Status Updates From The Renovation: A Novel

“But mostly these were women who had been at protests, or written emails to their local representatives, or worked for the wrong newspapers, or studied at the wrong schools, or spoke the wrong languages—subversives.” (138)

“History repeats itself so fast in Turkey, faster than in any other country. The return to our real lives was just around the corner; the erosions of democracy and the rule of law would be shored up once again; Erdoğan, as all strongmen in Turkey do, would face his fall—it was all just around the corner.” (130)

We’ve been saying that for a long time but he’s still here with his minions.

“‘He is immortal now,’ my father said. ‘There is no one else but Erdoğan.’” (111)

“Mv father used to say they would arrest anyone.” (112)

“You have to have a prison before you can have prisoners. You have to make room for criminals before you can have criminals.”

❤️

Oh she’s taking it through out this book. The mental health is at an all time low and the trauma is high in this one. Oh she’s spiraling 😩

“It was the era of insurmountable information where the problem was not insufficient language but far too much of it. Only the loudest are heard and what is the fate of facts then? What is the fate of reality when all manner of counterfeit narratives sweep over the people in ridiculous noise? “

❤️🥰

“You’ll believe anything when you need comfort.”

🎯

“As we learn a new language, we become a different person.

As we access different linguistic structures, our personality shifts to reflect the different concepts available to us through different words. But also because of the new company we keep in a new language . . .”

So true!!! 🎯❤️

“A tree is never just a tree. A tree is always a symbol. On its own a tree is a symbol and the forest is wood and not a symbol.”

❤️

Okay this book. I have so many thoughts. The protagonist is going through it and taking it. Chile 🤣