A wonderful book, truly a unique literary piece.

In this beautiful novel, the author takes us on a long journey through time to show how the delusions of fanatical nationalism, the desires of political leaders, their extravagance, and the delay in reforms in the Ottoman state all contributed to the crumbling of the walls of the Ottoman Empire. It shows how all of this led to the destruction of the possibility of harmonious coexistence between the peoples and the different regions, and how it cost the lives of thousands, and left thousands of others who did not lose their lives but lost their loved ones, their land, or had their hearts and dreams or their humanity crushed by what they endured in the successive wars and hardships.

We follow the youth who were swallowed up by the war and how they emerged from it as human shadows, with broken spirits or damaged minds.

And we see how people were uprooted from their homelands to achieve the delusions of religious or ethnic homogeneity and how this led to the despair of these people until the end of their lives.

And we see those who dreamed for long nights of national dreams while recoiling in horror from the consequences of national wars.

We also witness the secrets of our human souls, where good lies next to evil, and how evil can hide behind beauty and how revenge can turn us into inhuman beings who have committed atrocities without thinking about them beforehand.

A unique book that deserves to be read and beautifully translated, deserving of praise and appreciation, and a beautiful choice of publishing houses as always.

It’s truly an arduous task to review this book! On one hand, there is some exquisitely beautiful writing, believable characters that seem to leap off the page, and a wealth of history to soak up and learn from. However, on the other hand, the scope of the book is so incredibly vast that it becomes astonishingly easy to lose track of the storyline.

The story is narrated from the perspectives of numerous different characters hailing from a village in Turkey. In this village, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Turks, Greeks, Armenians, and others had coexisted peacefully for generations. But as the region plunges into one war after another, ultimately leading to the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the birth of modern Turkey, the lives of these characters are brutally torn apart. They are left feeling as powerless as birds that have lost their wings.

It is indeed an epic story, and one that is particularly difficult to read, especially when one is aware of what is currently transpiring in the world. The scenes set in the trenches in Gallipoli and the chapters presented from the point of view of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk were, unfortunately, far too long for my taste. They made me feel as if I was perusing a history textbook rather than a novel set in that region. While some background was undeniably necessary, it felt like there was an overabundance of it. I craved more depth and detail from the individual characters.

This article presents a work that has its strengths and weaknesses.

On one hand, it is artfully crafted with complex exploration of various literary devices such as parallel plots, foreshadowing, symbols, proverbs, metaphors, and complex characters. These elements work in harmony to beautifully and effectively deliver the author's ideas.

However, it also has some heavy-handed moments. For instance, at the end, the author explicitly explains his symbolism. This can be a bit disappointing as the text has already done a great job of delving into it in a more nuanced way. It gives the impression that the author may not fully trust the reader's ability to understand and interpret the text on their own.

Overall, despite this minor flaw, the work is still a must-read. It offers a rich and engaging experience that challenges the reader's intellect and imagination.

This book is fantastically written.

It took me a month to read, during which time I read several other books.

"Birds Without Wings" is a big, ambitious book. It mostly focuses on the lives of people in a small Ottoman village in the first decades of the 20th century. Instead of following a single protagonist, it has an ensemble cast. About a dozen characters play equally important roles. De Bernières devotes about 80 pages out of 550 to summarize Ottoman history over approximately 20 years, provide a biography of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and share his own opinions on various events.

The majority of the book, which focuses on the fictional characters and their village, is great. The characters are true-to-life, with believable psychological complexity (except for a couple of female characters who are almost entirely "characterized" by their physical appearances). The author does a great job of creating characters who act within their social roles and positions in the community. The setting comes alive vividly. The portrayal of how people lived in that place and time and of the social currents in the small community is fantastic. And the writing is excellent. The book firmly belongs to the realm of literary historical fiction.

However, there are the historical segments, especially concentrated in the third quarter of the book, dealing with WWI. I'm an avid historical fiction reader and love to learn from fiction. But I'd actually advise readers to skip these chapters entirely. The local events are understandable without them, and the characters have little understanding of the wider world. In any case, the "Mustafa Kemal" sections are as dry as a textbook but far less intelligible. They are filled with so much detail that the big picture is lost, leaving me completely nonplussed.

Overall, my feelings about the book are mixed. It has the makings of great literature, and I would recommend it to fans of literary historical fiction. But while the potential is there, it falls short of being a book I'd recommend to everyone.

This novel lacks the narrative drive of Captain Corelli's Mandolin (the one that was made into that awful movie starring Nicolas Cage). However, it has the same extraordinarily beautiful turn of phrase that makes Bernieres' books such wonderful reading.

Birds Without Wings is the story of a Turkish town during the first part of the 20th century and the wars that gradually dismembered the Ottoman Empire. The history presented is enlightening, while the fictional elements are heartbreaking as the endless cycle of revenge killings gradually destroys the town (and much of modern Turkey).

Ironies abound in this tale. Greek Turks are displaced for "real" Turks who only speak Greek. The Muslims suffer economically when the Christians are forced out because with them go the doctors, accountants, and most of the skilled labor.

Bernieres clearly doesn't hold the great powers' games of conquest in high regard, and all sides are equally subject to satire and criticism. The Italians are the nicest occupiers as they can't be bothered to do much except play backgammon and drink raki. The worst? The Turks themselves, justifying their actions by claiming the Greeks did the same.

By the time you've finished reading Birds Without Wings, you may feel inclined to give the whole region a wide berth.

A heroic saga that unfolds in the early 20th century with the Greeks, the Turks, and the Great Powers as the main protagonists. What we read here both shocks and surprises. You must have an open mind because many of the things written are by no means flattering to our people. Of course, as the author emphasizes, History is debatable.

This captivating narrative takes us back to a time of great upheaval and conflict. The interactions between the different groups are complex and multifaceted, revealing the true nature of human behavior in times of crisis. The story is filled with vivid descriptions and engaging characters that draw the reader in and keep them hooked until the very end.

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Gimme more sweeping historical novels plz! I am truly in love with this genre. There is something so captivating about being able to immerse oneself in a bygone era, to experience the lives and struggles of characters from a different time. Historical novels have the power to transport us to far-off places and introduce us to cultures and events that we may otherwise have known very little about.

Whether it's a story set during the Roman Empire, the Middle Ages, or the Industrial Revolution, each historical novel offers a unique perspective on a particular period in history. These novels can be both educational and entertaining, allowing us to learn about the past while also enjoying a great story. I long for more novels that will take me on a journey through time, that will make me feel as if I am a part of history itself.

So, please, give me more sweeping historical novels. I can't get enough of them!

This took me an incredibly long time to read. There were numerous moments when I truly thought I might have to throw in the towel. It delves very deeply into Mustafa Kemal’s rise to power, and let me tell you, his journey was extremely convoluted.

However, I am extremely glad that I persisted because it is truly a remarkable book.

It predominantly focuses on the rural towns and their inhabitants who find themselves on the front line of a conflict that has been sparked by the distant and grandiose acts of nationalism. It is unbearably sad.

I have a particular fondness for this quote regarding planning for the future: ‘The present is confounded by the future, the future is confounded by the future beyond it, the memories bubble up in disorder, and the heart is unpredictable.’ It really makes you stop and think about the nature of time, memory, and our own emotions.

Overall, this book has been a thought-provoking and engaging read, despite its initial challenges. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in history, politics, or simply a good story.

Beautifully insightful, inspiring and deeply moving, ‘Birds Without Wings’ could very easily have been one of the best books I’ve read this year.

Although I’ve only read one other of Louis de Bernieres’s books – ‘Notwithstanding’, which I thoroughly enjoyed at age thirteen, but on hindsight might have to reread it in order to fully understand its depth – I think that after reading ‘Birds Without Wings’, he’s quickly jumped to the top of my list of favourite authors. His writing is truly stunning. It seems so effortless for him to pen a six hundred-page novel about the supposedly ordinary lives of insignificant people in an almost forgotten community.

De Bernieres weaves the lives of his characters with great expertise. He manages to inspire in the reader a deep empathy for a community that is incredibly lost in the stupendous ignorance of the outside world. In this community, Greeks and Turks are able to live together peacefully, despite their religious and cultural differences. The careful crafting of the story, along with the witty humour interspersed with gasp-worthy moments of scandal and excitement, creates a seamless flow of events. This makes the novel simply unbearable to put down. I have a feeling that the characters and their separate narratives will haunt my dreams for months to come. However, I can’t find it in myself to shudder at the thought of this.

‘Birds Without Wings’ is truly phenomenal. I highly, highly recommend it, but only to those people who are able to set aside several days of doing nothing other than reading, and then a further day or two to recover and perhaps shed a couple of tears.

This book is truly amazing!

The story it tells is incredibly rich and detailed. It takes the reader on a journey through a world filled with history that I was completely unaware of before. With each turn of the page, I found myself more and more immersed in the captivating narrative.

The author has done an excellent job of bringing this forgotten history to life, painting a vivid picture in my mind. I have learned so much from reading this book, not only about the events that took place but also about the people who lived through them.

It has opened my eyes to a whole new world and made me realize how important it is to learn from the past. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in history or just enjoys a good story. It is a must-read!

Since I only reached page 181 and then DNF (Did Not Finish), I will not assign a rating to this work.

The writing is truly exceptional. It is highly lyrical, with fine-drawn and ethnic-specific characterizations that are well executed - a long word count copy style. The style is such that many other readers find it most masterful and nearly poetic in its flow. However, within the context of this story and its characters, it has left me almost numb.

The place and the people seem so petty, mean-spirited, and overly concerned with multiple traditional minutiae of every kind (religion being just one of the categories of crucial judgments). Although these individuals and families seem quirky and interconnected, the pace and content are not to my liking. Even plodding along seems fast compared to the speed of my interest levels within the various scenarios. The manner and methods of characterization do seem quite well done. Nevertheless, both my enjoyment factors and historical interest simply cannot keep up with the effort required. It's my fault - and this is not the first time I have had similar issues with this author.

Most readers will likely give this work high marks for its writing skill and the complexity of the culture and military wars that preceded for all these "neighbors", as it delves quite deeply into the context for telling. But it's just not a preferred style for me to read, nor is the subject matter intriguing to me in the presented situations.

I probably would have finished it despite this due to the historic aspect of genocide and war that seems to have been overlooked since it occurred. But there were simply too many pages of details about customs and excessive emotional outpourings (like that section about the exhumation of her mother's bones) that just completely turned me off from making more of an effort.

Like his trilogy, I found this a bit of an exhausting read.

There is always so much going on - such mayhem, with horrific atrocities being committed against so many in the name of war or religion.

And there is a vast array of characters. It's often extremely difficult to keep it all straight while reading.

However, I loved it all the same.

The women in this one were particularly both memorable and heartbreaking. Leyla Hamin, Philothei, Tamara - oy!

And Karatavuk the soldier and eventual letter writer was an excellent and thoughtful presence. He played a crucial role in tying it all together in the end.

It was wonderful.

And now I'm taking a break from the amazing Mr. de Bernieres. I'm going to read something fluffy or two before taking on Captain Correlli. :-)

This break will give me a chance to unwind and prepare for the next literary adventure that awaits.

I'm excited to see what Captain Correlli has in store and how it will compare to this captivating read.

But for now, I'm going to enjoy some light and easy reading to rejuvenate my mind.