Set in Istanbul in the late 1990s, These Lions Have Wings tells the story of Michael (or Mikail) Arslanölu as he grapples with the events that unfold between his mother's engagement and her remarriage and how those events came to play a part in what may or may not have occurred at the wedding. In the process, Michael must navigate through the layered history of the city, of his family, and of his own heart as he becomes involved with two very different men who both will play a part in the possible tragedy at the wedding.