Book Review: Madonna in a Fur Coat by Sabahattin Ali

“It is, perhaps, easier to dismiss a man whose face gives no indication of an inner life. And what a pity that is: a dash of curiosity is all it takes to stumble upon treasures we never expected.”

Sabahattin Ali, Madonna in a Fur Coat

Review:

How have I gone so long without this classic in my life? It’s been a while since I’ve read something so poignant and deeply human. I had high expectations going into this, and those expectations were exceeded. 

A young man (who remains unnamed) is assigned an office with Raif Efendi. He is fascinated by the shell of a man that is his co-worker, and eventually, the two men befriend each other. It’s an unusual sort of friendship, and although the young man has worked with Raif and even met his family, Raif hasn’t shared much about himself. Why does he sometimes disappear? How come he’s so prone to illness? Why does he let everyone treat him so poorly and without appreciation?

Through Raif’s diary, the young man learns about his life years before, while he was living in Berlin. Central to the diary is his infatuation with a painting in a gallery and its artist, Maria Pruder. Chance encounters bring the two together. Maria is just as captivating as her self-portrait. She’s straightforward, confident, outspoken… everything Raif is not. The two forge a friendship, Raif willing to put his feelings for Maria aside if it means just having her in his life.

This is through and through a character-driven novel. Raif and Maria are both troubled in different ways, making their relationship fascinating to read about. Maria, in particular, is an enigma, given that we only get to know her through Raif’s perception. I also enjoyed the beginning of this book, seeing how the narrator and Raif’s friendship forms and deepens. The characters’ shortcomings are written in a relatable way, not villainizing them, but not glorifying them either.

Although the book is under 200 pages, I took months to read it. I wanted to savor my time with it and appreciate every moment. Raif’s character in particular struck a chord. He lives his life almost entirely inside his own head, isolated and unsure of how to function in the world. Sabahattin Ali captures his desolation so well. I felt immersed in his mind.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking to start reading classics. It’s short but impactful. It reads relatively modern, too. 

Honestly, my words aren’t even remotely conveying the experience I had while reading this book and I’ve given up trying. I think the best way to enjoy this story is to go into it knowing as little as possible so you can meet Raif along with the narrator.

Likes & Dislikes:

What I liked:

• Such interesting characters and unconventional dynamics (at least for the time in which it is set).
• Captured the mood well in the writing.

What I didn’t like:

• I would have liked to have seen more of the narrator at the end.

Afterthoughts:

This is one of those books that has me considering doing deep dives on certain books on this blog. There’s so much I would like to discuss that involves spoilers. I struggled so much with this review because of that.

Please let me know in the comments if that’s something people might be interested in!

Where to buy the book: