Azida’s Reviews > The Bastard of Istanbul > Status Update

"The Janissary's Paradox is being torn between two clashing states of existence. One the one hand, the remnants of the past pile up—a womb of tenderness and sorrow, a sense of injustice and discrimination. On the other hand, glimmers the promised future—...of success, a sense of safety like you have never had before, the comfort of joining the majority and finally being deemed normal."

"Imagination was a dangerously captivating magic for those compelled to be realistic in life, and words could be poisonous for those destined always to be silenced."

"The ear was such a trustworthy part of the human body. No matter how much weight you gained, your ears remained exactly the same, always loyal."

"It wss wrong, she knew. Allah could not and should not be personified... One had to refrain from attributing human qualities to him—that's to say, Him—which was not easy since every one of his—that's to say, His—ninety-nine names happened to be qualities also pertinent to human beings. He could see it all but had no eyes; He could hear it all but jad no ears; He could reach out everywhere but had no hands.."