Valide: A Novel of the Harem

by Barbara Chase-Riboud

Behind the gilded doors of the seraglio, they lived as pampered prisoners in an opulent world of decadent sensuality...cunning intrigue...and murderous rivalry. Of them all, only a few would become the Sultan's wives. And only one, his Empress...his Valide.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Islam, Womens

429 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

An American novelist, poet, sculptor and visual artist, perhaps best known for her historical fiction. Much of her work has explored themes related to slavery and exploitation of women.

Chase-Riboud attained international recognition with the publication of her first novel, Sally Hemings, in 1979. The novel has been described as the "first full blown imagining" of Hemings' life as a slave and her relationship with Jefferson.[1] In addition to stimulating considerable controversy, the book earned Chase-Riboud the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize for the best novel written by an American woman and sold more than one million copies in hardcover.[2] She has received numerous honors for her work, including the Carl Sandburg Prize for poetry and the Women's Caucus for Art's lifetime achievement award.[1] In 1965, she became the first American woman to visit the People's Republic of China after the revolution.[3] In 1996, she was knighted by the French Government and received the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.[4] She divides her time between Paris and Rome.

The only child of Vivian May Chase, a histology technician and Charles Edward Chase, a contractor.[5] Chase-Riboud displayed an early talent for the arts and began attending the Fleisher Art Memorial School at the age of 8. She also excelled as an art student at the Philadelphia High School for Girls (now combined with Central High School). Between 1947 and 1954, she continued her training at the Philadelphia Museum School of Art and won an award from Seventeen for one of her prints, which was subsequently purchased by the Museum of Modern Art.[5] Chase-Riboud went on to receive a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Tyler School at Temple University in 1957. In that same year, she won a John Hay Whitney fellowship to study at the American Academy in Rome for 12 months. There, she created her first bronze sculptures and exhibited her work at the Spoleto Festival in 1957, as well as at the American Academy and the Gallery L'Obeliso the following year.[6] During this time, she traveled to Egypt, where she discovered non-European art.[6] In 1960, Chase-Riboud completed a Master of Fine Arts from Yale University.

After completing her studies, Chase-Riboud moved to Paris.

Reviews

[Sarah Mac · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF, pg 70-some.

This one just isn't my style -- tedious lists & infodumps that scream 'look at my research!!' + bland characterization of unlikable cyphers & a fuzzy focus. In short: self-conscious Literary Fiction. Yawn. The author seems more interested in writing about the Chief Eunuch than the girl who eventually becomes Valide.

I recommend Susannah James' A DISTANT SHORE instead. It's a brutal read, but also well-written, engrossing, & nuanced beneath the OTT content -- a much more vivid exploration of harem passion & peril.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this -- it had such potential in its time and place, the outsider's look at harem life, and the comparisons to other powerful people, especially women, of the time. But it failed. The narration was extremely choppy, the sense of historical atmosphere was lacking, the sex scenes were awkward and either too vague or far too detailed. The characters were not sympathetic and seldom had their motives explained. The pacing was off. The narration would pause to give lectures on eunuchs and lovers. The story never really showed what it was like for an American captive to live in an Islamic harem, and that was what the whole book was supposed to be about! I give some credit for shedding light on the politics of a period of history that I didn't know well, but that's about it.

[Christine · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Not my cup of tea"
I was bored to death at the prologue, but I gave it 30 pages and fell asleep once. Couldn't keep my attention, I had just finished "These is my words" so maybe I was expecting a book more like that.
This one didn't speak to me.

[Kathleen Saad · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF this book. Got through 90 % and just couldn't stand the dry, inconsistent writing style. Too much statistics and army numbers, too many people's names who don't relate to the story, and not enough depth to the main characters. I mean, it says, a novel of the harem. We learn very little of harem life, except in a way that seems to hover over it, not quite delving into the meat of the title. Author seems to have done her research (a very lot) but fails to achieve a cohesive novel. It reads more like lists. Disappointed for sure.

[Minervah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book brings to life the inner workings of a harem. It instantly transported me to 1700 Istanbul. It’s the story of a young girl traveling on a ship that gets overtaken by pirates n she gets put on sale as a slave. She’s bought by a eunuch overseeing a harem. She’s taken to a world that at first frightens her n confuses her but as she grows into womanhood her strength grows with her. A very good read.

[Liz Kostuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best historical novels of a mesmerizing subject to come along and delight all of the senses. A thoroughly enjoyable dive into the depths of wisdom in the fields of loving. Beautifully written of years of education in the art of love draws in your curiosity, or it did mine. No disappointment here. Not for young adults. My most memorable historical novel about a beautiful natural life of love.

[Monica. A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una vita trascorsa tutte insieme e tuttavia in solitudine

Ancora una volta m'imbatto in un doppione.
La storia de La sultana bianca è la stessa di Sultana del Principe Michele di Grecia.
Tutto ciò che mi aveva un po' deluso nel primo mi ha totalmente soddisfatta nel secondo.
Questa versione della stessa storia non manca di nulla.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book transports you to the era of Napoleon and Catherine II, straight into the harem of the Ottoman Empire. The story follows an American (Creole) sugar plantation owner’s orphaned daughter who gets kidnapped by pirates at sea as a child and gifted to the Sultan as a slave. The reader becomes a fly on the wall of the one of most powerful kingdoms, learning the intricate dynamics between men & women of this time, the balance of powers (or lack thereof), the barbarianism that was part of every day life. It quickly becomes clear the fragile nature of life, and how little of value each individual truly was, each one a prisoner of their own harem. The slave needs its master just as much as a master needs its slave. Such is the basis of each individual’s story that Barbara Chase-Riboud covers in depth. Each chapter is a unique perspective from the multitude of characters included in this story at different times throughout our Lioness’s life, following her from slave child to slave Valide. The ending was abrupt. At first I was even disappointed until I took a few days to digest the life I so closely followed and realized the lessons that her tale held. This book awakened parts of my femininity that felt ancient but familiar. A highly recommended read for any woman who loves to learn from other women leaders.

[Joanne Timm · Rating 2 out of 5]

did not like this story

[threetureens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dangerous scenester developments.

[shapeofaflyingdeer · Rating 5 out of 5]

....bluestocking to bluestocking,
But it's a novel of three girls, really, two of which received the prophecy alongside Josephine Beauharnais and who all three subsequently came to rule the then world.
Emblazones the then customs of the times upon one's minds all the while the tone is reminiscent of La Marielle.

[LaShana Claude]

A valide is a sultan's mother who administers the sultan's harem of several hundred women. Based on historical facts, this is the story of a young girl from Martinique, captured by pirates in the late 1700s, who eventually becomes a favorite of the Ottoman sultan, bears the son who succeeds him, and becomes Valide. There are detailed descriptions here of various methods of making eunuchs, the elaborate preparations of young virgins to sexually serve the sultan, the debauchery of the sultan's female relatives who must be sterilized so they can never bear a royal rival, and the precise and often varied sexual predilections of a large number of characters, including Catherine the Great . Deadly harem intrigues are juxtaposed with imperial ones in this mildly diverting historical romance. Chase-Riboud is the author of the controversial novel Sally Hemings . Patricia Y. Morton, State Lib. of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.


The idea that nudity evokes sexuality is implausible for me since most people understand reference to an eon when cloth was not utilized to cover up sexuality but to protect life. The author has placed in my mind the idea that the eunuch from the Bible is absent of civilization like the negro in America. The jump is not far when emphasis is placed only on his stature in the room. The eunuch, dark in skin tone, secures the corner. but what if he hides the sun in his skin and not his soul and then it turns to jaundice, sunlight, water, waves, cumin, acid, water , sun light. He surely needs his bananas and both the Haitians and the Dominicans with blood in their river understand this. Not suitable for the atheist.

[F · Rating 3 out of 5]

'Meh...'
La couverture et le sujet m'ont beaucoup attitrée, et les infos sur l'organisation sociale du harem, et les quelques anecdotes de politique internationale (fiables?) m'ont intéressée mais l'histoire manque de rythme. Les personnages ne sont pas attachants, leurs motivations ne sont pas développées, et le manque d'intrigue politique/amoureuse m'a déçue. Je m'attendais à un personnage féminin fort, qui utilise sa séduction et le pouvoir qu'elle obtient pour être maître de son existence et influencer la politique de l'Empire. Déception : elle est molle et fataliste la plus part du temps.
Tous les personnages se laissent vivre et aucun n'agit réellement. Les relations entre personnages ne sont pas assez exploitées, vu que beaucoup d'histoires se recoupent sans réellement s'influencer.

[La Stamberga dei Lettori]

La Sultana Bianca non è solamente un libro avvincente, appassionante e decisamente interessante dal punto di vista culturale, ma rappresenta anche la possibilità e il diritto ad una biografia dei personaggi straordinari e realmente esistiti che danno vita alla storia. Naksh-i-dil, che significa “labbra ricamate” ma anche “lingua silenziosa”, è il nome che il Sultano Abdullahmid aveva scelto per la sua nuova favorita in quanto “la giovane cristiana mormora continuamente senza alzare mai la voce”. In realtà Naksh-i-dil pregava continuamente per la salvezza della propria anima lontana, come ormai si trovava, da tutti gli insegnamenti che le erano sempre stati impartiti e soprattutto dal concetto di purezza.

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[Bonnie · Rating 2 out of 5]

To many details and way to wordy, could barely make it through the first couple of chapters. Slow moving and downright bad.

[Tyra Barker · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a very slow read. A lot of details and good language but it got to be boring.

[Erika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, informative, and rich in history. Glad I picked this up, but it did take awhile to get through.