'But for that slender connection with the mainland, Andalı would have been a regular island, ' says the narrator in the opening chapter of this deliciously multi-layered novel. And it would have been an ordinary story about love and loss, if it weren't for the earthquake that unexpectedly sets the landmass afloat on the Aegean, kindling a series of increasingly oppressive measures by the authorities; ostensibly to keep public order. As Andalı drifts between Greece and Turkey, things get from bad to worse, until eventually our heroes, Cemal and J lide, join the growing resistance, and even nature lends a helping hand, offering a secret underground system that plays its part in ousting the tyranny. What starts as the realistic tale of a charming provincial town develops into a richly detailed political novel in a fantastic setting. Bi en's dreamy language weaves a flowing style that transports the reader into every nook and cranny of Andalı and the crystal-clear waters of the Aegean; her metaphors are imaginative, her observations insightful, and her descriptions melodious.