Birds Without Wings

This book should come with a warning. It will sadden you beyond measure. Set in a coastal village at the end of the Ottoman empire in what is now Turkey, it follows the fortunes and misfortunes of a large cast of characters. As Christians and Muslims, they have lived together peaceably for generations, and would continue to have done so without the virulent rise of nationalism in the "great world" around them. So the author argues, as the entire village is swept up in the wars and civil wars erupting at the start of the last century, and the lawlessness and ethnic cleansing that accompanied them. At 550+ pages, it is a long novel, its many stories told in a variety of voices and at a leisurely pace. Richly detailed, it also fills a broad canvas as the specifics of village life alternate with accounts of political movements abroad, following in particular the career and ambitions of the man who became Atatürk, first leader of modern-day Turkey. Readers may contest de Bernière's accounts of historical events - for example, the Armenian genocide - but his overall argument remains consistent, that nationalism has been a scourge that brought misery and suffering to millions and continues to do so. While life for his Ottoman villagers is not without its cruelties and injustices, it was edenic by comparison with the horrors that befall them as the nation-state of Turkey is born - including the agonies of trench warfare, forced marches of whole populations, and unspeakable brutalities suffered by noncombatants caught in the firestorm of military conquest. Finally, by the end of the novel, the reader is left with an almost unutterable sense of sadness, loss and waste. Its saving grace is surely de Bernière's rapturous use of language, a gift for storytelling, and an attitude toward his characters that envelops them with both a loving and ironic embrace. He gives them what the "great world" has been unable to - a respectful concern for their welfare and a wish that they be remembered and not utterly forgotten. Readers may also find Orhan Pamuk's novel "Snow" illuminating.

I had never read anything by Louis de Bernieres as an author, but I was intrigued by the description on the back of this audiobook, so I decided to give it a try. I am really glad I did! This is a story that takes place in World War I and it is about the end of the Ottoman Empire. The characters you find in this story are so very intesting because they are not predictable stereotypes. Instead, they are complex human beings with feelings that you can really understand. For example, one might not relate to the character of Rustem Bey at first, because he stones his wife for adultery. But later as his character is later revealed to the reader, one sees the true remourse and shame he feels for what he did. We also follow Rustem Bey as he searches for love and finally finds it in the person of Layla, his mistress. The description of her first seduction of her lover was truly lovely and romantic. I might want to listen to that part again! The characters in the story are come to life as they are beautifully read by Hugh Bonneville. He expresses both the characters and their emotions extremely well. I know that I relate to the characters in a story really well when I find myself thinking about them when I am not listening to the book, but going about my daily life. Indeed, I found myself thinking not only about the characters, but about war and its horrors. I don't think I will soon forget the image that De Bernieres painted in my mind of soldiers suffering and dying from Dysentery. How awful. We should never forget that these things happen. Listening to this book made me want to try perhaps reading more of Lois De Bernieres Books.

I was thrilled when I saw this book out in print; the author's "Corelli's Mandolin" affected me very deeply and remains one of my favorite books, and I couldn't wait to see what de Bernieres had produced since. (And interestingly, certain characters in this book turn out to have a link to some of the characters in Corelli.) Birds Without Wings differs from Corelli's Mandolin in that the author does not delve deeply, in detail, into one main significant relationship the way he does with Pelagia and Antonio. There is no main character in his new work; rather, the many characters' stories and perspectives are presented and re-visited throughout the book, changing with each chapter. The narrative format varies between first and third person, past and present; more similar to the format of his Don Emmanuel series. This definitely created a sense of intrigue for me; as soon as I became invested in one set of characters, the following chapter would focus on an entirely different family in the village, or at times, a historical figure, leaving the story about the previous characters interrupted and unfinished. The novel started off slowly; I loved the writing style and was interested, but was not quite sucked in. However, as it continued, I became more and more invested in the different characters lives, and their interactions with each other, and found myself a part of their world. In typical de Bernieres style, the painful scenes were so gruesome and heartbreaking that I felt actual pain in my heart, and the black humor and wit made me want to re-read some of my favorite humorous moments. The more I read, the more deeply I was involved in the book and the characters lives, and the last few chapters were especially moving. De Bernieres started off the novel in the present, outright stating some of the horrible things that were to come in the remainder of the novel (death of one of the more promient characters, maiming of another); yet even though I fully knew these things were going to happen, when they actually did, it was as freshly painful as if they had happened unexpectedly. Upon finishing, I find myself feeling that this book perhaps surpasses Corelli's Mandolin. It is definitely a moving, fascinating read!

This is a great book. The author has a wonderful way with words (although I sometimes think he is showing off his lexicon skills). I felt anger, compassion, and frustration at the antics of the participants in this novel. Any book that can manipulate emotions like this one deserves high praise. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

I bought this book along with Dido Sotiriou's 1962 "Farewell Anatolia" following their recent review in The Economist. Both books tell the same story: that of two people living in relative peace alongside each other for centuries, of friendships, of common languages and blurring differences between faiths and customs... until the beginning of the 20ieth century. They explain how the Turks and Greeks wounded each other during the 1912-13 Balkan Wars, 1914-18 First World War and 1919-22 Greek campaign. Birds without Wings is entertaining (short chapters, each from a different character's perspective; great prose), human (more about people than about history), and eye-opening. As a Greek, it made me want to learn more about what has united us with our neighbours, as well as hopeful that our younger generations will develop stronger ties with each others countries.