In her latest novel, Elif Shafak spins an epic tale spanning nearly a century in the life of the Ottoman Empire. In 1540, twelve-year-old Jahan arrives in Istanbul. As an animal tamer in the sultan’s menagerie, he looks after the exceptionally smart elephant Chota and befriends (and falls for) the sultan’s beautiful daughter, Princess Mihrimah. With his beloved on one side and his mentor at court on the other, young Jahan negotiates power plays ahead of him while risking everything he has to fulfill his dreams.
An epic tale spanning nearly a century in the life of the Ottoman Empire, The Architect’s Apprentice is the unforgettable story of Jahan, an orphan who arrives in Istanbul as an animal tamer in the sultan’s menagerie. As he grows up with Chota and befriends (and falls for) Princess Mihrimah, Jahan becomes immersed in stories about his own family legacy. In Elif Shafak’s artful hands, this extraordinary tale hearkens back to those who have always influenced history but whose voices have remained muted.
Jahan, the son of an African slave and a Turkish woman, is brought to Istanbul as part of a harem boy’s education in The Architect’s Apprentice. As he becomes an apprentice architect at the imperial court he meets Princess Mihrimah, who teaches him to read and write. Together they plot to build a mosque that will stand for seven hundred years. A tale of love and hope against the backdrop of a volatile Ottoman Empire, this novel is sure to captivate fans everywhere.
About The Architect’s Apprentice Book
From the acclaimed author of The Bastard of Istanbul, a colorful, magical tale set during the height of the Ottoman Empire
In her latest novel, Elif Shafak spins an epic tale spanning nearly a century in the life of the Ottoman Empire. In 1540, twelve-year-old Jahan arrived in Istanbul. As an animal tamer in the sultan’s menagerie, he looks after the exceptionally smart elephant Chota and befriends (and falls for) the sultan’s beautiful daughter, Princess Mihrimah. A palace education leads Jahan to Mimar Sinan, the empire’s chief architect, who takes Jahan under his wing as they construct (with Chota’s help) some of the most magnificent buildings in history. Yet even as they build Sinan’s triumphant masterpieces—the incredible Suleymaniye and Selimiye mosques—dangerous undercurrents begin to emerge, with jealousy erupting among Sinan’s four apprentices.
A memorable story of artistic freedom, creativity, and the clash between science and fundamentalism, Shafak’s intricate novel brims with vibrant characters, intriguing adventure, and the lavish backdrop of the Ottoman court, where love and loyalty are no match for raw power.
