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4.19 AVERAGE
4.19 AVERAGE
Find the full review at http://historicaltapestry.blogspot.com.
Stephanie Thornton has become an author known for bringing to life the nearly forgotten stories of exceptional and courageous women from ancient history and, in the process, has become one of my all time favorite authors. I always know when she comes out with a new book that I need to set aside as much time as possible to dive deep into the world within the pages because once I plunge in I won't want to come out! Her newest novel, The Tiger Queens, is no exception and I am still reeling from the story now that I am through reading it.
While the most well known historical figure within the Tiger Queens is Genghis Khan, known to many armchair history buffs like me as a brutal conqueror who united many nomadic tribes into one unified empire and used vicious tactics and brute force to spread the boundaries of that empire to staggering proportions, the focus of The Tiger Queens is the women surrounding him who not only helped build that empire but keep it intact during his life and after his death. Ms. Thornton tells her story from the perspectives of four of these women: Borte, Genghis Khan's first wife and queen; Alaqai, their daughter; Fatima, a Persian woman captured when her city was destroyed by the Mongols; and Sorkhokhtani, wife of Genghis Khan's youngest son and the woman who would see the Empire continued when many others within this Golden Family would have caused its destruction. Using these four women as the storytellers not only gives a unique perspective to the life and conquests of this complicated historical man but advances the story across the years and lands of his rule in a delightful and unexpected way. They also make this terrifying man more human, showing him as a tender and understanding husband and a benevolent (if distant) father and father figure to his people. He is still the brutal warrior we all know but has a softer side I did not expect.
While all four of these women are remarkable there are a number of admirable secondary female (and a few male) characters that could have easily shared their stories and demonstrated their influences on the Mongolian Empire (such as my all time favorite character, Toregene, a noblewoman who married the Khan's son Ogodei and was as detrimental to the story as any other). The bravery, sacrifices and spirit of each and every one of these characters served to highlight their power and ability in the face of so many hardships.
Ms. Thornton's writing style is perfectly fitting for this world and the characters within it and her use of language and description are simply breathtaking. The reader is instantly on the steppes with the characters during the ferocious winters and searing summers and getting their hands dirty during the animal slaughters and on the battlefields. There is no shying away from the brutality of this world and this makes the reader feel that much more invested in the lives, decisions and actions of these women. I came away from the reading completely awed by their determination and endurance against a harsh and savage world.
Within the grimness of their lives, however, is a bonding and camaraderie between the women that most people can relate to and which served to, again, humanize a world most of us would not be able to imagine. These women are real and flawed, showing ambition and jealousy but also love, forgiveness and an understanding of obligation above their own selfish needs. Remarkable is too small a word for these people and I am grateful to Ms. Thornton for bringing their stories into the light and refusing to let them be forgotten by history while also making their stories accessible to everyone.
The Tiger Queens, like all of the author's novels, is a must read in my opinion. Combining historically accurate information about little known women (supported by the helpful author's note and cast of characters at the back of the book) with stellar storytelling to tie up the loose ends no longer known, we are once again able to witness the lives of people who set the foundation for what our world has become.
Stephanie Thornton has become an author known for bringing to life the nearly forgotten stories of exceptional and courageous women from ancient history and, in the process, has become one of my all time favorite authors. I always know when she comes out with a new book that I need to set aside as much time as possible to dive deep into the world within the pages because once I plunge in I won't want to come out! Her newest novel, The Tiger Queens, is no exception and I am still reeling from the story now that I am through reading it.
While the most well known historical figure within the Tiger Queens is Genghis Khan, known to many armchair history buffs like me as a brutal conqueror who united many nomadic tribes into one unified empire and used vicious tactics and brute force to spread the boundaries of that empire to staggering proportions, the focus of The Tiger Queens is the women surrounding him who not only helped build that empire but keep it intact during his life and after his death. Ms. Thornton tells her story from the perspectives of four of these women: Borte, Genghis Khan's first wife and queen; Alaqai, their daughter; Fatima, a Persian woman captured when her city was destroyed by the Mongols; and Sorkhokhtani, wife of Genghis Khan's youngest son and the woman who would see the Empire continued when many others within this Golden Family would have caused its destruction. Using these four women as the storytellers not only gives a unique perspective to the life and conquests of this complicated historical man but advances the story across the years and lands of his rule in a delightful and unexpected way. They also make this terrifying man more human, showing him as a tender and understanding husband and a benevolent (if distant) father and father figure to his people. He is still the brutal warrior we all know but has a softer side I did not expect.
While all four of these women are remarkable there are a number of admirable secondary female (and a few male) characters that could have easily shared their stories and demonstrated their influences on the Mongolian Empire (such as my all time favorite character, Toregene, a noblewoman who married the Khan's son Ogodei and was as detrimental to the story as any other). The bravery, sacrifices and spirit of each and every one of these characters served to highlight their power and ability in the face of so many hardships.
Ms. Thornton's writing style is perfectly fitting for this world and the characters within it and her use of language and description are simply breathtaking. The reader is instantly on the steppes with the characters during the ferocious winters and searing summers and getting their hands dirty during the animal slaughters and on the battlefields. There is no shying away from the brutality of this world and this makes the reader feel that much more invested in the lives, decisions and actions of these women. I came away from the reading completely awed by their determination and endurance against a harsh and savage world.
Within the grimness of their lives, however, is a bonding and camaraderie between the women that most people can relate to and which served to, again, humanize a world most of us would not be able to imagine. These women are real and flawed, showing ambition and jealousy but also love, forgiveness and an understanding of obligation above their own selfish needs. Remarkable is too small a word for these people and I am grateful to Ms. Thornton for bringing their stories into the light and refusing to let them be forgotten by history while also making their stories accessible to everyone.
The Tiger Queens, like all of the author's novels, is a must read in my opinion. Combining historically accurate information about little known women (supported by the helpful author's note and cast of characters at the back of the book) with stellar storytelling to tie up the loose ends no longer known, we are once again able to witness the lives of people who set the foundation for what our world has become.
Stephanie Thornton has earned herself a permanent place in my roster of favorite historical fiction authors. I mean, is there anything this woman can't write!? As she did with her first two novels, The Secret History and Daughter of the Gods, once again she has created another strong and heroic female character. And not only do we have the strong central character of Borte, but we have the other "women of Genghis Khan" who were also strong and heroic in their own right.
In The Tiger Queens, we get to hear the story of the women behind the legend of Genghis Khan. As any person who is obsessed with history, I have long been interested in Genghis Khan and his exploits. Now with this book, we get a glimpse of the inner workings of his life and who was really influential to him. Although this book is not non-fiction, it is so finely researched that I felt I was learning history along the way. And I always say that one of historical fiction's jobs is to spark enough interest in the reader to spur them into seeking more information on the subject, whether that be learning about it online or reading books about it. This book has definitely done that and then some!
And returning back to the character of Borte. Despite being read a prophecy by her mother that she would be responsible for great destruction in the future, Borte seeks to overcome this foretelling and bands together with the other tiger queens to ensure the happiness of their family, and the greatness of their people. Who doesn't love a character who overcomes adversity for the greater good? I know I do!
With The Tiger Queens, Thornton has firmly secured her place as one of the historical fiction greats. The glorious thing is knowing that she is hard at work on her next novel. I cannot wait for it! Please, if you have not read her books, take it from me. If you love historical fiction, or even just a great, well-told story, this is the author for you.
In The Tiger Queens, we get to hear the story of the women behind the legend of Genghis Khan. As any person who is obsessed with history, I have long been interested in Genghis Khan and his exploits. Now with this book, we get a glimpse of the inner workings of his life and who was really influential to him. Although this book is not non-fiction, it is so finely researched that I felt I was learning history along the way. And I always say that one of historical fiction's jobs is to spark enough interest in the reader to spur them into seeking more information on the subject, whether that be learning about it online or reading books about it. This book has definitely done that and then some!
And returning back to the character of Borte. Despite being read a prophecy by her mother that she would be responsible for great destruction in the future, Borte seeks to overcome this foretelling and bands together with the other tiger queens to ensure the happiness of their family, and the greatness of their people. Who doesn't love a character who overcomes adversity for the greater good? I know I do!
With The Tiger Queens, Thornton has firmly secured her place as one of the historical fiction greats. The glorious thing is knowing that she is hard at work on her next novel. I cannot wait for it! Please, if you have not read her books, take it from me. If you love historical fiction, or even just a great, well-told story, this is the author for you.
I might come back to add a full review later, but I have a final essay to write, so.
This was a very well-written book, prose-wise. At risk of sounding clichéd, Thornton's use of imagery makes the story really come to life, especially as the time period and setting are likely unfamiliar to most Western readers.
The only real reason this book is 4/5 stars and not 5 stars for me is that there were certain...facts?...that I felt were completely unbelievable and even a little jarring to me, as well as the actual fact that Mandarin was not a language until the Manchu overthrew the Ming dynasty in the 1600s and settled down to rule China as the Qing dynasty. It's a really minor thing, but annoyed me nonetheless. So I guess you could say that some of the other things I took issue with were probably nitpicky as well, but there you have it. I think 5 stars = almost perfect book, and unfortunately, this didn't quite hit it for me. But it was very, very good.
Also, the quick pace of the timeline really bothered me. There's also that.
This was a very well-written book, prose-wise. At risk of sounding clichéd, Thornton's use of imagery makes the story really come to life, especially as the time period and setting are likely unfamiliar to most Western readers.
The only real reason this book is 4/5 stars and not 5 stars for me is that there were certain...facts?...that I felt were completely unbelievable and even a little jarring to me, as well as the actual fact that Mandarin was not a language until the Manchu overthrew the Ming dynasty in the 1600s and settled down to rule China as the Qing dynasty. It's a really minor thing, but annoyed me nonetheless. So I guess you could say that some of the other things I took issue with were probably nitpicky as well, but there you have it. I think 5 stars = almost perfect book, and unfortunately, this didn't quite hit it for me. But it was very, very good.
Also, the quick pace of the timeline really bothered me. There's also that.
A must read for historical-fiction lovers! This book gives an amazing insight into the lives of the women in Genghis Khan’s family and is incredibly thought provoking!
4.5 stars. In "The Tiger Queens," we meet four amazing women who narrate this book: Borte, Alaqai, Fatima and Sorkhokhtani. Each woman is fascinating in her own right and each are quite different. The book takes place during the time of Genghis Khan, a man who has ignited the imaginations of many a history lover with the stories of his brutality and exploits. There is a good reason that so many people are interested in him today. After reading Stephanie Thornton's "The Secret History" and "Daughter of the Gods," I was incredibly excited to get my hands on this book.
I had not read any fiction about the Mongols before, only non-fiction and the non-fiction mostly focused on Genghis Khan. Because of that, I was very happy to tread new ground with this book. Thornton does an amazing job of vividly creating the world of the women narrators and Genghis Khan. There is a ton of great detail in this book and the world building was probably one of my favorite parts of this book.
I really liked that the author chose to make the women associated with Genghis Khan the stars of this book. It would have been really easy to write a historical fiction book about Genghis Khan and his legacy by himself but by narrating through the women characters, a really amazing depth was created throughout the book. If you want to see some strong characters, this book has a ton of them.
Overall, this was a great historical fiction. I loved the characters and know that I am going to be thinking about them for a long time to come! If you're looking for great historical detail and a fantastic story set in a fascinating locale, this would be a great pick!
I had not read any fiction about the Mongols before, only non-fiction and the non-fiction mostly focused on Genghis Khan. Because of that, I was very happy to tread new ground with this book. Thornton does an amazing job of vividly creating the world of the women narrators and Genghis Khan. There is a ton of great detail in this book and the world building was probably one of my favorite parts of this book.
I really liked that the author chose to make the women associated with Genghis Khan the stars of this book. It would have been really easy to write a historical fiction book about Genghis Khan and his legacy by himself but by narrating through the women characters, a really amazing depth was created throughout the book. If you want to see some strong characters, this book has a ton of them.
Overall, this was a great historical fiction. I loved the characters and know that I am going to be thinking about them for a long time to come! If you're looking for great historical detail and a fantastic story set in a fascinating locale, this would be a great pick!
Tiger Queens sheds light on people and a time in history that is often overlooked. Genghis Khan is one of those figures everyone knows about, and that's it. It was fascinating delving into this time in history and meeting all of the different women and their impact on the surrounding landscape. With that said, this is not for the faint of heart. While it was interesting as a first dive into Mongolian history, I didn't find it especially captivating but more gruesome and shocking. This is a brutal and tough time period, with several dynamic female characters. Even so, I found myself often wishing for the book to end.
For starters, I just want to warn readers that there is a lot of sexual violence in this book. The Mongolian steppes were incredibly dangerous, particularly for women; although, warring tribes usually were hazardous to women, no matter where they were located. It's a difficult subject to tackle, and some readers might be uncomfortable with just how much rape there is in this book because there is a lot, especially at the beginning, so I just want to warn readers of that.
Aside from the rape, I often found the women's stories were watered down and made too mundane. Unfortunately, there are so few sources from this time period, so it probably wasn't easy researching this book. That said, I was personally put off by the fact that the majority of the stories centered around rape and birth. There were so many child birthing scenes. I suppose that's why Thornton tried to spice it up by creating a prophecy that Borte's actions would wreak havoc over the steppes. Unfortunately, that fell flat too, as it's extremely clear that Borte's actions have nothing to do with the wars being raged between the clans.
That's the thing I've noticed with Thornton's books. With both this and Hatshepsut, she has these fascinating subjects, gives them both prophecies to add some drama, but then the prophecy happens independently of the central characters. It makes their stories sometimes seem superfluous. I wish Thornton took more artistic license to have the women be more involved in politics, so she could show us how they could be cunning and competent and not just doomed.
I do think this book got better over time. Alaqai, Fatima, and Sorkhokhtani were all very dynamic women with desires, schemes, and fears. Although, I found that sometimes Thornton would move away just as things became exciting. Alaqai, in particular, sounds like she had an eventful life, but it didn't really play out that way in the novel. Meanwhile Sorkhokhtani is on the edge of the story for so long that when she finally takes center stage, she still doesn't really take command of her story.
Despite its faults, this book is very interesting, and I'm glad I read it. I recommend it for the historical fiction reader who is looking for something different and challenging and isn't about Nazis. Just remember to proceed with caution, as it's a very heavy read.
For starters, I just want to warn readers that there is a lot of sexual violence in this book. The Mongolian steppes were incredibly dangerous, particularly for women; although, warring tribes usually were hazardous to women, no matter where they were located. It's a difficult subject to tackle, and some readers might be uncomfortable with just how much rape there is in this book because there is a lot, especially at the beginning, so I just want to warn readers of that.
Aside from the rape, I often found the women's stories were watered down and made too mundane. Unfortunately, there are so few sources from this time period, so it probably wasn't easy researching this book. That said, I was personally put off by the fact that the majority of the stories centered around rape and birth. There were so many child birthing scenes. I suppose that's why Thornton tried to spice it up by creating a prophecy that Borte's actions would wreak havoc over the steppes. Unfortunately, that fell flat too, as it's extremely clear that Borte's actions have nothing to do with the wars being raged between the clans.
That's the thing I've noticed with Thornton's books. With both this and Hatshepsut, she has these fascinating subjects, gives them both prophecies to add some drama, but then the prophecy happens independently of the central characters. It makes their stories sometimes seem superfluous. I wish Thornton took more artistic license to have the women be more involved in politics, so she could show us how they could be cunning and competent and not just doomed.
I do think this book got better over time. Alaqai, Fatima, and Sorkhokhtani were all very dynamic women with desires, schemes, and fears. Although, I found that sometimes Thornton would move away just as things became exciting. Alaqai, in particular, sounds like she had an eventful life, but it didn't really play out that way in the novel. Meanwhile Sorkhokhtani is on the edge of the story for so long that when she finally takes center stage, she still doesn't really take command of her story.
Despite its faults, this book is very interesting, and I'm glad I read it. I recommend it for the historical fiction reader who is looking for something different and challenging and isn't about Nazis. Just remember to proceed with caution, as it's a very heavy read.