When Denise Derya Brandt began writing Istanbul Dreaming, she envisioned a coming-of-age and love story. But researching Türkiye in 1960 brought the country's political upheaval into the novel. Brandt explores the events leading to Türkiye's first military coup, from student protests and martial law to the May 27 takeover, and considers how those events shape Ayten's struggle to build a life of her own.