Meryem, a teenage girl living in a rural village, is raped by her uncle, a sheikh in a dervish order. An outcast for shaming her family, she is locked in the cellar and expected to kill herself, but she is defiant. Her commando cousin Cemal, with whom she grew up, has returned a hero from fighting terrorists in the mountains. He is chosen to execute his cousin outside the town, telling her he is going to "take her to Istanbul." In Istanbul, Irfan, a media celebrity professor, revolts against the routine of his elite existence. He leaves his wife and charters a boat to sail the Aegean. By chance, his path crosses with that of Meryem and Cemal. They embark on a journey together that fills their hearts with hope and sets them free. This simple Middle Eastern tale captures universal truths as it brings attention to human rights violations against women.
- ISBN10 0786292237
- ISBN13 9780786292233
- Publish Date 9 November 2006 (first published 17 October 2006)
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 16 June 2021
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Thorndike Press
- Edition Large type / large print edition
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 519
- Language English