The Anthropologists

In this novel by Aysegül Savas, a young couple—Asya and Manu—navigate life in a foreign city as they search for an apartment and attempt to build a meaningful life together.

Asya, a documentarian of sorts, observes their neighbourhood’s customs and rhythms with an anthropological gaze, while Manu supports but also questions their path—both balancing hopes, memories, obligations, and the inertia of daily existence.

The narrative unfolds across everyday moments—apartment viewings, late-night conversations, breakfasts, lingering glances—and reflects on what constitutes home, connection, and the rituals that shape life.

“Utterly enchanting.” The New York Times Book Review

“Each sentence sings… watching [them] find a home in each other rather than in the places they’ve been is defiantly, explicitly hopeful.” Vulture

“An erudite and elegant meditation on modern life and modern love… Beneath Savas’s cool, matter-of-fact tone lie layers of wisdom, delicacy and subtlety.” The Guardian