Plot Summary

Birds Without Wings

Louis De Bernières
Guide cover placeholder

Birds Without Wings

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2004

Book Brief

Louis De Bernières

Birds Without Wings

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2004
Book Details
Pages

576

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Southwest Turkey • Early 20th Century

Publication Year

2004

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

Birds Without Wings by Louis de Bernières is a historical novel set in the village of Eskibahçe, Anatolia, spanning from the late 19th century to the mid-1920s, examining the socio-political upheaval that led to the formation of modern Turkey, with interconnected stories of diverse characters, including a love story between Ibrahim and Philothei amidst the backdrop of Mustafa Kemal's nationalist movement. Violence against women.

Bittersweet

Melancholic

Mysterious

Romantic

Inspirational

Reviews & Readership

4.3

18,184 ratings

80%

Loved it

14%

Mixed feelings

6%

Not a fan

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Louis De Bernières' Birds Without Wings vividly captures the history and culture of a small Anatolian town amidst the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Critics praise its rich, multifaceted characters and evocative prose. However, some find its narrative structure disjointed and its pacing uneven. Overall, it's a deeply immersive historical novel with minor flaws in execution.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Birds Without Wings?

Readers who enjoy Birds Without Wings by Louis De Bernières appreciate richly woven historical narratives, evocative settings, and deeply human characters. Ideal for fans of Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner and Isabel Allende's The House of the Spirits, it engages those who seek profound tales of love, conflict, and cultural intersections.

4.3

18,184 ratings

80%

Loved it

14%

Mixed feelings

6%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

576

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Southwest Turkey • Early 20th Century

Publication Year

2004

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Buy This Book

We’re just getting started

Add this title to our list of requested Study Guides!