Birds Without Wings (novel)

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Birds Without Wings is a novel by Louis de Bernières, written in 2004. Narrated by various characters, it tells the tragic love story of Philothei and Ibrahim. It also chronicles the rise of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, a Turkish army officer. The overarching theme of the story covers the impact of religious intolerance, over-zealous nationalism, and the war that often results. The characters are unwittingly caught up in historical tides outside of their control.

The book's title is taken from a saying by one of the characters, Iskander the Potter, "Man is a bird without wings, and a bird is a man without sorrows."

[edit] Plot summary

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The story is set in Eskibahçe, a small village in southwestern Anatolia during the 1900s, spanning World War I and the era of Turkish nationalism. The Battle of Gallipoli takes place halfway through the novel.

Some of its characters are also present in the author's earlier novel Captain Corelli's Mandolin.

[edit] Characters in Birds Without Wings

Abdulhamid Hodja — The local imam.
Ayse — Abdulhamid Hodja's wife.
Charitos — Father of Philothei and Mehmetçik.
Drosoula — Philothei's best friend.
Ibrahim the Goatherd
Iskander the Potter
Karatavuk — His real name is Abdul. He is also the youngest son of Iskander the Potter. He fights for the Ottoman Empire in World War I and against the Greeks during the subsequent invasion of Anatolia. After returning home, he loses his right arm when his father (unknowingly) shoots him. As a result, he cannot carry on his father's vocation as potter, and so becomes Karatavuk the Letter-Writer, acting as town scribe.
Leyla — Rustem Bey's Circassian mistress, who is in fact Greek.
Mehmetçik — Philothei's younger brother and Karatavuk's best friend. His real name is Nicos.
Mustafa Kemal
Philothei
Polyxeni — Mother of Philothei and Mehmetçik. Good friends with Ayse.
Rustem Bey — The town's wealthy Aga.
Tamara — Rustem Bey's estranged wife, forced into prostitution.

There is also a number of minor characters, e.g. Ali the Broken Nosed, Ali the Snowbringer, the Blasphemer, Daskalos Leonidas, the Dog, Enver Pasha, Father Kristoforos, Fikret from Pera, Mohammad the Leech Gatherer, Sadettin, and Stamos the Birdman.