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The book “Tulip of Istanbul” by Iskender Pala has been translated from the Turkish by Ruth Whitehouse. This historical novel depicts the Ottoman Empire’s most glorious times. Known as the Tulip Age, this period saw a great public revolt in 1730, which changed the course of Turkey’s destiny.
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The novel begins with the story of a young man who finds his beautiful wife murdered on their wedding night. He is charged with her murder and thrown into prison. In order to prove his innocence, his only clue is a tulip bulb. He has a secret identity which he was initially unaware of; he is a prince, a sultan’s son, who has grown up outside the palace. An intrigue develops in the power circle about his rumoured existence.
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This is a multi-layered story that is part murder mystery, part romance, part political thriller and transports the reader back to an earlier time. Iskender Pala creates a bewitching tapestry of the splendours and vices of Istanbul at a time when the world was still in thrall to its military, political, and artistic achievements.
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Read an excerpt from the book below.
The scent of philadelphus and sweet basil permeated the mild evening breeze as the couple embraced in their marital bliss. The young man trembled as his beloved’s ringlets touched his cheek for the first time.
“Do you see that light?” he asked.
“You mean the light that never goes out?”
“Yes, I do! Just as you remain alight in my heart.”
“Will I be a light in your heart for ever?” she asked, her eyes welling up with tears.
***
The maiden trembled as her beloved’s hand touched hers for the first time.
“Do you like tulips?” she asked.
“You mean tulips that are the colour of your cheeks?”
“No, I mean tulips that are the colour of my love: purple tulips!”
With delicate fingers, she placed a tulip bulb into the hands of the young man. It was a twin bulb, like two bodies embracing.
A tear rolled down her cheek.
At that moment, she was totally unaware of being drawn away by the full moon and tides. How could she have known?
***
She was like a secret treasure trove of pearls. When people spoke of beautiful nymphs in Paradise, they might have been describing her, with her black eyebrows, dark eyes fringed with long eyelashes, pure white skin, tall slender figure and swan-like neck, the braided hair that tumbled down her back, and her gentle demeanour.
She wept with happiness as she nestled in the arms of the young man, who embraced her even more tightly as he answered her question. In the distance, the sound of owls could be heard and heavenly lights lit up the night sky.
All night, the young man gazed into her face with an ardour that belied the coolness of autumn, sometimes marvelling at the grace in her eyes, sometimes weeping at the innocence of her cheeks.
“Nakşıgül, my treasure,” he murmured. “Nakşıgül, you are my fate and my fortune. Nakşıgül, you are all I ever dreamt of, Nakşıgül…”
On that blissful night, he envisaged only happiness ahead. He barely slept a wink, but spent the night planting little kisses on her head, inhaling the scent of her tresses and exploring every part of her face with his fingers.
“You are the love of my life, my princess with rosebud lips and rose-tinted cheeks,” he whispered to her, wondering with each passing minute whether he deserved such bliss.
The two enraptured lovers whispered these unfamiliar nuptial words to each other and, as their words turned into a spiritual embrace, their bodies also became united. When sleep came, it was an integration of two souls, rather than a satisfaction of physical desire.
Finally, as night was turning into dawn, they closed their eyes and lay cradled in each other’s arms, now tired from love and tears.
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When Falco awoke, he felt himself linger in that state between sleep and wakefulness, his lips still bearing a smile of rapture and his eyes an expression of deep, delirious love. He inhaled the scent of Nakşıgül’s hair as she lay in his arms and, drawing back a stray lock, started whispering words of love in her ear. They had embarked on that night together, become united and fallen asleep together and now he was ready to start their first day of marital life together.
“Nakşıgül. My princess! My darling, my only Nakşıgül!”
Nakşıgül was in a deep sleep and did not wake up. Falco stroked her face with his hand. He lifted her hair and kissed her forehead. But still she did not wake up. Then he noticed that her face was icy cold. He wanted to take her by the shoulders to wake her. Suddenly, he sensed a void beneath the quilt, as if the woman he loved was no longer there in his arms and their marriage had all been a dream. He flung back the quilt.
“Nakşigüüüüüül!”
