Madonna in a Fur Coat

by Ali Sabahattin, Melike Öneş (Translator), Melike Melis (Foreword)

When I first held this book in my hands, I immediately sensed that it was not merely a naive, touching love story. Perhaps it was something far beyond that. It was like a window opening into the secret world of a human being—a sanctuary that felt as though it ought to remain hidden, yet invited the reader in.
In every sentence, there was the throbbing of a silent heart. In every line, the heavy yet elegant traces of loneliness, longing, and acceptance lingered. This story was a journey where one confronts oneself, touching the most fragile corners of the soul.
While I was translating these pages, I read the author’s life story, and it shook me to my core. I felt as if a sapling, destined to bear so much more fruit, had been uprooted. He was murdered in a dark forest at a young age; his body left there, solitary, for days.
That is why today, as I present this book to the reader, I wish to speak not only as a translator but as a reader and a fellow human
I say, let us not leave him alone today.
I bow in respect to this man who revealed the "Demon Within" (İçimizdeki Şeytan) to us and bequeathed the masterful portrayal of the backstreets of an era through "Yusuf of Kuyucak" (Kuyucaklı Yusuf). If every sentence that filtered from his pen can still touch our hearts today, it is a testament not only to the immortality of literature but to the human spirit itself.
As you read this book, you will not merely be visiting a story; you will be a guest within a heart.
And in the silence of that heart, you will find a piece of yourself.
With respect...

209 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 18, 2026

Reviews

[Arshiyah Rashid · Rating 4 out of 5]

A couple of things: I love a preface and really enjoyed the introduction. I liked the monologues of both Raif and Maria and how they explored their own personal intricacies of thought and internal conflict that we face when navigating the complexities of love. And lastly, long live the yearners

[ennui · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tore through it in a few days, precisely lonely prose and dialogue that so effectively mediates the line between insufferable and intoxicating, the kind of thing that would sweep me up and leave me wandering the cold streets too. Had to clutch the book to my chest and retell the entire plot and spoil it for my partner, immediately after finishing it on the Stansted Express. The introduction written by David Salim Sayers was interesting, and provided a lot of the political/historical context to help situate the book within a Turkish literary context. It made me want to read more of Sabahattin Ali's writing, especially considering how Madonna in a Fur Coat is a bit of an outlier, an enigma in comparison to his other works. Curiously unsure about the analogies Sayers proposes, through which the beloved Maria can be read as a metaphor for Europe and Westernisation, but would like to explore this further. Definitely recommend if you are drawn to the plotless, politics of desire, sick-dog-lover, existential, diaristic genre; especially if you're looking for an accessible and familiarly structured (Sayers has some thoughts on this too) gateway into Turkish lit.

[Sarah Puinno · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the saddest story I’ve ever read! Raif’s depression and loneliness is palpable through Ali’s writing. Maria’s fear of love and subsequent collapse of walls were carefully plotted. I’ve never felt more despair from a book.

[pheneloppie · Rating 4 out of 5]

in yearning man we trust!

[Alexis Shultz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.4 stars - god bless raif + all those who identify w/ him and may we all find courage in joy ✨💓

[Anisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

what to do with the tropes? all i could think of throughout was dyostovesky.
to fall in love with the painting before the girl, the empty olive trees and a looming tragedy

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I interesting read

I enjoy this book. It is beautifully written. I book keeps you pulled in and interested. I enjoyed the writing style and it was an easy read.

[Yuvika · Rating 5 out of 5]

gut wrenching

[Ditte Marie · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

Den var egentlig god læste den på en uge, men det er under et år siden og jeg kan næsten ikke huske den - satte ikke sine spor men velskrevet

[Jenna Frisbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow wow wow.

[Temisan Omare · Rating 5 out of 5]

damn.

[ms ysolde · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read this, it is sad in the last part, after 10 years.. and he have a daughter.. sad.. and that i the story of madonna in a fur coat