The missing Rose- By Serdar Ozkan

190pp Wisdom tree

Though I had read the introduction of the author before starting with the book, somewhere in the middle of it I assumed that the writer is a woman. That all the lead characters in the book are women might have had something to do with it, but I was taken over by the sensitive and very feminine approach to an object as delicate as a rose and its tenderness.
Reading through the introduction and re learning that Serdar Ozkan is a man deepened my appreciation for his fine writing skills.
The Protagonist Maria is a typical young woman who is caught between her heart’s desire to become a writer and the need to keep up to society’s expectations and gain others approval.
Diana’s mother can see the dilemma that is slowly pulling down her daughter. However she is unable to persuade Maria to follow her heart. Hence on her death bed she reveals a secret to Diana which sends her on a trip to find and understand her twin Maria. This search turns out to be the quest to search and understand herself.
Drawing the inspiration from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's legendary novel “the little prince” the author leads us with Diana to an extraordinary garden of roses in Istanbul where the gardener Zeynep Hanim teaches the art of conversing with the roses.
Written in a mystic mode, the book gives out those subtle messages that relate to all of us today and forever. The book connects each one of us to the Greek mythology.
Few of the quotes that I could relate much to are:
“Most people entered into a new relationship carrying all the old ties with them- their old feelings of mistrust, being misunderstood, or a defensive wall -prevented them from living the new relationship freely….what they fail to realize is that it is not their partner who wrong them, but their own past which they hadn’t been able to leave behind”
“To become attached, first one needed to be become unattached”
“Rain clouds, rain, water; all three are sensational too. But to quench our thirst, ultimately we need a confining glass”
“Every question asked… is like a seed. In time it grows roots stems and buds and finally blossoms”
And the best:
“do you know what it means a rose my friend? Being a rose means “freedom”. It means not existing by the praises of others and not ceasing to exist by their disapproval”
“ …To a certain extent all of us give up something of ourselves in order to win the approval of the people around us”
“…and because you owe your existence to their praise, once you are forgotten, you cease to exist”
Yes, the missing rose reminded me again of what has been an important lesson for me. –Be what you are, care for your rose, it will blossom and give out eternal fragrance.

No wonder it is one debut novel that has been translated in 29 languages across the world.
This book is for all of us today and always, like the essence of a rose.