Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
228th out of 1,115 books
—
1,882 voters
The Sultan's Seal (Kamil Pasha #1)
by
Jenny White
Rich in sensuous detail, this first novel brilliantly captures the political and social upheavals of the waning Ottoman Empire. The naked body of a young Englishwoman washes up in Istanbul wearing a pendant inscribed with the seal of the deposed sultan. The death resembles the murder by strangulation of another English governess, a crime that was never solved. Kamil Pasha,...more
Paperback, 368 pages
Published
February 17th 2007
by W. W. Norton & Company
(first published January 1st 2006)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
871)
Though the book starts of reasonably promising, it's clear it's no My Name is Red, Snow or even The Bastard of Istanbul or Portrait of a Turkish Family, all set in Turkey, and some, like this one, in Ottoman Turkey, this one near the end of the 19th century.
White tries to emulate the elaborate and flowery story telling of the above mentioned Turkish writers, but only marginally succeeds, instead creating a world where characters feel extremely modern, seemingly more at home at the beginning of...more
White tries to emulate the elaborate and flowery story telling of the above mentioned Turkish writers, but only marginally succeeds, instead creating a world where characters feel extremely modern, seemingly more at home at the beginning of...more
Picked up this purely by chance, thinking initially, from the cover, that it was some sort of historical romance. It turns out to be a detective novel set in Turkey, around Istanbul, at the end of the 19th century.
It is a time of turmoil and events are in motion that will lead up to Turkey's involvement in WWI and ultimately to the country's move to a secular democratic state, forged from a dissolute, decaying empire by Kemal Ataturk.
The central character is the detective, Kamil Pasha, who lead...more
It is a time of turmoil and events are in motion that will lead up to Turkey's involvement in WWI and ultimately to the country's move to a secular democratic state, forged from a dissolute, decaying empire by Kemal Ataturk.
The central character is the detective, Kamil Pasha, who lead...more
For the first 3/4s of the book this was an elegant mystery, rich in cultural and historical detail. At the end, however, the author chose to pile on the action and everything seemed to be happening at once, not always in a coherent fashion. If it wasn't for that I would have liked to rate this book higher. Jenny White has written numerous non-fiction works on Turkish politics and society, so I expected a lot of cultural and historical detail, and I certainly wasn't disappointed on that score. I...more
Interesting read. She's a local author for me--Boston University professor of anthropology. Enough sex of all kinds in there...reminded me of the kind of thing that thrilled me as a young maiden just glimpsing the possibilities. I do like her central character--a Turkish magistrate of strong character. I imagine swarthy skin and white flowing robes...and perhaps a blood-red fez...this is a murder mystery after all. The female character of Turkish descent is also interesting (and is the one getti...more
What we have here is failure to tell Professor White the truth about her book. Some editor should have taken her aside and said:
"Look, you can have have tons of characters and give them all confusing-to-remember names, you can switch between the past and the present, you can tell your story in non-linear fashion, you can switch between using the past tense and the present tense, you can switch up the voice of the narrator between several people, or you can always keep us guessing as to who is a...more
"Look, you can have have tons of characters and give them all confusing-to-remember names, you can switch between the past and the present, you can tell your story in non-linear fashion, you can switch between using the past tense and the present tense, you can switch up the voice of the narrator between several people, or you can always keep us guessing as to who is a...more
I read this for my "Global Whodunits" book group at Primary Source. This one immerses the reader into the dangerous final days of the Ottoman Empire (1880's) in Istanbul. This was a period of great court intrigue and multi-ethnic unrest as the ideas and ideals of European nationalism swept into the empire. Kamil Pasha is the detective called upon to investigate the murder of an Englishwoman, and he quickly links this to an earlier, similar, unsolved case. The case gains intrigue and a sense of d...more
This mystery is set in the waning days of the Ottoman Empire.
When the nude body of an English governess is washed up a bank of the Bosporus River it is up to the local magistrate, Kamil Pasha, to investigate.
He determines that she was murdered, and discovers a possible link to the death of another English governess eight years prior. Both women were wearing a distinctive necklace inscribed with Chinese pictographs and an authentic seal of the Sultan's, which very few people would have access to....more
When the nude body of an English governess is washed up a bank of the Bosporus River it is up to the local magistrate, Kamil Pasha, to investigate.
He determines that she was murdered, and discovers a possible link to the death of another English governess eight years prior. Both women were wearing a distinctive necklace inscribed with Chinese pictographs and an authentic seal of the Sultan's, which very few people would have access to....more
I really wanted to like this book, but alas, the narrative was simply too flawed. There were so many backward and forward changes of time and place that it was nearly impossible to determine the chronology of the tale. Adding to the confusion were constant changes in narration. I was frequently confused as to who was speaking, and whether the time frame was in the present, or eight years in the past.
The setting was late nineteenth century Istambul, an era and place that always fires my imaginati...more
The setting was late nineteenth century Istambul, an era and place that always fires my imaginati...more
I read this mystery novel, set in Istanbul in the 1880s, while vacationing in Istanbul. My setting brought the book's setting to life, and the book added to my appreciation in this amazing city.
However, as a lover of mysteries, this one falls short in my opinion. I understand that the author is trying to portray the complexities of palace intrigues, but it was too, too confusing with this many characters all vying for suspicion. The actual conclusion was still complicated so didn't give the sen...more
However, as a lover of mysteries, this one falls short in my opinion. I understand that the author is trying to portray the complexities of palace intrigues, but it was too, too confusing with this many characters all vying for suspicion. The actual conclusion was still complicated so didn't give the sen...more
I expect an historical novel to offer some insight into another period or culture. This book did more: it totally transported me to 19th Century Turkey and the political turmoil of the Ottoman Empire.
I didn't expect a detective novel when I picked up the book, but it was a good story, albeit very complicated. I wish the author had inserted a "guide to characters" at the beginning of the book because I occasionally lost control of court and family members, or political positions. But, that didn't...more
I didn't expect a detective novel when I picked up the book, but it was a good story, albeit very complicated. I wish the author had inserted a "guide to characters" at the beginning of the book because I occasionally lost control of court and family members, or political positions. But, that didn't...more
I must have a built in radar for English Bookstores when I travel. I don't know how many times I've found myself in a foreign city and just happen to stumble across the English Bookstore to find a new literay treasure on their shelves. How incredibly approriate to find this one in Istanbul.
The author does a bang up job of combining history with a real story. It's not easy to weave in the setting of a past and make it part of the telling. Very often you get history lessons inserted in between the...more
The author does a bang up job of combining history with a real story. It's not easy to weave in the setting of a past and make it part of the telling. Very often you get history lessons inserted in between the...more
I really enjoyed this whole series. Some readers found the time jumps confusing, but for me they helped the mystery to unfold and piece together quite nicely. I was so intrigued by what parts of Jenny White's description of Istanbul were historical, and which were maybe just created license that I was constantly pulling up wikipedia to do a quick check. Some of the parts that were completely made up were so real that I was completely fooled. Kamil is modern enough, and western enough that you ca...more
I can't call this another "simple murder-mystery" story/book. It's not, and if you take the time to read it (which you should) you would agree. The story goes beyond just the murder case. With great detail and imagery you truly get to understand the 1800's in India, and how the culture was, and people as well. The characters are colorful and far from bland. The detail given to describing the scenery is just enough for you to be able to imagine it yet, not so much as to it going on and becoming n...more
Yet another example of a novel written by an anthropologist whose details just blow me away. This one takes place in Turkey in the late 1800s, and centers around the British ex-pat and (to a lesser degree) Jewish communities. There's also the regular complexities of police jurisdiction when foreigners are involved, who has the authority to investigate what, and what they can say about it. It does get a little convoluted, and the ending isn't totally satisfying because it's trying to be a mystery...more
Doesn't the title of this book sound incredibly trashy? Like a dreadful romance in the sultan's harem. Thankfully it's not about that at all, but instead a mystery set in 19th century Turkey, which begins when the drowned body of an Englishwoman washes up on the shore. Kamil Pasha, a magistrate, sets out to solve the crime.
It's a fascinating setting and written with beautiful details - unfortunately, the murder and the mystery itself didn't enthrall me as much, which is why it only gets 3 stars...more
It's a fascinating setting and written with beautiful details - unfortunately, the murder and the mystery itself didn't enthrall me as much, which is why it only gets 3 stars...more
I had a hard time following the story. It took me a while to realize that the author was skipping around in time, but even after I caught on to that, I found the plot pretty convoluted. I enjoyed the setting - Turkey in the 19th century - and found the descriptions of life (clothes, homes, entertainment) during that time quite fascinating. For that reason, I will probably read more by this author.
I primarily chose this book because I had recently been to Turkey on vacation. It was easy to connect with the characters and the murder mystery story line was intriguing. I had a problem from time to time with the constant skipping from one perspective to another. Don't read this if you're sleepy, you need to pay attention to where you are in the story and which character is speaking to you!
I liked this book, the author's description was wonderful and I would like to read another one of hers because of it and that is why I gave it 3 stars. I did have a hard time with the Muslim/Turkish appellations like Jaanan and Pasha, etc and kept getting mixed up about whom they were talking, (my ignorance). I was not thrilled with the ending either...I wanted more or something different.
Having grown up in the city, this author's writing recalled images from my childhood, articulate, detailed and stimulating. She missed something very big in this first tale, however. She missed the call to prayer.
The story is delightful, keeps the reader engaged and curious. Perhaps a bit to Agatha Christie in the end, but a wonderful voyage all the same.
The story is delightful, keeps the reader engaged and curious. Perhaps a bit to Agatha Christie in the end, but a wonderful voyage all the same.
An engaging book, nice descriptions and period detail; overall a sense of authenticity about setting. Really pedestrian dialogue though, to the point of being distracting sometimes. And a slightly too-convoluted plot. Sometimes just one plot-line too many moves a book from being comfortably puzzling to being slightly irritating. This one got close to that.
I found the chronology of this book a little confusing as it started in the present tense and through the first person narrative of one character moves into the past but it seemed like certain things happened out of sequence. Interesting details of the setting, exotic Istanbul, and the social mores of the Muslim and British characters.
A mixed bag. I was enthralled with the setting and the stories of the characters, but it was confusing & the ending not completely satisfactory. I never was completely certain about how one of the murders happened.
Three-quarters of the way through I was ready to go out & buy all the others in the series; after I finished the book I am less enthused, although #3 seems to get very good reader reviews.
Three-quarters of the way through I was ready to go out & buy all the others in the series; after I finished the book I am less enthused, although #3 seems to get very good reader reviews.
An ok murder-mystery, set in 19th century Turkey. The author's use of present tense writing and jumping between characters while you try to figure out who is doing the talking now is a little disconcerting. The ending seemed a little chopped-off and didn't quite mesh everything together the way I would have liked.
Wow - what a great book! It is seldom that I go through a book with a pen and paper next to the book so I can record stuff I want to look up, but this is one. And the vocabulary sent me to the dictionary, and I love that! I sent an email to the author, and I never do that either. This was a watershed book.
The idea of a mystery set in the Ottoman empire was interesting but the format jumping back in forth to different times and different points of view (sometimes first person, sometimes third) did not mix well with my listening to it in bits and pieces in the car. I finally gave up on the audio book and switched to the hard copy but the fact that I was reading it in bed at night while dosed with Nyquil probably didn't help either. That said, I will probably look for the second book in the series a...more
I enjoyed this..it's basically a murder mystery,but set against the background of Istanbul in the latter stages of the Ottoman empire.. (Victoria was on the throne of England at the time of this story)
There's everything I like..a little hint of romance, oriental atmosphere, palace intrigue... right up my alley..
There's everything I like..a little hint of romance, oriental atmosphere, palace intrigue... right up my alley..
I had to read this book because the author is an anthropologist and the book is set in Ottoman-era Istanbul at the end of the 1800s. Plus, it promised to be a good detective story. On both counts, it was good, and I plan to read the next it the series hoping for them to get better (which other reviewers indicate that they do).
Potentially a good book, but in reality I can't even understand why I finished it! Such a confusing book, rammed with so many places, names and nicknames that it is impossible to ever really understand what is going on.
Then the plot is not at all thrilling, and the ending is poor so there's nothing to make up for the annoyance of constantly feeling confused.
Great idea, poor end product. Really can't stomach reading any more of the series.
Then the plot is not at all thrilling, and the ending is poor so there's nothing to make up for the annoyance of constantly feeling confused.
Great idea, poor end product. Really can't stomach reading any more of the series.
What do I think??? That I should have read the PW review ALL the way thru!
"But the rich historical setting makes an uneasy match with the whodunit sleuthing; neither ends up being able to sustain the book, particularly given the placid pace of the investigation."
Exactly!
I totally agree with PW, and, really almost worse than a placid [and glum] investigator is: it's written in the present tense! It' like reading SAP: A woman enters the room. She walks to a table, she picks up a pear. She bites...more
"But the rich historical setting makes an uneasy match with the whodunit sleuthing; neither ends up being able to sustain the book, particularly given the placid pace of the investigation."
Exactly!
I totally agree with PW, and, really almost worse than a placid [and glum] investigator is: it's written in the present tense! It' like reading SAP: A woman enters the room. She walks to a table, she picks up a pear. She bites...more
I enjoyed this book. It is a mystery set in the late 1800's in Istanbul. There was a lot of historical information that I enjoyed learning about. Part of the plot involves 2 women in a romantic relaitonship so if that bothers you then be aware.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Jenny White is a writer and a social anthropologist.
Jenny White now teaches social anthropology at Boston University as a tenured associate professor. She has published two scholarly books on contemporary Turkey. Money Makes Us Relatives, a description of women’s labor in...more
More about Jenny White...
Jenny White is a writer and a social anthropologist.
Jenny White now teaches social anthropology at Boston University as a tenured associate professor. She has published two scholarly books on contemporary Turkey. Money Makes Us Relatives, a description of women’s labor in...more
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“Take your time in everything, until you feel the pull within yourself. Do not let yourself be guided by fear, or even by desire. And certainly not by the will of others.... Like the moon and the tides, the human heart has many phases. Wait for them. They will not be rushed.”
—
6 people liked it
“Kamil thinks to himself that these are eyes that see everything, ravenous eyes. He feels a pang of longing for the omnivorous freedom of a child's appetite for life, not yet disciplined to distinguish raw from cooked, feasting without caring whether life is served at a table or from a tray on the floor.”
—
2 people liked it
More quotes…
Oct 07, 2011 09:43am