Abstract

This book features the intertwined stories of three main characters: a director of a financial company, an artifact thief, and a call girl. İnci Aral uses the stories of these three characters to discuss themes of love and modernity, showing people struggling with issues of success and failure, work and pleasure, and how to develop relationships. It raises such questions as how one can balance an uncertain future with a desire for success, how changing values impact our modern lives, and what the future holds.

Volkan is the vice director of an important financial company. He achieved success young, and has spent his life indulging in the worldly pleasures money can buy. But for all the fun money and success can bring, he has started to feel like something is missing from his life.

On his way home from a business trip to Europe, Volkan realizes he has picked up the wrong suitcase—one full of women’s clothing and priceless antiques. Enter Melike Eda, the owner of the suitcase—a jewellery maker, antiques expert, and an antiquities smuggler. She and Volkan hit it off, but will they be able to fill the empty spaces in each other’s lives?

Volkan also meets Eylem, a poet and blogger, who inspires him to make changes in his life. She has run away to the big city to escape her past, but things aren’t so easy for her as she struggles to make enough money and take care of her dependent sister.

‘Saffron Yellow’ follows the stories of these three people as they make their way through life, trying to find meaning and love. 

İnci Aral is one of most widely read authors in Turkey today. Her award-winning work has been translated into many languages and is read around the world.

Melahat Behlil has been translating works of Turkish literature into English for three years. Her work includes three novels and numerous extracts from the works of various authors.