untold secrets and plenty of guilt which she thought she had left all behind forever but she was wrong, it was coming back again as refreshing as it was yesterday.
Further, the story follows in one entire evening on the elegant dinner party across that Polaroid photograph with flashbacks of Peri past days of childhood and her university life.
The past illustrate Peri grown up in the competing house of faith. On one hand, her father follows secularism belief firmly and on other end, her mother follows strictly Muslim faith. Peri who had no choice left in-between.
As Shafak mention heart-touchingly
“While some people were passionate believers and other passionate non-believers, she would always remain stuck in between.”
There are some chapters, where writer turn the house in a family battle zone with Peri parents’ heated-debates on faith on a daily basis. It makes the reader’s heart a soft-corner for Peri who was going through “seasons of faith and seasons of doubt” with each passing year.
As the story moves forward, it comes more passion for readers to explore the life of confused Peri in Oxford. There she met Shirin; a confident atheist Iranian-born feminist and Mona; a devout Muslim Egyptian-American feminist. together they called
the sinner — Shirin, the believer — Mona and the confused — Peri
making three daughters of Eve, as Shafak describe them in her book title.
Being with Mona and Shirin, it was like as Peri was living again with her parents. A head-to-head battle with rage and non-stop harsh words keep back and forth on religion and secularism between Mona and Shirin.
The most unlikely friends, yet they all agreed to be under the spell of one person: Professor Azur. The man who was called as a “walking legend” remains an enigma character for readers to keep moving with each turning page.
Professor Azur who taught the subject “God” to handful students brings a spark in readers mind about his teachings.
With each turning impatient episodes, professor Azur sketch draws as charismatic yet arrogant and egocentric personality who pushes his students into deeper inquiries into the nature of God.
For some students, he was a legend who changed their lives’ while for some, he was no more than a devil and they jokingly called him behind his back as a “Mephistopheles.” It makes Peri more curious and determined to learn not only about ‘God’ but the person behind this subject as well.
Despite all the warnings, she falls in love with him and tries her best to win her place in his eyes but unfortunately she wasn’t aware much about this man or the man she created in her mind.
Sudden unexpected twists occur with last chapters filled with risk for dinner party guests, untold secrets, confession and lots of guilt takes readers at climax.
The secrets box exploded one by one with shocking events of Peri life as how she jumped back to Istanbul from Oxford and the scandal that apart her from all those whom she knows in that Polaroid.
I find it a thought-provoking book with magical words wrapping political turn down events, role of modern Muslim women in Islam with multiculturalism background and most of all unfold questions on faith.
An oddball, to me, was the dinner party in one evening that covers till the last chapter. It was the longest dinner I ever read across. A dinner scene was a bit flat part which makes a little distraction to carry on. And, I believe, Mona came across to play hardly a major part although she was also a main character of one of those three daughters.
The ending part was abrupt and there was no time left to make readers mind intriguing for what professor Azur has gone through in his past life. Though, I enjoyed the debate about seasons of faiths and doubts but I wish more to see and read the classes of professor Azur. Yet just like peri with uncertainty, Shafak makes her readers thoughts too ‘hanging in the air’ and she left us to discuss with own wisdom what we grasp from it.
Recommendation:
If you like to read a book on the nature of God or you like a touch of philosophy on faith or faithlessness this book must hit your bookshelves. I must say, it is really entertaining and relevant to our time.
Rating:
I’ll rate it 3.5 out of 5 stars. Let me know yours!!!
