The Architect's Apprentice is a dazzling & intricate tale from Elif Shafak bestselling author of The Bastard of Istanbul' There were six of us the master the apprentices & the white elephant We built everything together' Sixteenth century Istanbul a stowaway arrives in the city bearing an extraordinary gift for the Sultan The boy is utterly alone in a foreign land with no worldly possessions to his name except Chota a rare white elephant destined for the palace menagerie So begins an epic adventure that will see young Jahan rise from lowly origins to the highest ranks of the Sultan's court Along the way he will meet deceitful courtiers & false friends gypsies animal tamers & the beautiful mischievous Princess Mihrimah He will journey on Chota's back to the furthest corners of the Sultan's kingdom & back again & one day he will catch the eye of the royal architect Sinan a chance encounter destined to change Jahan's fortunes forever Filled with all the colour of the Ottoman Empire when Istanbul was the teeming centre of civilisation The Architect's Apprentice is a magical sweeping tale of one boy & his elephant caught up in a world of wonder & danger'A gorgeous picture of a city teeming with secrets intrigue & romance' The Times' Shafak's most ambitious novel yet her best
- generous & imaginative' Independent ' Exuberant epic & comic fantastical & realistic like all good stories it conveys deeper meanings about human experience' Financial Times' Fascinating A vigorous evocation of the Ottoman Empire at the height of its power' Sunday Times' Intricate multi-layered resplendent vividly evoked beautifully written' Observer' Sumptuous absorbing moving' Independent on Sunday