Sau sau

Selin starts year two at Harvard unsure about love. She tries to make sense of her bond with Ivan. They have not had sex. Life on campus leaves her restless. The way men and women relate leaves her frustrated. She seeks help with heartbreak and life in books. She looks to Proust, Pushkin and Breton for clues. Kierkegaard draws her most. He contrasts pleasure with duty to others.

Her first times having sex help her open up. A trip to her land of origin helps too. She comes across sadomasochistic parties, where pain and sex mix. She also finds love triangles that play out through email.

Elif Batuman’s novel follows Selin as she grows up. It picks up her story from Idioata. It looks at growth and how to fit in. It also shows life with people from different cultures. Selin tells her own story in a frank, funny way. She pokes fun at herself too. Small dramas on campus sit beside big questions about life. The book suits readers drawn to student life, love and ideas.

This edition forms part of the Byblos series. Andreea Florescu translated the book from English. Its English title is Either/Or.