The Devil Inside Us by Sabahattin Ali follows the impulsive affair of Ömer and Macide in 1930s Istanbul. Both very different characters, and struggling to study, make a living and survive, this story follows the challenges throughout their relationships and Ömer’s many monologues about the devil inside of him that makes him do things that aren’t conducive to his happiness or helpful to his situation.
This story is translated from Turkish and was initially published in the 1940s by Sabahattin Ali. The translation by Bill Welsh is strong and maintains the key concepts of the original while also creating a character driven literary story. ‘The Devil Inside Us’ is heavily focused on the characters as opposed to dramatic events or action to drive the plot forward.
I felt this allows for a traditionally literary feel to the novel as it exposes and explores the human condition at length. The most powerful part of the book for me was Ömer’s acceptance “The devil inside us is a means to excuse ourselves from not being all that shrewd […] the custom of avoiding seeing the truth”, a statement that I as a reader found quite obvious while I was reading, but seeing Ömer reach this moment and the shift following still seemed quite poignant.
It’s great to have the opportunity to read good translations of literary classics from other countries and The Devil Inside Us, even though it’s set against the backdrop of Istanbul in the 1930s, has themes that are still relevant and spark introspection from the modern reader. A good recommendation for anyone looking for a classic literary read.
'It's not me… something better would become of me if it weren't for this fear, if only I didn't fear this devil! Because I know for sure that he will never let me create any good that lasts…'
| Primary Genre | General Fiction |
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'It's not me… something better would become of me if it weren't for this fear, if only I didn't fear this devil! Because I know for sure that he will never let me create any good that lasts…'On a ferry crossing the Bosphoros, a philosophy student is putting the world to rights with his friend when he glimpses his soulmate, a well-educated young woman who is studying classical piano at the conservatoire.
The Devil Inside Us features in the following genres: General Fiction, Indie Author Books, Indie Books We Love, Modern and Contemporary Fiction, Fiction in translation, Fiction, Recommendations, Fiction: special features
Hardback, Paperback. £15.29, down from the £16.99 cover price. Pre-order. 27th May 2027.
The Devil Inside Us was written by Sabahattin Ali and published by Penguin Classics an imprint of Penguin Books Ltd
The Devil Inside Us has 288 pages
£15.29, reduced from £16.99. Pre-order. 27th May 2027.
