[.ca] Sofia (ISBN 0595302785)

Truth:
I am a Turkish man living in Ankarai Turkiye. Sofia (Safiye) is a fascinating novel about our darkside history. Everybody in Turkiye knows that Harem had a fatal effect on Ottoman Empire and also everyone in Turkiye knows the beginning of the collapse of Ottoman Empire was the rise of Harem. When the Turkish Sultans had been married with one Turkish Girl the empire was rising, after the tradition had changed and Harem had been involved in Turkish life style (15th century) the collapse had begun. Those are the historical realities but to form a realistic also fictional novel by the inspiration of those realities really needs talent. This book and the other books of the serial really deserves the best comments. The best thing to be told about those 3 books is that: they are the integration of knowledge, talent, sense of history and imaginative power.

Light Read:
This book is not for those who want to know about the History of the Ottomans during the 16th century. It does not really give insight to the "Harem World" and sadly disappointing in terms of the historical accuracy. But a fun book for those on holiday. The ending left me with a feeling of not wanting to buy the second book. ("sultan's daughter")

Captivating:
Sofia is the unabashedly opportunistic member of a 16th century harem during the Ottoman empire. Her journey there and her craftiness soon after arriving make for really engaging reading. Perhaps more compelling is the story of her fellow Venetian captive, Giorgio, whose enslavement is all the more poignant since it involves a drastic and brutal transformation that comes out at the end of the novel. Overall, a very well-written novel that brings an exotic time period to life and will leave you enthralled.

Absolutely fantastic!:
It is amazing to see how a writer from so far away and a totally different culture was able to grasp the beauty and richness of genuine Turkish palace culture. As a ganddaugher of a palace lady, I am proud to recommend this fantastic historical novel to the rest of the world.

A Magical Story:
I was really pulled into this novel. The rich history, descriptive language, and excellent stroytelling make this book a great read - especially if you like histroical fiction. I knew very little about Turkish history before reading this book, and loved learning more...