First Impression Friday will be a meme where you talk about a book that you JUST STARTED! Maybe you’re only a chapter or two in, maybe a little farther. Based on this sampling of your current read, give a few impressions and predict what you’ll think by the end.

Synopsis:

Turkey’s preeminent female writer here spins an epic tale set at the height of the Ottoman Empire and teeming with secrets, intrigue, and romance. Jajan, a twelve-year-old Indian boy, arrives in Istanbul breaking a magnificent gift for the sultan: a white elephant named Chota. Jahan becomes Chota’s trainer, and his life changes the day he encounters the sultan’s beguiling daughter, Princess Mihriman. A palace education leads him to Mimar Sinan, the empire’s chief architect, who takes Jahan under his arm as they construct (with Chota’s help) some of the most splendid buildings in history. Yet even as they build Sinan’s triumphant masterpieces – the Suleimaniye and Selimiye mosques – dangerous undercurrents begin to emerge, with rivals and enemies on all sides.

A memorable story of artistic freedom and the clash between science and ignorance, Shafak’s novel brims with vibrant characters, compelling adventure, and the lavish backdrop of the Ottoman court, where love and loyalty are no match for raw power.

Happy Friday everyone! We managed to make it through another work week. To my fellow accountants and auditors (I now work in the Risk Department), well done for completing yet another busy tax season. It is time to dive into the weekend. For non-accountants, how has your (work) week been? I hope that you were able to accomplish all your goals this week. I hope that you are ending the week on a high note. I hope the work week went well and that we are all diving into the weekend carefree. Otherwise, I hope that the weekend will provide you a badly needed respite. I hope you take the time to pause, rest, and recover. I hope that we all spend it pursuing the things we are passionate about.

To cap another work and blogging week, I am sharing a fresh First Impression Friday update. Oh, I just realized that we only have ten days left before we will be welcoming a new month. Anyway, this April, I have immersed myself in the works of women writers. Essentially, it is an extension of my March Women’s History reading month. Toward the end of March, I realized that I still had scores of books written by female writers I wanted to read, prompting me to extend this literary journey to April. I was hoping that I get to read more amazing works, especially considering how my March literary journey was filled with memorable and exciting reads that transported me to various parts of the world. My current read, Elif Shafak’s The Architect’s Apprentice, for instance, has transported me to Istanbul, Turkey.

Ever since discovering Elif Shafak in the year immediately before the pandemic, she has become one of my favorite writers. She was a pleasant discovery and The Architect’s Apprentice is already my fifth novel by the Turkish writer. However, unlike the first four novels by Shafak I read, my current read transported me way back in time, during the time when the Ottoman Empire was experiencing its Golden Age under the rule of Sultan Suleiman I, commonly known as Suleiman the Magnificent in Western Europe and Suleiman the Lawgiver in his Ottoman realm. The focus of the story, however, was Jahan. At the age of twelve, Jahan fled from his abusive stepfather. He then found himself sailing toward Istanbul on a ship captained by Captain Gareth. Also on the ship was a young white elephant. The young elephant was a gift to the sultan from Hindustan.

Captain Gareth, however, had other plans. A shady character, the captain’s loyalty is questionable, and has been plotting to steal from the Sultan’s palace. As part of his plan, Jahan will be sent as a mahout (keeper). Captain Gareth’s plan, however, did not proceed as planned. Sure enough, Jahan entered the palace and became the elephant’s keeper at the palace’s menagerie. He named the elephant Chota (“little”). It was at the menagerie that Jahan grew into young adulthood. It was also there that he came to know and befriend the sultan’s daughter, Mihrimah. Mihrimah’s inner sense of adventure and spontaneity led her to stealthily explore the menagerie. Jahan, meanwhile, also caught the attention of the Chief Royal Architect, Sinan. Sinan took Jahan into his fold and made him one of his apprentices.

Jahan took in his new role while still being Chota’s mahout while being Sinan’s apprentice. As he was learning in his new role, the Ottoman Empire was flourishing under Sultan Suleiman’s reign. Mosques, aqueducts, and other architectural and engineering feats were rising, showcasing the Ottoman’s ingenuity, power, and growing influenceThis also means that Chota was in action as the palace’s war elephant. At one point, the elephant boasted of being the Sultan’s carrier. These sections were mere interjections as Shafak’s preoccupation was with Jahan, including his relationship with his fellow apprentices and his mentor. Jahan, for sure, was talented but he couldn’t help questioning why he was chosen by Sinan to be his apprentice. The reason was unveiled later in the story but it was through Jahan’s own observation.

I did find Sinan a very compelling character but he was a cipher most of the time. At eighty, he was sharp and had an interesting way of solving problems he and his apprentices encountered at the construction sites. He was also wise and it was no surprise that his four apprentices – Davud, Nikola, Yusuf, and Jahan – all respected him and valued his input. And because it was about architecture, some Ottoman monuments were referenced, such as the Hagia Sophia. But if we are to be strict about history, the Hagia Sophia was built by empires before the Ottoman and it was originally a church before it was transformed into a mosque during the reign of the Ottomans; now, it is a museum. We read about the challenges that the apprentices and the royal architects had to face.

In a way, Shafak also underscores the other side of the opulence that the Ottoman palaces showcase. When Hagia Sophia was renovated, ordinary denizens of Istanbul had to be forcefully moved out of the compound as their hastily built houses destroyed the beauty and dignity of the mosque. When the apprentices asked if those who were ejected had places to move to, they were reassured that they did although even Sinan was unsure. They just had to rely on the Sultan’s words. There were several layers to the story. One layer I found interesting was how Shafak subtly underscored the gender norms of the period; all the apprentices were males. While Suleiman was portrayed as wise, Ottoman society was nevertheless highly patriarchal. A plot twist I did not expect caught me off guard; it was one of the novel’s interesting facets.

I am nearly done with the novel. To note, some of the characters were inspired by actual historical figures – Sinan, Davud, and Mihrimah to name a few. There were also some undertones of romance in the story, or at least I hope it would develop into one. I didn’t realize that there was a lot to the story as I have written quite a lot in this update. Anyway, I am looking forward to how Jahan’s story will eventually pan out. How about you fellow reader? What book or books are you going to take with you this weekend? I hope you get to enjoy whatever you are reading right now. Happy weekend!