Bridges & Stops

We all come from somewhere. But do any of us truly belong?Bridging the vast distance between the Mediterranean shores of Cyprus and the faraway cities of Australia, Bridges and Stops is a deeply evocative, literary novel that charts the invisible maps of human connection. Through the eyes of Sophia-and a rich cast of characters navigating the complex layers of their Greek Cypriot and Uyghur Turk heritage-Murad Ertaylan delivers a brilliant, multi-layered mosaic of diaspora life.Set against the turbulent backdrop of our current era-from the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic and the shockwaves of the Russia-Ukraine war to the looming shadow of the global climate crisis, marked by Australia's scorching heatwaves and raging forest fires-this is a profound exploration of what it means to survive the modern world. At its core, it is a story of struggle: the friction of fitting into an unfamiliar society, the unique ache of being an immigrant in a distant land, and the courage it takes to forge an identity when torn between two vastly different worlds."The worst thing you can do is stand still. Just walk."More than a coming-of-age story or a family saga, Bridges and Stops is a mirror held up to the invisible fractures of the 21st century. It is a haunting, beautifully written reminder that life is not defined by a single homeland, but by the bridges we cross and the stops we make along the way.