A Recipe for Daphne by Nektaria Anastasiadou

A Recipe for Daphne was a really enjoyable book I finished recently. Set in Istanbul, among the Rum community (Greek Orthodox Christians who trace their heritage to the Byzantines), it follows the American-born Daphne, who is half-Rum and half-Turkish. On a visit to Istanbul, she finds herself drawn to Kosmas, an award-winning pastry chef. We … More A Recipe for Daphne by Nektaria Anastasiadou

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbary

I recently finished reading The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbary, translated from the French by Alison Anderson. It follows Renee, a concierge at a posh apartment inhabited by wealthy residents. Separated from the residents of the apartment by class, Renee is someone who tries to be inconspicuous, even though she is a lot … More The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbary

The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid

The Reluctant Fundamentalist is the story of Changez, a Pakistani man in the US who had once embraced a Westernized lifestyle only to see the illusion of the American dream fall apart. I thought the story made some interesting commentary, but overall, i found it rather underwhelming. The writing style was somehow rather bland and … More The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid