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book_concierge's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this murder mystery set in 19th century Istanbul. The world’s culture is changing, and the effects of modernization have swept across Europe. The sultan of the Ottoman Empire feels he must go along, but just as he’s about to announce sweeping political change, a grisly murder occurs within the court. So he calls for Yashim – a eunuch and a special detective . Goodwin treats us to an exotic locale - luxurious seraglios, noisy market places, and filthy tanneries. And he populates this world with a colorful cast of characters, including a dyspeptic Polish ambassador, a transsexual dancer, the Creole-born queen mother, and even a 300-lb wrestling deaf-mute.
I listened to the audio book, performed by Stephen Hoye. This is the second time I’ve listened to Hoye narrate an audio book. I was really turned off by his delivery on the first book, but he is perfect for this. He hits just the right tone for the carefully thoughtful and not easily perturbed Yashim.
I listened to the audio book, performed by Stephen Hoye. This is the second time I’ve listened to Hoye narrate an audio book. I was really turned off by his delivery on the first book, but he is perfect for this. He hits just the right tone for the carefully thoughtful and not easily perturbed Yashim.
shriyansh's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
cami19's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
3.25
peter_gagne's review against another edition
3.0
A mix between a detective story and an historical description of life in 1800's Istanbul. In the end, I wasn't completely sure about the way things turned out, which was kind of disappointing, although it was a good read. Kind of like a meal you expected to knock your socks off, but in the end, your hunger was merely satisfied. I'd still read the other books in this series, but I won't go out of my way to find them, and I'm expecting better than the first.
sjruskin's review against another edition
3.0
This book was well written and paced. I just had a really hard time following the nuances to the plot because it was so foreign. In another setting, I would have done much better. I would read another of his books, just not the same character.
millerrreads's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
laulenab's review against another edition
2.0
Liked the setting, couldn't get into the story or characters.
meowmediareads's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting characters and a plot that belongs in a movie. The writing isn't as clear as it could be and I had more fun highlighting the words to see what they meant than I did keeping track of the plot.
alundeberg's review against another edition
I started Jason Goodwin's "The Janissary Tree", a mystery novel set in 1830's Istanbul, and by page 44 I learned the same lesson as the murdered soldiers: life is short. Too short to read this disjointed and plodding tale of Inspector Yashim, one of the Sultan's eunuchs who is hyper-fixated on the fact that he literally does not have balls. This, and the fact that he likes to cook, is the sum total of his characterization so far, and for a man who only has ten days to solve the crime, he expresses zero sense of urgency or know-how. Disappointing. Disappointed. Moving on.