by Mahmut Fazıl Coşkun
EnglishMusa, a young, rather shy muezzin, finds his first job working in the centre of Istanbul, and swaps the tranquillity of the countryside for the throbbing pulse of this megacity. After moving into his new apartment in the Galata district, Musa becomes acquainted with his beautiful neighbour Clara, a Catholic care worker who looks after an old woman with heart-warming affection. Musa falls in love with Clara and is soon unable to ignore the profound influence of his emotions upon his self-image, and the religious conflicts that result. He is lost between his feelings and his mission, which plays a crucial role in his religious order. With humour and a great sympathy for his characters, Mahmut Fazil Coskun cleverly depicts the many aspects of multi-cultural Istanbul and captures the beguiling atmosphere of this lively metropolis with fantastic skill.
