Are We Here Now?
Pınar Öğünç
Kolektif, 2023
160 pages, Sample translation available
A Novel of Fragmented Realities and Contemporary Voices
In Şu an Burada mıyız? (Are We Here Now?), Turkish author Pınar Öğünç offers a profoundly moving exploration of modern life through a rich tapestry of interconnected voices. With her background in literary journalism and human-interest stories, Öğünç blends her acute sense of observation with a literary approach to craft a novel that is both intimate and socially aware. And the result is a political text without any mention of politics.
This novel offers an observation fueled as much by real life and journalism by exploring everyday realities in a rapidly changing world, where characters question not just their surroundings but their very existence and place within society. In her first novel, Are We Here Now?, Pınar Öğünç writes about the cosmos of the precariat with a unique perspective and a skilful style. The book deftly captures the dislocation and disconnection of individuals caught in the flux of urban life, the lingering effects of political and social upheavals, and the struggle to stay grounded in the present moment.
Themes and Narrative Style
At its core, the novel speaks to universal themes of identity and belonging, while subtly intertwining the challenges of contemporary Turkey—its shifting political landscape, cultural divides, and the ongoing negotiation between tradition and modernity. Öğünç’s characters, who range from students, and factory workers to intellectuals, find themselves grappling with personal crises that reflect the larger, collective anxieties of our time.
The narrative style is fragmented yet cohesive, much like a mosaic of short stories that interlock to create a broader picture of existence in the 21st century. This structure makes the novel feel immediate and real as if the reader is stepping into different lives for brief yet meaningful moments, only to be pulled back to a collective, shared space of inquiry: Are we here now?
Öğünç shapes a language that spans from office spaces to magma, from constellations to freelance desks. It navigates the crack between the surreal and the real, channelling the alienation born of capitalism into a cosmic inquiry of its very existence.
A Global Appeal
Though deeply rooted in the specific context of Turkish society, Are We Here Now? resonates with global readers facing similar questions of displacement, precariat, the search for meaning, and the battle to stay connected in a world that feels increasingly fragmented. The novel's intricate storytelling, emotionally charged prose, and multidimensional characters make it a relevant and timely work for international audiences who seek stories that cross borders both geographically and psychologically.
Pınar Öğünç’s ability to humanize and give voice to those often overlooked in broader societal narratives makes Are We Here Now? a novel of significant literary merit, perfectly suited for an international readership seeking to understand not only Turkey’s evolving social landscape but also the universal complexities of our shared human condition.