I was especially excited to read this week's book - my selection for Azerbaijan along our virtual backpacking trek through Europe - The Orphan Sky by Ella Leya, as it has long been on my list of novels that I'd love to read someday (unaffiliated with this project), but other books always seem to get in the way, so this checked off a satisfying checkbox for me! It was really worth it, too as it was a wonderfully written book, and gave me such insight into life in Azerbaijan, and more broadly, even what life is like for women living under oppressive regimes. The book also delves into class privilege and the nuance of oppression within privilege. It also examines having ones beliefs challenged and how to wrestle with that challenge. I also appreciated the exploration of how coming-of-age is often the time when we learn that our parents might not be exactly who we thought they were.
Leila, a talented teenage pianist from a wealthy family in 1979 Baku, Azerbaijan has grown up fully indoctrinated in Communism. With a successful piano career ahead, she is poised to represent her country on the world stage. She lives very comfortably with her powerful parents in a large, historic and beautiful home, and a popular and successful young man has his eye on her. She has no reason to question her circumstances.
One day, in order to give her the opportunity to prove her loyalty to her local Communist organization, she gladly accepts the chance to spy on a young western spy who is pretending to run a music shop in downtown Baku. As she pursues her assignment and gets to know this "spy" she begins to question everything she knows, and life begins taking some unexpected turns!
I highly recommend this novel - it fully transports us to the streets of Baku and gives us a real understanding into a culture we may have very little exposure to.
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