| Details | | Publication Date: | 1998-09-01 |
| Size | | Length: | 415 pages | | Height: | 8.8 in | | Width: | 6.0 in | | Thickness: | 1.2 in | | Weight: | 21.6 oz |
Publisher's Note
Venetian-born Safiye controls the Empire from within the veiled harem walls, her web of intrigue reaching far beyond Constantinople and into Europe. Allowing nothing to stand in her way, her sole ambition is to secure the throne of the Ottoman Empire for her son.
Industry Reviews
In the third in a series of novels about harem life in the Ottoman Empire of 16th-century Turkey, Chamberlin continues the story of Sofia, mother of the sultan-in-waiting; Esmikhan, daughter of a sultan and wife of the grand vizier; and Abdullah, the eunuch who tries to love and protect both women. In contrast to a traditional Western belief that life behind harem walls is one of lush and lazy sensuality, the reader is drawn into a world of Machiavellian intrigue where the struggle for power among the women of the seraglio influences the politics of both the East and the West. Individual characters are not well fleshed out, however, with the exception of Abdullah. Chamberlin seems to imply that individuality within the harem is not only undesirable but dangerous, that the milieu itself is so all-encompassing that the whole is of more importance than its separate parts. Although this book can stand alone, it is recommended that Sofia (LJ 3/15/96) and The Sultan's Daughter (LJ 4/15/97) be read first to provide the necessary background. Jane Baird, Anchorage Municipal Libs., AK
Kakutani
A complex historical tale of two formidable women, related by one of the eunuchs who guard them, the third novel in Chamberlin's trilogy of 16th- and 17th-century Turkey (after Sofia and The Sultan's Daughter) concerns the seraglio machinations and murderous pillow-talk that decide who will inherit the Ottoman throne. Brought as a slave to Constantinople, Safiye climbs to power when she becomes the lover of Sultan Murad, who is an heir to the throne, and the mother of his only son, Muhammed, whom she is determined will someday rule the empire. The most powerful of her many enemies is Murad's cruel, vindictive mother, Nur Banu, imperial head of the harem, "whose very curves had been the route to power." Added to the mix are Mitra, Muhammed's poetry-writing concubine, who dreams of escaping to Persia with her children and eschews the intrigues of harem life. Then there is Esmikhan, a half-sister to Murad whose daughter could force Safiye to share power if she marries Muhammed. In addition to conveying such intrigue with skill, Chamberlin provides a cast of characters and a glossary to guide readers through this elaborate, lush historical fiction. (Sept.)
Bukey
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