Honor by Elif Shafek

 

Twin girls are born in a Kurdish village, Jamila and Pembe.  As they grow, they are inseparable but in their society women are not allowed to choose their lives.  Jamila falls in love with a man named Adem but he ends up marrying Pembe instead.  He takes her to London and they have three children, Iskender, Esme and Yunus.  Jamila stays behind and becomes known as the Virgin Midwife.  The two sisters still love each other as much as ever but are torn apart.

Years later, the scene is set for a tragedy.  Adem has turned out to be not much of a husband.  He is a gambler and faithless and finally deserts the family, leaving Iskender to be the head of the household while still in school.  Pembe is unhappy but has no options.  Iskender is burdened with his responsibilities and an aggressive leader in the immigrant gangs formed to fight off the attacks of the skinheads who insist immigrants don't belong in their London.  Esme dreams of being a writer, while Yunus is adopted by a group of squatters and free thinkers who introduce him to thoughts he never would encounter otherwise.

The family is torn between the old ways and their new lives where they need to adapt in order to fit in.  When Pembe starts a friendship with Elias, a chef, it puts a tragedy in motion.  Muslim women are not allowed to have any contact or relationship with a man outside the family, no matter how they are treated at home.   Although Pembe and Elias try to keep their friendship a secret, it is eventually discovered by Yunus and then by Adem's brother.  The uncle tells Iskander he is responsible for solving this issue for the sake of the family's relationship.  Iskander responds by confronting his mother and stabbing her and she dies, leaving Iskander to be imprisoned.

Elif Shakef is one of my favorite authors.  I love how she uses the background of her country and its religion and culture to write intricate books that describe characters caught in the restrictions their society imposes.  Women are given little freedom or choice while the men are burdened with the responsibility for everyone's life in the family.  As the characters fight against their destiny, things open and change and new ways of living are found.  This book is recommended for literary fiction readers and those interested in other cultures.