Turkish author Elif Shafak has written a novel that gives Western listeners historical perspective and insight into the Turkish/Armenian conflicts of modern-day Turkey. Asya Kazanci, the 19-year-old Turkish bastard of the title, is the third generation of a house of women; Kazanci men have short life spans. Armanoush, an Armenian-American relative, shows up at their home on a quest to trace her Armenian heritage. Laural Merlington has the skills to bring this complex, intriguing story to life. She serves as narrator and guide, pronouncing unfamiliar Turkish and Armenian names with ease and helping listeners follow the colorful threads of a story as complex as a Middle-Eastern tapestry. N.E.M. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine
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