This was not for me. The premise sounded amazing, but the pacing felt off to me, the author got hung up on too many small details and I never rooted for any of the characters.
The author certainly knows her history, but sadly that's not enough for me to enjoy a book.

Give this a try if you're a hard-core historical fiction fan interested in the premise.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

The writing was lovely and I found the topic of the Ottoman Empire conquering and destroying Smyrna intriguing. In fact, the story of Scheherazade, the spy, and the people surrounding them, the nonlinear order of the chapters, and how everything came together in the end was very well done. However, the content is heavy and not all the characters likeable, but that's real life, huh?

In 1918, the 400 year old Ottoman Empire came to an end. The Empire was dismantled, for all practical purposes, with the victorious Allied Powers, through Treaty of Sevres, dividing lands on a map, with no thought to the consequences on the people living there. This Treaty awarded the ancient city of Smyrna to the Greeks. Smyrna ( now known as Izmir, I'll be using Smyrna for this review, since that's what it was called in the time period the book's set in) is a nearly 3 millennia old trading centre, settled since before the Hellenistic Period, and was a major Greek port ( Homer's supposed to be from SMyrna!). With its unique situation and like all other trading centres, over the centuries, Smyrna became a vibrant, bustling , cosmopolitan city, and by the beginning of the 20th Century, the city's population was split nearly equally between Greeks and Turkish people, but also had significant populations of Armenians, Jewish subjects of the Ottoman EMpire, and a population known as the Levantines ( a 16th century term used in the early 20th century to refer to people of European descent living in the Ottoman Empire. With the end of the Ottoman Empire, this usage was irrelevant and it now means people from the Levant). Encouraged by the territories being awarded to them, and further urged on by the British with promises of arms and military support, the Greek Premier Venizelos decided to further reclaim lands that were Greek in antiquity ( all part of the Megali Idea), decisions that led to the devastating Greco-Turkish War from 1919-1922.
Defne Suman's book is about the horrors of this war, with the core of the book focusing on Smyrna and the toll this conflict took on this city. The best parts of book are her evocations of life in Smyrna among the various ethnic communities living there-the Greeks with their conflicted loyalties, the privileged Levantines who continued their soirees oblivious to political turmoil, the Ottoman Turks, the COnsulates of the Allied Powers keeping a wary eye on developments, the Armenians fleeing genocide and trying to make a living. In a time of far less access to information, the residents of the city went about their lives, with accounts of the war reaching them with huge delays, and the Greek administrator constantly assuring them of no harm coming to the city. The residents also drew reassurance from the warships of the Greek and Allied Powers docked at Smyrna. Suman starkly describes tragedy of how all that hope was belied. The conditions the war was fought in were terrible, with horrific atrocities committed by both sides. It ended with a defeated and vengeful Greek Army being forced to retreat all the way from near Ankara, back to Smyrna to be evacuated by the warships, pursued by a victorious, and also vengeful Turkish Army. This triggered an exodus of Greeks and Armenians from the villages, also fleeing to Smyrna to escape the violence. Hundreds of thousands of refugees camped out at port, hoping against hope that one of the warships would take pity on them, or at least on the children. The realpolitik of the Allied Powers encouraging and supporting a disastrous war but being just as quick to withdraw support when it wasn't politically expedient is starkly depicted. The armies set the city on fire, that raged through the Greek and Armenian neighborhoods, reducing them to nothing, and nearly 100000 people lost their lives, in an inferno that lasted more than a week.
This should have been a 5 star read, her writing of the events that happened show the depth of research and the multitude of perspectives she's tried to include, to truly capture the multiethnic nature of Smyrna. Her grasp over her fictional characters, however , is weak, and the main protagonist, Edith Lamarck, comes across as an entitled, privileged disaster tourist. Far too many establishing chapters are devoted to her, and I could hardly wait to get over the tedious pages describing a tedious romance and just as tedious tea parties, to get back to the action! The head nurse, Meline, for instance, is far more vibrant and gets too few pages. There are also some soap operatic elements that convert tragedy to melodrama. I appreciate authors trying to include diverse characters. However, it's 2021. It's not merely enough to throw in a character, and then get multiple things about that character's ethnicity wrong, it's an erasure of diversity. One of the characters, Arvind Pillai, is an Indian spy, depicted as a devout vegetarian-inauthentic, from a country where the majority of people are not vegetarian. She mentions his grandfather living the last of his days in Rishikesh-completely ridiculous and unlikely for people from his home state and privileged socio-economic status. The most annoying were the multiple references to his worry over his "spicy sweat". The author's website has her writing movingly about immigration and acceptance of diversity. It's sad no editor thought to make these really small corrections.
Smyrna's multi-ethnic past has gone with the wind, with the Greek and Armenian neighborhoods built over, and the names changed of places. It's important to keep those alive through works of literature like this, that chronicle human tragedies that one might not otherwise know about.

This is a book that is a mix of historical fiction with a definite lean towards the literary fiction genre. It is the story of four families, an Armenian, a Levantine, a Greek and a Turkish. Starting in 1905 in the Aegean port city of Smyrna.

This book took me quite a few chapters before I could get to grips with it, and I found myself turning to the synopsis a couple of times in the first few chapters to try to get a better understanding of it. There are four different families to get your head around and also the alternating timelines. These timelines flit back and forth with the different family members and at times I found myself stumped as to who was who. I am however really glad I stuck with this book as things gradually started to make sense and I could start to recognise the characters and also their roles within the story.

Even though I was struggling with the characters I did find the writing to be evocative and completely enthralling. I know this may sound odd, the writing style is definitely on the literary side and I found it to be very mesmerising.

The story of the families in Smyrna is one that is wound up in tradition and also of a changing world. I did have a wander onto the internet so I could learn more about this period of history, it is an area that I didn't really know much about so I found it really interesting to find photos, maps and other information about this ancient city.

The story of the families is one that has skeletons, heartache, loss, love and deception. As I got to know the main players I was able to recognise them, I could sympathise with the situations they found themselves in. Having families from different ethnicities gave differing perspectives of the world and of the trouble coming to the city. I found myself warming to several of the characters and was eagerly awaiting their next appearance in the story.

While this is very much a historical fiction book I did love the more literary writing style, it gave a more romanticised feel to the writing, and I do think this may lead some readers not to fully engage with it. I am so glad I persevered with the book and I found a story that was not only engaging but also very addictive. It is one I would definitely recommend.

Despite its beautiful prose this book fell flat for me. There were too many characters and there was no depth to them. A lot of my book buddies enjoyed it but unfortunately I didn't get it.

I would like to thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for giving me this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

i really enjoyed reading this book, it was a fun read and loved the intertwining stories. The characters were great and I enjoyed getting to know them.

Suman tells the story of Smyrna and its eventual tragic fate through the lives of daughters and the choices made for and by them and the resulting impact on their relationships and lives. The scandalous secret of our narrator's origins was an attractive lure in the first third of the book, but the incessant teasing of it as you progressed wore off quickly.

Against a rich cultural backdrop, a spy comes to Bournabat to amass information on any group or movement that could sway the toppling of the sultanate or impede the institution of a government.

She traces the privilege and lifestyle of the rich and the culture within the working communities, framing the distinct ways in which war and occupation affects the lives within a city.

As Smyrna approaches it's new fate, the outbreak of violence against the Turkish Muslim inhabitants seems to stun the populace, as they have lived peacefully together in communities for decades. Changing tides of power brings terror and unleashes hate.

The time transitions were not linear and made the reading experience a bit difficult as the back and forth between characters before and after the Great Fire could have benefited from smoother shifts. I do feel as if this could have been trimmed down a bit though as it almost became a chore to continue reading as I soon stopped caring about the characters.

This is a tentative review - I really adored the writing style of this book, and was captivated by the way that the setting was presented. However, I got to about 50% of the way through without a clear understanding of how the plots went together, how characters were related and what the actual point of the book was!

This may simply be a lyrically woven tale which went slightly over my head at the time of reading, so I'm absolutely not saying it's not a good book, but it's just not working for me right now.

Thanks you NetGalley for an advanced copy. I didn’t get into this novel. It was confusing with so many characters, points of view, and time changes. The writing style is vivid, and perhaps I would have finished if it were a little more straightforward. I have heard about the graphic scenes and flags, so I decided this isn’t something I can recommend for the classroom library.

This sounded intriguing from the synopsis but unfortunately it just ended up being OK for me. It was a bit of a slog to get through at times although the writing was really strong.

This is really an epic historical fiction tale that took me to a very far off land where I ended up learning as I got swept up in the drama as it unfolded.

I don't even know where to start with this story. This felt like a puzzle (I love puzzles) that had so many different pieces that covered vastly different experiences and when finally all put together made the most exquisite scene.

Four diverse families with overlapping ties in Smyrna in the aftermath of the first World War are making their way in the changing landscape that ultimately must crumble before it can be reborn. This sentence sounds ridiculously boring for the stories that it contains. There is love, betrayal, courage, sacrifice, beauty, death and madness. And much rebirth. Scheherazade is the central narrator and her story is dramatic and intense and feels like the palm of the hand to the fingers of the other stories told; all of them critical to share the entire tale.

As much as I ended up loving the story, it was hard to keep up with at first. There were so many characters and the time line changed without clarification, so it took me a while to put it all together. My difficulty may be mine alone, as I often read multiple books at a time, and this one really did require my full attention. If I could go back, I would start this after finishing others and not pick up another book until this one was finished. By the end I was entirely enthralled.

I found the characters so fascinating. Greek, Turkish, Armenian, and Levantine (European decent people living in the eastern Mediterranean) cultures who had been previously living harmoniously together suddenly identified as enemies because of a nationalist atmosphere was both a glimpse into the past, but also felt very current. This was a piece of history that is mostly unknown to me, so to learn about it through story was deeply moving and makes me want to explore it further.

I really appreciated the dictionary in the back for all the French, Greek, and Turkish words and phrases. Most were pretty clear in usage, but it was helpful to know for sure.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this digital ARC. My opinions are my own, and if you enjoy historical fiction, epic tales, and gorgeous narratives, please pick this book up.

A sumptous and comprehensive story told from multiple viewpoints pivoted around the terrible fire in Smyrna in 1922..

The lives and the stories of the characters are delicately drawn and there is great empathy and understanding on all sides of a messy and horrific conflict.

The images and characters are haunting symbols of the pain of conflict and the comforts of ordinary lives.

I love Turkish authors and I was more than happy to read this book.
It was a great reading experience as the style of writing is luscious and makes you feel like you were living with the characters.
The characters are excellent, fascinating and the descriptions of Smyrna are memorable.
I hope to read other books by this excellent author soon as I loved the storytelling.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This was a good read! The prose is a little stilted at time but I assume that to be a function of the fact that it’s translated. The story itself is gripping

Read if you like: historical fiction from multiple perspectives, literary writing.
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This book takes place in the city of Smyrna before, during, and after the First World War. We get to see the vast changes that come with the fall of the Ottoman Empire through the perspectives of Levantine, Greek, Turkish, and Armenian families., which provided a rich multitude of experiences.
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I thought the writing was beautiful and I love how the author was able to weave the past and present together and kept us trying to piece together the puzzle of what happened.
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CW: death, fire, sexual harassment and assault, buried alive, adultery, war burning, illness.

Thank you NetGalley for a chance to read and review this!

I've heard really good things about this, but this was just not my thing. It's a really slow burn and I got bored and confused by all the characters.

I was drawn to this because I adore Hala Alyan and Elif Shafak and the overall vibes of secrets and wartime and the ever present draw and influence of culture and familial ways really reminded me of their novels. after reading, i maintain that those comparisons prevail, as there was a lot about this i really loved. what a really great, well-crafted piece of historical fiction. it felt so well-researched, which is a must for me when it comes to historical fiction. the cast of characters was so interesting. it was beautifully written, full of lush descriptions. i love a good, sad book and this really hit the spot for me.

This book, The Silence Of Scheherazade, is (so far), one of my favourite reads for 2021. I could not put down this story about the ancient city of Smyrna, an historical fiction novel by author Defne Suman (herself from Istanbul). The book is LONG (but absolutely fantastic) so I am keeping this review short and sweet.

In this ancient city in Asia Minor, in the early 20th century, people of different religions and backgrounds cohabitated for centuries. But when the book begins, in 1905, the struggles of the Ottoman Empire are very slowly beginning to permeate into the lives of the people who live in Smyrna. The author follows 4 women of differing faiths, (and their families), over the course of seventeen years. But it is Scheherazade who unites them all. I fell in love with Scheherazade. Her story is told piecemeal. Be patient because it takes time to begin to understand the intricate web Suman weaves to create this story. But, (at least IMO), it is truly worth sticking with it.

Thank you #netgalley and @headofzeus books for my complimentary copy, in return for my honest review.

Suman tells the story of Smyrna and its eventual tragic fate through the lives of daughters and the choices made for and by them and the resulting impact on their relationships and lives. The scandalous secret of our narrator's origins was an attractive lure in the first third of the book, but the incessant teasing of it as you progressed wore off quickly.

Against a rich cultural backdrop, a spy comes to Bournabat to amass information on any group or movement that could sway the toppling of the sultanate or impede the institution of a government.

She traces the privilege and lifestyle of the rich and the culture within the working communities, framing the distinct ways in which war and occupation affects the lives within a city.

As Smyrna approaches it's new fate, the outbreak of violence against the Turkish Muslim inhabitants seems to stun the populace, as they have lived peacefully together in communities for decades. Changing tides of power brings terror and unleashes hate.

The time transitions were not linear and made the reading experience a bit difficult as the back and forth between characters before and after the Great Fire could have benefited from smoother shifts. I do feel as if this could have been trimmed down a bit though as it almost became a chore to continue reading as I soon stopped caring about the characters.

DNF at 30%.

I really hate DNF-ing book but in this case I must. Reading this is literally draining me. I've been reading for 4 days and I am barely at 30%, I cannot go on like this. I feel I am swimming in a ocean full of litter that's preventing me to see the wildlife. There's an abundance of details and names that is in no way enriching the story(in fact I am still not sure what the story is *eye roll*). The point of view keeps changing from Edith to her mom to Scheherazade to another girl, adding to my overall confusion.

It is a shame as from the synopsis this should have been a great novel, atmospheric and full of life, presenting the reader a totally new world(well an old world, but new as in unknown), almost a mythical one!

Many thanks for the opportunity to read this!