Engagement

A celebratory dinner and engagement ceremony is to be held at a large home in Our Village, in southeast Turkey, but a dust storm descends and a menacing mist settles over the village streets, making for a story in which nothing is as it seems.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 120 pages
Publication date: 27 May 2024
Publisher: Istros Books

A celebratory dinner and engagement ceremony is to be held at a large home in Our Village, in southeast Turkey. Halil, the cousin of the future bride, Leyla, is sent to a nearby village to buy the traditional cologne. Leyla's sister, Maral, is told to go door-to-door to remind everyone to attend. Throughout the long day, the other women of the household clean, cook, and toil. Meanwhile, a dust storm descends out of nowhere and a menacing mist settles over the village streets.

This harrowing tale, which spans sixteen hours and is told through the eyes of a mysterious narrator, delves into the bad blood between two timeless villages where most of the men are heavily armed village guards and there is money to be made in agriculture, oil, fish farms, and more. Geographical complexities, tangled relations, hazy memories, and unreliable witnesses make for a story in which perhaps nothing is as it seems.

The narrator begins by describing the village of Our Village, located in southeast Turkey. The village is home to a large home where the celebratory dinner and engagement ceremony will take place. Halil, the cousin of the future bride, Leyla, is sent to a nearby village to buy the traditional cologne for the ceremony. Leyla's sister, Maral, is tasked with going door-to-door to remind everyone to attend the event.

As the day progresses, the other women of the household are busy cleaning, cooking, and toiling. Meanwhile, a dust storm descends out of nowhere and a menacing mist settles over the village streets. The narrator describes the storm as "harrowing" and notes that it lasts for sixteen hours.

The story then shifts to the two timeless villages that are at the center of the conflict. The narrator describes the men in these villages as heavily armed village guards, and notes that there is money to be made in agriculture, oil, fish farms, and more. Geographical complexities, tangled relations, hazy memories, and unreliable witnesses make for a story in which perhaps nothing is as it seems.

The narrator also introduces a number of characters, including Halil, Leyla, Maral, and other members of the household. Halil is described as a young man who is eager to please his cousin and the future bride. Leyla is described as a beautiful and intelligent woman who is eager to start a new life with Halil. Maral is described as a younger sister who is loyal to her family and is willing to do whatever it takes to help them.

As the story progresses, the narrator reveals that there is a long-standing bad blood between the two villages. The conflict has been brewing for years, and it is fueled by a number of factors, including geographical complexities, tangled relations, hazy memories, and unreliable witnesses. The narrator also notes that the conflict has been exacerbated by the money that can be made in agriculture, oil, fish farms, and more.

The narrator also describes the events that lead up to the celebratory dinner and engagement ceremony. Halil is sent to a nearby village to buy the traditional cologne, and Leyla's sister, Maral, is tasked with going door-to-door to remind everyone to attend. The narrator also describes the dust storm that descends out of nowhere and the menacing mist that settles over the village streets.

As the day progresses, the narrator reveals that the conflict between the two villages is escalating. The narrator describes how the men in the villages are becoming increasingly aggressive and how the women are becoming increasingly fearful. The narrator also describes how the conflict is affecting the economy of the villages, as the men are unable to work and the women are unable to sell their goods.

The narrator also describes how the conflict is affecting the relationships between the people in the villages. The narrator describes how the men are becoming increasingly isolated and how the women are becoming increasingly dependent on each other. The narrator also describes how the conflict is affecting the children in the villages, as they are growing up in a world of violence and uncertainty.

In the end, the narrator reveals that the celebratory dinner and engagement ceremony is canceled due to the escalating conflict between the two villages. The narrator also reveals that the conflict is likely to continue for years to come, unless something is done to address the underlying issues.

The narrator concludes by stating that the story is a cautionary tale about the dangers of conflict and the importance of working towards peace and reconciliation. The narrator also encourages the reader to think about the ways in which they can contribute to peace and reconciliation in their own lives and communities.

In conclusion, this harrowing tale, which spans sixteen hours and is told through the eyes of a mysterious narrator, delves into the bad blood between two timeless villages where most of the men are heavily armed village guards and there is money to be made in agriculture, oil, fish farms, and more. Geographical complexities, tangled relations, hazy memories, and unreliable witnesses make for a story in which perhaps nothing is as it seems. The narrator also introduces a number of characters, including Halil, Leyla, Maral, and other members of the household, and reveals that the conflict between the two villages is escalating. The narrator concludes by stating that the story is a cautionary tale about the dangers of conflict and the importance of working towards peace and reconciliation.

Dimension: 198 x 129 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781912545391