Ece Temelkuran

Ece Temelkuran is one of the Turkey’s best known novelists and political commentators, often touching upon highly controversial topics. Her articles have recently featured in Der Spiegel, the Guardian and the New York Times. Her fiction novel, Women Who Blow on Knots, has been translated to English for the first time and has received the PEN Translates Award. 

Temelkuran’s novel follows the journey of four women from Tunisia to Lebanon: Amira, a dancer and activist; Maryam, a scientist and devout Muslim; Madame Lilla, a mysterious septuagenarian; and an unemployed journalist. They all have a dark reason for embarking on the journey, but Lilla’s murderous motivations become clear at the point of no return.

Alexander Dawe is an American translator of French and Turkish, who currently lives in Istanbul. He has translated several contemporary Turkish novels and recently co-translated a collection of short stories from Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar.  

Women Who Blow on Knots is an inspiring and thrilling debut that features strong, political and intellectual Muslim female characters. It’s a true celebration of female empowerment, friendship and the bonds of sister and motherhood.