National Book Award Winner

Blood Tie

by Mary Lee Settle

Summary

Set in a fading resort town on the Turkish coast, the novel gathers a shifting cast of expatriates, divers, and locals whose lives intersect under the pressures of tourism, politics, and old grievances. Settle moves fluidly among perspectives, building a mosaic that examines outsiders' illusions about the Mediterranean and the costs paid by those who actually live there. Her ear for place and dialogue gives the book a rich, layered atmosphere.

Historical Context & Significance

Settle was a co-founder of the PEN/Faulkner Award; she wrote this novel based on her own experiences living in Turkey in the 1970s.