Exile is a collection of short stories with the taste of a novel. The overriding theme is the melancholy of those who have been alienated from their homeland, from their families, or from society. By offering the reader short, vivid glimpses into other worlds—be they of real or fictional characters—Ilhan builds a patchwork of stories which highlight the lives of the dispossessed. As a woman writing in modern day Turkey, she is not afraid to take on the themes of honor killings or the American occupation of Iraq. All stories are open to her empathy and understanding.