City of Man's Desire: A Novel of Constantinople

by Cornelia Golna

Constantinople 1908: the cosmopolitan capital of the Ottoman Empire teeters on the brink of upheaval. Turks dream of liberty while the subject peoples yearn for freedom – not necessarily the same thing. Far from the turmoil of Constantinople, in the Anatolian hinterland, archeologists are excavating an ancient city. There they uncover a past that seems to hold within it a warning for the present.

The Greek girl Theodora Vlachos has other things on her mind. Her existence, centering on her family and thwarted infatuations, oppresses her and she longs to escape. Then the flamboyant Russian exile Natalya Petrovna and her brother Vlad enter her life. Their disturbing presence, coinciding with the dramatic events of the Young Turk Revolution, draws Theodora into a new, often volatile world. And there is John Townsend, the American professor, a dreamer and lover of classical civilization, overtaken by his past just as he thinks to have found peace in this city he has come to love. There is also the Poet, who has the words to say it all, but prefers to remain aloof in his house overlooking the Bosphorus.

Revolutions take people by surprise; they raise hopes by promising change. City of Man’s Desire tells the story of several individuals, how their lives intertwine as they struggle to understand and adapt to a new reality, which, despite the designs of men, follows its own unpredictable course.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

430 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Cornelia Golna is the author of City of Man’s Desire, a Novel of Constantinople (2004) and Tainted Heroes (2017).

In her own words:
Appropriating my parents’ nostalgia for their world, a world I did not know: perhaps this has been the enduring theme of my life.
I was born in Bucharest, Romania. My mother was Romanian. My father came from Greece. My parents managed to leave Romania, thus avoiding my father’s imprisonment by the communists, when I was 7 months old. They struggled to survive in post-civil-war Greece for four years until they were able to immigrate to America, where I grew up and was educated.
In my mid-twenties, I decided to go out into the world and seek my fortune. With $1000 in my pocket, I flew to Europe. My plan was to get to Romania, to see the land of my birth, and to Greece, the land of my earliest memories. In time, I reached both goals.
In Romania I encountered totalitarianism for the first time. It was an eye-opening and mind-expanding experience. Many aspects were intimidating, not to say frightening, but most of all it was totally different from the life I had known. I relearned my mother’s language and met many fascinating people. I saw how people adapted to constricting circumstances yet struggled to preserve something of their individuality, their dignity, in the process. There I also learned about Balkan hospitality and the role of cunning in survival. Already more than a quarter century has passed since the fall of communism, yet even today I believe that my initial visit to Romania was the most profound experience of my life. I also met my husband then, Jan Willem Bos, a Dutchman studying Romanian literature, who brought me to Holland, where we have lived ever since. When my parents retired, they moved back to Greece. I have since relearned enough Greek too to be able to be able to gossip with my neighbors and to chat a bit about daily topics. For more than 35 years we have been visiting both my parents’ homelands on a regular basis. These prolonged stays in the Balkans have enriched me. They have fed my love for both my countries of origin and stimulated my imagination. My two novels are the result of this experience.

Reviews

[Rhoda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly, I would like to thank the author for the opportunity to read and review this book, as I won it as part of First Reads.

You will have a love affair with Constantinople while reading this book, as the details are so vivid and absorbing. Constantinople is the main character in this book and you will feel that this is one character that you will get to know intimately.

The book is full of interesting characters, all of whom experience a great change to their lives....as does the country at the same time.

It's difficult to put into words what I felt about this book. It's very cleverly written for starters and so much more than just the storyline. The author manages to capture images and transplant them into your mind as very vivid visuals, which is a real accomplishment in my opinion. If I could photograph the pictures in my mind's eye whilst reading this book, they would tell you more about this book than I can in words! Let's just say that through Ms Golna's words, you will see, hear and smell Constantinople. You will see the colours, feel the fabrics and smell the smoke.

There were a few sections here and there that seemed a bit superflous to the story in my opinion, however overall it was a vividly detailed story with both likeable and unlikeable characters.

Just a word of warning.....this book is most definitely not light reading, so please read it when you have the time and "head space" to give it the attention it deserves. :-)

[Katie Mercer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to have won this book in a Goodreads contest. To be totally upfront, I probably would not have bought it on my own. That's not a fact though - I love anything historical (well documented) and have a weird love for Constantinople - or at least the romance of what I imagine Constantinople was. There are a few cities that I feel that way about - Marrakesh, Constantinople, Vienna... cities I would love to visit just because I've built them up in my mind. People always tell me I'll be disappointed, but I wasn't dissappointed when I finally got to Beijing, Florence and Barcelona, so whatever people. Whatever.

Regardless, I was excited to have won this book, and was thrilled when it finally came. I did, however make the mistake of bringing it with me when I went to visit my mom, and since I was "reading too many other books" she promptly stole it and read it first. Traitor. I finally got it back from her, and I devoured it - as much as this book can be devoured. This book is a love-letter to Constantinople, and it's written exactly how I wish I could write to the cities I love. Golna brings the city to life, you feel like you are there, seeing the people, drinking the Turkish coffee and seeing everything Constantinople was at the turn of the century.

vivalakt.blogspot.ca

[Lara Kleinschroth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a First Reads Giveaway, and promptly devoured it. Took me a little while to devour, since it is quite long, but not unnecessarily so. Like all good historical fiction about a particular city, this is a love letter to that city, and the city itself is a major character. Golna does a fantastic job of drawing the reader into the heart of the city - one can virtually smell the spices in the market, see the vivid colors of the bolts of cloth and beautiful dresses, taste the seductive Turkish coffee and pastries. Constantinople in 1908 is still the great crossroads it has been for centuries, drawing many different peoples from many different places, leading to a cosmopolitan ideal, as well as the inevitable power struggles inherent with such a diverse population. Young revolutionaries clash with the older establishment, while historians and archaeologists try to make sense of the present by investigating the past. The cast of characters represent each of these diverse elements and they are beautifully drawn - from the naive but intelligent young Greek woman Theodora Vlachos and her silly, society-driven Aunt Phrossos, to the melancholy historian John Townsend, seething revolutionary Murad, and the mysterious Russian brother and sister Vlad and Natalya. Particularly enjoyable are the philosophical discussions shared by John Townsend, Murad and Constantine. No one escapes this tale unscathed - all gain something, all lose something, all are beautifully flawed. At a time of great change and upheaval, it is appropriate that the book did not end with clear resolution and finality. The characters, as the city, are still growing and changing, pushing and pulling into the future. This theme is summed up beautifully by the poet Refik, in describing the work of his gardener to John Townsend: "I watched him clear away what had been growing here before, pull out everything by the root; he brought in topsoil, dug trenches and holes; he drew boundaries and fashioned patterns. It was then, Mr. Townsend, that I perceived the essentially violent nature of order. To create a garden, we must do violence to the earth." Thoroughly researched and intelligently written, City of Man's Desire combines the best elements of history, philosophy and classicism to create a compelling romance of the city and its people.

[Waven · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is somewhat difficult to wrap up in a few short paragraphs. Above all, it truly is a novel of place, capturing a segment of Constantinople in the days just before and shortly after the Young Turk Revolution of 1908. The ancient city breaks out of its well-worn rhythms and greets the surprising and bloodless revolution in various ways, seen often through the eyes of Theodora Vlachos. Theodora is a young woman of some means, well-educated, tired of the routine, and poorly met in suitors seeking marriage. In the pre-revolution spring, after a despondent winter, she becomes a language tutor and is woven into a vague group that includes revolutionaries, scholars, thieves, artists, and aristocrats. Each adds color and interest to the bright but intricate tapestry of City of Man's Desire, and each is affected differently by the turns of events. There is doubt, deceit, resentment, and misplaced passion; fear, exuberance, misery, and bloodshed. And through much of the story, a sense of foreboding pervades, creeping from the strange Hittite ruins near the Halys River back into Constantinople.

For plot and interest, the story drew me in fairly soon. From that point onward the characters grew quite real, and though the novel carries a large cast, their identities remained strong. The historical aspects proved nicely done and largely accurate (though to my knowledge there is no ruined site of Aktepe and no such prayer to Arinnitti). My only real complaint with the story was the characterization of Theodora, who did not seem so well-mannered for her background and who acted so inconsistently I found it difficult to relate to her. (I was also struck by her last name, Vlachos, which means "uncouth" and is very near the word for "stupid," though I can't say they didn't always fit her.)

In short, I found this an entertaining novel, especially on the more historic points, and would recommend it well above the usual pulp that gets read.

[Jenny Franklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received City of Man's Desire: A Novel of Constantinople by Cornelia Golna as a First Reads Giveaway. I thought it was a very good book. It was so well written and the descriptions of the city were amazing and the story just drew you in. It was a bit of a read,it took me a bit longer to read than most books, but after finishing it I didn't mind the length. I loved everything about this book, the author did an amazing job at making you feel like you were right there in the story. I have already recommended this book to my family and friends and would recommend this to any adults.

[Tami · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing read from start to finish. An excellent depiction of social/political life of Constantinople during the 1908 uprisings as viewed through interesting characters - some we like, some not so much.

[Louis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. I thought it moved right along, with only a few slow parts and some parts I didn't think added anything to the story. Having spent the past few months learning about empires, it was interesting to read a book on empires. I highly recommend this book to others.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel was eye-opening to me as far as the development of Constantinople and the surrounding areas. Having previously known nothing of the history I was pleased to learn about the cultural background (including various nationalities that were key to changes in power), the land layout (rivers, mountain ranges, even climate) and basically become more familiar with this region of the world around the time Constantinople was undergoing revolution and changing to the Istanbul we know today. While the writing was excellent and vibrant, I admit it took me quite a few months to finish-- not only because it is incredibly long but also because the story line is not what compels the reading. I found it difficult to stay focused on characters because most of the writing focuses on the travel, the land and the people in general. The compelling part is the historical narrative, an education about Turkey and its people and its history. It was more enjoyable to pick up and put down intermittently throughout the summer, rather than sit up all night every night to finish in one weekend. I recommended it to my mother, who traveled to Turkey and she found it extremely interesting because she was visiting the places mentioned, thus becoming more real to her experience. I don't think I will read this one again but I'm hoping to find someone who loves to travel that I can share this book with and hope they will enjoy it as well.

[Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm being kind with a 2** rating. This novel was not what I hoped it would be: more about the Young Turk Revolution of 1908, why, and how its aftermath affecting local ethnic groups. None of the characters is likeable except Pasha Ibrahim and his daughter, Eminé. Most of the Turks were young men given to overuse of hashish. These started that revolution? Yech! The novel presented a Russian brother and sister who I felt misrepresented themselves--not really evil, but manipulative. I kept wishing they would disappear from the novel. The heroine, a native Constantinopolitan, Theodora, was naïve. The novel turned into a love story among expatriate Europeans and an American in Constantinople. I'm disappointed. There was not really that much description of Constantinople of that period, in my opinion. From Chapter 38 on was more what I had expected and was looking for. I skimmed and this novel became a onerous chore to read and finish.

[CATHERINE · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to win this book through Goodreads. It is an interesting read that combines a political historical context, some Jane Austen type sections which provided insights into the opportunities for eligible young ladies in terms of potential husbands. There is also another aspect of archaeology and superstition in a rural town where there is the discovery of an ancient ritual and the death of local children. The ending was somewhat bleak as the male characters proved to be weak in the face of conflict. Ultimately the book provides a snapshot of a period in time when the society of the time crumbled and the protagonists in the book live's were changed forever.

[Goele Lousbergh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cornelia Golna is a charming woman I met several times in Romania. Her novel became a surprise bestseller in Greece and is popular in several other countries. City of Man's Desire is a historical novel set in Constantinople.

[Yasemin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I came upon this draw coincidentally when I searched for the title of the book. I bought a kindle version of this book, because I couldn't find its print version. I am glad to see that they are printing it now, and I would like to have the new edition of the book in my collection.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Since this was a first reads gift, I feel really bad that I didn't complete this book, and worse still that I didn't like it. It was just boring to me, and the style of writing was really hard to get in to... I'm sorry Cornelia Golna... I really tried.