i dont know if its been mentioned here before but this is a GREAT read. big volume of 700 odd pages, it presents the small town of eskibahce and how its very varied citizens become affected by the sultan's war and the inevitable marches, ethnic and religious divisions powers that be impose on them. at the same time, chapters about mustafa kemal's rise to ataturk explain the end of the empire and the birth of turkey.
i found it relatively nonjudgemental and in parts beautifully written. history wrapped in novel. loved it.

Loved it too. Wonderfully written. The description of the beautiful Philothei : she was the great beauty of the town, and in her short lifetime this caused her more difficulties than it brought compensations. It has sometimes occured to me that God only bestows extreme beauty upon those to whom He wishes to bring misfortune.

There is, it seems a natural perversity in the nature of fate, just as there is a natural perversity in ourselves. I wonder sometimes whether there are times when God sleeps or averts His eyes, or if there is a divine perversity. Who knows why one day a man drowns because a deep hole has been carved in the fording place of the river where men have passed safely for centuries, and there was no hole before?

All this mommixity and foofaraw was compressed into a street no more than three paces wide, and was further complicated by the dogs who, exhausted by their nocturnal serenades and excursions slept promiscuously in the paths and alleyways.

I loved this book as well. Just like you said, I also found it nonjudgemental, trying to explain the viewpoint of both sides (the soldiers who are ordered to do what they are told and the poor people who have to survive through the atrocities)
It was a well given class on history, morality and love. Beautiful....

It's De Berniere's unsubtle attempt at a modern-day War and Peace. Thanks, but I'd rather have the original.