A farewell to Imperial Istanbul

 

A Farewell To Imperial İstanbul

Set against the majestic backdrop of Imperial Istanbul in the aftermath of the First World War, A Farewell To Imperial Istanbul is a captivating tale of family, duty and the resilience of the human spirit.

İstanbul, 1922: As the Ottoman Empire crumbles in the wake of the Great War, the fate of the Imperial capital and the House of Osman come under threat. Emboldened following their victory in the Turkish War of Independence, the Turkish Nationalist Government in Ankara abolishes the Ottoman Sultanate, marking the end of over six centuries of Ottoman rule. The Ottoman Caliphate endures for now, but Istanbul, stripped of its Imperial mantle, mourns its lost glory. Prince Nihadfears for the nation and the fate of the Imperial family, while his son, Prince Vâsıb, envisions a hopeful future defined by peace following the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne. 

As the new Republic of Türkiye emerges from the ashes of the once-mighty Ottoman Empire, Istanbul and the Ottoman Dynasty confront the crossroads of history, their destinies entwined with the shifting tides of the Bosphorus. Yet, amidst these perilous currents that separate East and West, where the deep waters threaten to engulf the city’s Imperial past and sweep away its soul embodied by the Imperial family, the Ottoman Dynasty must navigate a new and uncertain course.

The history of the Turks and their vast and powerful Empire has been intertwined with the Ottoman Dynasty for over six hundred years. But can the Imperial family survive the tempest of change as the world enters a new era?

 

Purchase Links 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0CZJ7TYC3

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CZJ7TYC3

 

Author Bio – Ayşe Gülnev Osmanoğlu is a member of the Ottoman Imperial family, being descended from Sultan Murad V through her grandfather, and from Sultan Mehmed V (Mehmed Reşad) through her grandmother. After reading History and Politics at the University of Exeter, she obtained an M.A. in Turkish Studies from SOAS, University of London, where she specialised in Ottoman History. Her debut novel, The Gilded Cage on the Bosphorus was published in 2020.

 

Ayşe Osmanoğlu lives between Türkiye, France and the United Kingdom with her husband, five children and two cats. Her research and literary works concentrate on the late Ottoman period, exploring narratives embedded in her imperial heritage.

Social Media Links – https://www.facebook.com/ayseosmanogluauthor

https://www.instagram.com/aysegulnevsultan/

https://twitter.com/AyseGulnev

Author Website: www.ayseosmanoglu.com

 

Giveaway To Win an A Farewell to Imperial İstanbul prize bundle… (Open to UK Only)

The list of prizes is below:

 

• Paperback signed copy of A Farewell to Imperial İstanbul
• Scented Candle from the Imperial İstanbul Collection – Scent: Harem Garden (Jasmine, Rose & Orange Blossom)
• Black matchsticks
• Traditional Rose Turkish Delight
• A Farewell to Imperial İstanbul postcard
• Set of four A Farewell to Imperial İstanbul bookmarks

 

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494590/?

My Review

This is not so much a novel as an, at times, slightly fictionalised account of the last days of the Ottoman Empire. The fact that much of the source material has been gleaned form the author's own family make it an interesting read.

The descriptions of the palaces, the delicious food, the scents and smells of Istanbul really bring the story alive as they are described in such intricate detail. However, at times I felt this was to the detriment of the characters. With a cast list running to several pages it was difficult even so to keep track of the lesser characters let alone identify with any of the major characters. This aside, from a historical point of view, I feel I understand much better the reasons behind the end of the Ottoman Empire and the creation of a new country, Turkey, and it seems incredible to think this all took place around 100 years ago.

I thought the afternote was very poignant about how all the family members were scattered around Europe and the Middle East and I can't help wondering what happened to them all.

This is a perfect book for anyone with an interest in the Ottoman Empire, or who simply enjoys being whisked away to another era.