Three Daughters Of Eve

Content Warning: This guide section contains discussions of substance misuse and the loss of a child.

Three Daughters of Eve is centered around Peri, a “modern Muslim” woman, and her contention with her identity and conflicts in the context of her faith. It explores what dogmas look like in the context of either atheism or religious belief and questions whether there is a way to exist between the two. Through the narrative, Shafak ultimately argues that the real conflict surrounding faith lies not in the binary of unfaltering belief versus staunch atheism but rather in existing between these extremes.

Peri first experiences conflict surrounding faith in her home with her family. Mensur is staunchly secular and dismisses all kinds of religious belief and superstition, whereas Selma is the opposite. Peri’s brothers are equally divided in their beliefs, and the focus of her early years is the conflict Peri perpetually feels. She is unclear about which side she falls on. Peri tends to sympathize with her father and Umut as she is closer to them. This helps her see the apparent problems with religious dogma: Selma’s superstitions, her reliance on the advice of Hodjas, who are overly moralistic and fear-inducing, and Hakan’s treatment of his bride on their wedding night all underline this