A review by redheadragereads
The Sultan's Wife by Jane Johnson

adventurous challenging dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

The Sultan's wife is a historical fiction novel and I would recommend it to adult audiences who love historical epics! 

There are some pretty hectic themes and content to be aware of, the one that comes to mind the most is the mention of genital mutilation as well as sexual abuse. 

We are transported back to Morocco in 1677. The story is narrated by Nus-Nus- a eunuch who is charged with working for Ismail- the sultan. 

The writing in this book was beautiful and probably the stand out for me. I loved some of the prose and the imagery. I did feel like towards the middle there was a lot going on but we weren't actually getting anywhere in terms of plot development. 

Alys' story was what drew me to this one.. I would have liked to have more of the focus be on her (considering the title of the book is 'the sultan's wife'). 

All round, I enjoyed but I found it difficult to read at some points just because of the pace.