Review of Shakespeare's Little Sister

[RJ Reviews]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Shakespeare's Little Sister" by Fatma Durmush.]

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3 out of 5 stars

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Occasionally, we stumble upon a book that challenges our conventional ideas and expectations. Shakespeare's Little Sister by Fatma Durmush is a book that breaks all rules and traditions of book writing, be it fiction or biography. Fair warning: this book will challenge your patience, resiliency, and ability to discern metaphors as a reader.

The author, who immigrated to the UK from Turkey, narrates a story filled with trauma, loss, and an unwavering will to succeed using a highly unconventional narrative approach. The author's life story is told in a series of truncated, asymmetrical sentences that make readers stop and consider the deeper meanings concealed in the seemingly mundane behaviors of the characters. We witness her marital relationship and mental health gradually deteriorate as the narrative goes on. Her husband, Cemil, abandons her in favor of another woman, and the narrator finds it difficult to carry out even the most basic daily tasks, like taking a shower. She eventually becomes destitute and gets raped. But her narrative does not end there. One must read the book to find out what happens to a "Turkish raped woman." Will there be justice? Will she finally be free of her traumas and find solace?

While reading the book, the first thing that came to my mind was that the traditional rating system can't do justice to this book. There is a beautiful madness to the narrative, if one possesses the senses to find orderliness in chaos. This book is very challenging to read, and I do not see common readers picking it up or finding it appealing. But there is an underlying poetic aesthetic in this metaphor-rich book. Her traumas changed her forever, yet her light didn't dim. The book also sheds light on modern society's demons: power-hungry men, negligent and clueless parents leading to child abuse, wayward youths, and misguided religions. There are several references to Shakespeare and his works, particularly Iago from Othello. There are moments of extreme sadness, and then there are moments of accomplishment.

I am at a loss of wit when it comes to rating this book using guidelines and rules. There are numerous errors, unclear sentences, and strong language. Yet the emotions are so heart-wrenching that it is almost impossible not to appreciate the author's efforts. But as a creature of rules, I must rate this book 3 out of 5. The missed/misused punctuations and capitalization make reading the book quite hard. Despite being concise in size, it is a time-consuming read due to its narrative style. I sincerely wish the book was not so erratic to read.

I would recommend this book only to readers who are interested in experimenting with unusual writing styles and have a knack for metaphors. This book is not for readers below 18 due to the traumas mentioned and the strong language used.

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Shakespeare's Little Sister
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[Nadia Baron]

The woman’s circumstances when she loses everything. She loses her husband and her job, her sanity her house. She is also raped but she is such a person that no one cares about. The audacity of selfishness she faces was beyond unimaginable

[kerin Oghenegweke Duaran]

I think is book is for matured readers who are ready to dedicate themselves for reading.

[Ohmy Book]

You made this review so interesting with those first few lines. 
This is such a sad story, oh my God. 
I love your words: "There is a beautiful madness to the narrative."
Not because of the metaphors or poetic writing style, but because of the trauma, I might not pick this book up. But one thing is for sure: Your review is excellent.
Kudos to the author for being able to make you, the reader, feel and experience so much, even though there were errors and mistakes in this book. 
You are an amazing writer because you were able to express everything you felt so well and succinctly!
Thank you for sharing this fantastic review!

[Seetha E]

From the description, I expected it to be a heartbreaking and unpleasant read. I did read a few pages. Although I wanted to choose this one, the writing style and, as you mentioned, the reviewing and rating section put me off. Thank you for your comprehensive assessment. It's not an easy one to go over. You did an excellent job with the review.

[RJ Reviews]

You made this review so interesting with those first few lines. 
This is such a sad story, oh my God. 
I love your words: "There is a beautiful madness to the narrative."
Not because of the metaphors or poetic writing style, but because of the trauma, I might not pick this book up. But one thing is for sure: Your review is excellent.
Kudos to the author for being able to make you, the reader, feel and experience so much, even though there were errors and mistakes in this book. 
You are an amazing writer because you were able to express everything you felt so well and succinctly!
Thank you for sharing this fantastic review!

Thank you so much! You kind and encouraging words mean the world.
It is indeed a sad story. Heartbreaking, to be honest. I understand your hesitation about picking this book up. It really isn't for everyone. The heartache it gives is devastating. I have never quite read any book like this before.

[RJ Reviews]

The woman’s circumstances when she loses everything. She loses her husband and her job, her sanity her house. She is also raped but she is such a person that no one cares about. The audacity of selfishness she faces was beyond unimaginable

Agreed! Yet she never gave up hope. Even when she was surrounded by the darkness of insanity, she didn't let her spark extinguish. The book captures her struggles. Despite her erratic way of storytelling, the author did an amazing job.

[RJ Reviews]

From the description, I expected it to be a heartbreaking and unpleasant read. I did read a few pages. Although I wanted to choose this one, the writing style and, as you mentioned, the reviewing and rating section put me off. Thank you for your comprehensive assessment. It's not an easy one to go over. You did an excellent job with the review.

Thank you for your kind words, they're much appreciated. As I have already mentioned, this book isn't for everyone. The writing style is quite unique and unusual. That alone would've discouraged potential readers.

[Sameeha Ismail]

You made this review so interesting with those first few lines. 
This is such a sad story, oh my God. 
I love your words: "There is a beautiful madness to the narrative."
Not because of the metaphors or poetic writing style, but because of the trauma, I might not pick this book up. But one thing is for sure: Your review is excellent.
Kudos to the author for being able to make you, the reader, feel and experience so much, even though there were errors and mistakes in this book. 
You are an amazing writer because you were able to express everything you felt so well and succinctly!
Thank you for sharing this fantastic review!

You've captured my words and presented them more beautifully. I, too, copied the sentence 'There is a beautiful madness to the narrative.' to my clipboard.

[Anu Anand]

It seems like a challenging read, but it also appears to be a book with a valuable message. I admire the author's strength in staying resilient amidst these hardships. I also appreciated how the author comments on raising children and their behavior in today's world, which feels accurate. Thank you for sharing this beautifully written review. I didn't fully understand what the author meant in the few sample pages I read, but your review was very helpful.

[Sasikala gupta]

This sounds like such a sad story . No human being should go through so much of struggle and sadness in life, yet you mentioned that she came out stronger which was a solace to read. Thank you for an excellent and impactful review.

[Anaïs Quesson]

This sounds like such a sad story... It's too bad the narrating style and punctuation errors made your reading experience difficult. It really seems like this book has great potential.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us in such a well-written review, RJ!

[Sakshi Singh1]

Thank you for your insightful review of "Shakespeare's Little Sister" by Fatma Durmush. Your analysis provides a thorough exploration of the unconventional narrative approach, challenging content, and metaphor-rich storytelling. Your acknowledgment of the underlying poetic aesthetic and the book's portrayal of societal challenges adds depth to your critique. It's interesting to note your dilemma with the traditional rating system, considering the book's unique qualities. Your recommendation for readers interested in experimenting with unusual writing styles and appreciation for metaphors is valuable. I appreciate your thoughtful insights, and I look forward to more of your reviews!