BOOK REVIEW: The Janissary Tree by Jason Goodwin

The Janissary Tree is the first in a series of historical mysteries featuring Inspector Yashim Togalu. The setting is Istanbul 1836, and the Ottoman Empire is fading yet holds on tenuously to its past. Istanbul of 1836 is quite exotic with open air bazaars, sordid back alleys, an opulent palace and the seraglio (Sultan's harem). The Janissaries, an elite and corrupt troop of soldiers, were crushed ten years earlier, but the gruesome murders of four of the New Guard indicate that a remnant exists and is trying to resurge. Inspector Yashim has been called by the seraskier (commander-in-chief) to investigate these barbaric acts at the same time he is called by the Sultan to investigate a seemingly unrelated murder in the harem. Because Yashim is a eunuch, he is permitted special access to areas usually restricted to men. His emasculated status also makes him a man of no consequence and this allows him to learn much in his search for answers. In this, Yashim reminds me a bit of Agatha Christie's character, Miss Marple. Miss Marple is often ignored as she quietly knits and eavesdrops on intimate conversations; no one pays any attention to the "old lady." This invisibility makes both of these characters perfect "spies." I love an underdog that uses his or her lack of status to advantage and this is what draws me to Yashim.

Jason Goodwin studied Byzantine history at Cambridge and has written books on the history of the Ottoman Empire. His extensive scholarship comes through in The Janissary Tree as he provides an experience rather than simply a read; I was able to "see" and "hear" and "smell" the setting. My only complaint is that I wanted more; I wanted to be more overwhelmed by the setting than I was.

Goodwin not only provides an exotic setting, but also some very colorful characters. One of my favorites is Palewski, the decadent Polish ambassador with no country to represent. Poland belongs to (among others) Russia in 1836, but through some quirk of law the Sultanate continues to support a Polish ambassador. The author has decided to use this bit of history to bring some unexpected humor to his novel. In one scene, Yashim is discussing with Palewski the disappearance of the murder victims. Yashim finds it odd that the victims met with one of the Russian officials shortly before disappearing. Palewski tosses out the world weary response

Meet a Russian -- disappear -- it's a common phenomenon. It happens all the time in Poland.

and Yashim replies

But why would they meet a Russian official in the first place? We're practically at war with Russia. If not today, then yesterday and probably tomorrow.

The Janissary Tree is ultimately a story about the clash between tradition and modernity and the dangerous tension that can occur as these two extremes struggle for ascendancy. While the Stambouliots struggle for their future, the politically hungry outsiders (primarily the Russians, French and British) hover like vultures as they wait for the fall of the Ottoman Empire so they can step into the ensuing chaos and gain control.

I would recommend The Janissary Tree to those who like detective stories set in an exotic setting with plenty of intrigue, deceit and corruption. It is a strong beginning to a series and an entertaining read with a bit of history tossed in.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

BOOK REVIEW: Silk by Alessandro Baricco

Herve Joncour is a French silk breeder who lives in the small town of Lavilledieu. It is 1861 and epidemics have decimated the silkworm eggs in Europe, so Joncour travels once a year to Egypt and Syria to obtain healthy eggs. Joncour's friend, Baldabiou, tells of the extraordinary silk of Japan and encourages Joncour to travel "to the end of the world" to obtain Japanese silkworm eggs. Joncour travels to Japan four times, each time leaving behind his faithful and loving wife Helene. He always takes the same route, travelling by train, horseback and ship. Japan is closed to the world at this time and Joncour must deal secretly with a local Japanese baron named Hara Kei. While negotiating with Hara Kei, Joncour is enamored by Kei's concubine with "eyes [that] did not have an Oriental slant." We learn nothing more about the concubine than this smallest of physical details. She neither speaks to nor touches Joncour, yet he falls instantly in love with this beautiful woman. He believes his love to be reciprocated and looks for her during his three subsequent visits. Civil war tears Hara Kei's village apart and forever separates Joncour from the enigmatic woman he believes he loves. Joncour no longer travels and settles down to a quiet village life with his wife until, one day, a letter arrives covered with Japanese ideograms that look like

a catalog of little bird tracks, compiled with meticulous folly. It was surprising to think that in fact they were signs, that is, the ashes of an incinerated voice.

The peacefulness of Joncour's life from that moment on is tinged with the sadness of unfulfillment.

Silk is a simple story, told simply, using language that makes you want to weep. Silk is a novella, but the language and pacing make this little book seem more like poetry. What is left unsaid is just as important as what is said. The often sparse narration adds to the beauty and creates images that speak more intensely than a flurry of words. Take for instance the moment that Hara Kei's concubine looks at Joncour for the first time. She has been laying, perfectly still, with her head on Hara Kei's lap, her hair spread around her. Joncour and Hara Kei are negotiating when

Suddenly,
without moving at all,
that girl
opened her eyes.
Herve Joncour did not pause, but instinctively lowered his gaze to her, and what he saw, without pausing, was that those eyes did not have an Oriental shape, and that they were fixed, with a disconcerting intensity, on him: as if from the start, from under the eyelids, they had done nothing else.

I am in awe of Baricco's ability to tell a story with such depth and emotion using such sparse language. His storytelling is like pulling the lightest of silks across your skin. It will make you shiver with delight. Read it.

Rating: 5 out of 5

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Also reviewed by:
Eva at A Striped Armchair

BOOK REVIEW: Girl with Skirt of Stars by Jennifer Kitchell

Title: Girl with Skirt of Stars
Author: Jennifer Kitchell
Publisher: Pronghorn Press
Year: 2009
A LibraryThing Early Reviewers Book

Lilli Chischilly is a Navajo lawyer who has found a pair of mutilated coyote carcasses carefully laid out on the hood of her vehicle. This is clearly a message, but the meaning of the message is a mystery. In the meantime, Jerome, Lilli's childhood soul mate, has returned to the Navajo Nation and alludes to a dark and burdensome secret that he wants Lilli to discover. Lilli has this on her mind when her boss asks her to escort presidential candidate Lee, his family and handlers on a river raft trip down the Grand Canyon. Lilli rightly guesses that this is a publicity stunt and has everything to do with the politics of water and land use that is ever present in the Western United States. If all of this isn't enough, a sniper with a grudge over a century old massacre is stalking the presidential candidate and his family with massacre plans of his own.

The plot of Girl with Skirt of Stars is fast paced and kept me reading into the wee hours of the morning. I did find the narrative a bit choppy and the characters lacking in depth, though, and this kept me from attaching to and caring very deeply about them. This type of book seems to call for better character development than Kitchell provided. There were also elements of the story that seemed quite important yet were never developed and just got dropped at the end. This is Kitchell's debut novel, so I'm hoping that these shortfalls are something that will improve in future.

As a native of the Southwest, I thought the descriptions of the Four Corners area were beautiful and I was drawn into the setting. The inclusion of quite a few Navajo words (there is a glossary at the end of the book) and how those words "mean" within the Navajo culture was a fantastic look into a little known people group. Language nuance is an important part of Kitchell's story.

Overall, I was pleased with Girl with Skirt of Stars and would recommend it to those interested in a fast paced novel set in the Southwest.

I would like to thank the publisher, Pronghorn Press, for providing me with a review copy of Girl with Skirt of Stars.

BOOK REVIEW: The Silver Swan by Benjamin Black

Title: The Silver Swan
Author: Benjamin Black
Publisher: Picador
Year: 2009
A LibraryThing Early Reviewers book

The Silver Swan is a follow up to Christine Falls and features Garrett Quirke, a pathologist who just can't resist investigating a mystery; in this case, a suicide which turns out to be a murder. Benjamin Black (a pseudonym for John Banville) uses a noir structure in The Silver Swan to probe the human psyche. This probing of the darker areas of human activity and the human soul does not make for a very uplifting read, but that should be expected when dealing with the noir genre. The Silver Swan is full of typical noir elements: cynical characters, bleak settings, and a sense of hopelessness. I'm not a big fan of noir due to these elements and I'm sure this affected my enjoyment of both Christine Falls and The Silver Swan. In spite of my lack of enjoyment, it is clear that Black/Banville is a fantastic writer. I enjoyed his use of metaphor, and the ability to evoke such a strong emotional reaction left me in awe of his skill. I look forward to reading those works of his outside of the noir genre.

I would like to thank the publisher, Picador, for providing me with a review copy of The Silver Swan.

Reading 2010: Such as it is

I haven't been able to read for pleasure as much as I would like lately. There has been even less reviewing and blogging. But as I mentioned earlier this week, I'm currently taking a fantastic class that is worth the sacrifice! Here is the 2010 reading list so far:

January
Girl with Skirt of Stars by Jennifer Kitchell - regional mystery; Navajo Nation
Black by Ted Dekker - allegorical Christian thriller
Sweet Revenge (Goldy Schulz) by Diane Mott Davidson - culinary & regional mystery; Colorado
Trial by Fire (Ali Reynolds) by J.A. Jance - regional mystery; Arizona

February
Fool Moon (Dresden Files) by Jim Butcher - supernatural fiction
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
Bitter Truth by William Lashner - legal thriller
Raven Black (Shetland Island Quartet) by Ann Cleeves - regional mystery; Shetland Islands

BOOK REVIEW: Black by Ted Dekker

I would classify this book as an allegorical Christian thriller and I really looked forward to reading it after hearing good things about some of the author's other books. Unfortunately, I was not impressed by Black. It was unnecessarily long and I found myself rather bored at times. The allegorical aspects seemed alternately too obvious and too convoluted, leaving me to wonder at the author's intent. The "great romance" allegory struck me as cheesy and, as a Christian, I was left wondering what a non-Christian would think.

Black is part of a series and perhaps reading the entire series would make a difference. I would also like to comment on story format. My copy of Black included the graphic novel version. I did find the graphic novel format much more entertaining and a more appropriate medium for this story.

Rating: 2 out of 5 (for the novel); 3 out of 5 (for the graphic novel)

Hi Fellow Book Bloggers!

Yes, I have been MIA from my blog for quite awhile. I didn't really intend to take a blog break, but I found myself unable to keep up with blogging the last few months. Besides the usual things that occupy my time (family, work, church, etc.), I'm currently taking a class called Literary Exegesis and Analysis. It is so much work and it is FANTASTIC! I'm enjoying myself and learning so much, but it doesn't leave me too much time for reading and even less time for blogging.

I will be posting a review later tonight. It will be a short review and will not really employ any of the new analysis skills I'm learning. But, hey, it's for my blog and nothing I'll be submitting to a professor [smile].