Customer Reviews

The Snake Stone: A Novel (Yashim the Eunuch)

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Jason Goodwin's second book "The Snake Stone" sees the return of the Turkish, crime-solving eunuch Yashim Togalu. I'm pleased to report that Goodwin's second book was as fun to read as his first, The Janissary Tree: A Novel".

As befits a mystery set in Istanbul the plot of "The Snake Stone" is moderately Byzantine but not so complex that the reader gets lost. Yashim is approached by a French archeologist (of the plundering sort) who tells Yashim a story about some priceless antiquities. Shortly thereafter the man is found dead and since Yashim is the last man to see him alive he finds himself faced with the prospect of being a suspect in the murder. Yashim has no choice but to try to unravel the mystery.

Two aspects of the book deserve special praise. As noted, the plot revolves around the possible discovery of priceless antiquities and this is a perfect device for a book set in a city such as Istanbul one of the world's historic cross-roads. The plot gives Goodwin a great opportunity to `explore' Istanbul's rich and diverse history both archeologically and socially. Goodwin studied Byzantine history at Cambridge and has written books on the history of the Ottoman Empire (Lords of the Horizons: A History of the Ottoman Empire and his writing evidences that knowledge. Goodwin puts his knowledge to good use as he paints a very readable picture of Istanbul that captures (for me at least) the sights, sounds, and smells of Istanbul's streets and alleys while also conveying a sense of the political and social backdrop that drove the characters in the book. Anytime a writer gives you the sense that you can almost get a visceral feel for the sights and sounds of a city that writer has done a good job.

Second, Goodwin has done an excellent job in developing the character of Yashim. Yashim is now, in the second book, a fully formed and very endearing character. The minor recurring characters are equally engaging. Last, Yashim isn't the first detective to be a gourmet cook but I have to say the descriptions of Yashim's recipes were very enticing.

In my review of "The Janissary Tree" I mentioned that Goodwin's Yashim reminded me of Boris Akunin's Erast Fandorin novels (late 19th-century Russia such as The Winter Queen: A Novel (Erast Fandorin Mysteries)) and Arturo Perez-Reverte's Captain Alatriste stories such as Captain Alatriste (17th-century Spain). They all take the standard detective or mystery story and transport the reader to a different time and place. "The Snake Stone" confirms my original impression that Goodwin's books belong in that good company. "The Snake Stone" was an excellent story and anyone who likes a good detective story with a bit of an exotic twist should enjoy it. L. Fleisig

As the subtitle says, 'Investigator Yashim Returns' to solve another mystery in the Istanbul of the 1830's. Historian-turned-novelist Jason Goodwin concocts another intriguing tale based on the sound footing he established last year in The Janissary Tree: A Novel.

Yashim Togalu, the eunuch detective, is forced into the investigation of the brutal murder of a French archaeologist when suspicion turns on Yashim, the last person known to have seen the man Lefevre alive.

As he did in The Janissary Tree, Goodwin again entwines his story around the history of the era. But Goodwin's strongest suit may be his ability to surround the reader with sensory experiences of the streets of Istanbul; the sights, the sounds, the smells and tastes. The varied peoples and their styles come alive. And not only on the streets, but also under the streets - the meticulously maintained and ancient waterworks of Istanbul (and their Albanian maintainers) play a large part in this story.

Moreover, the mystery that Goodwin unravels for the reader is quite appropriately byzantine with several dead alleys and an ending that...well, I go too far. Another enjoyable and slightly offbeat treat. Highly recommended.

[Postscript: I see that Len Flesig beat me to the review here and was tempted to simply say "read Len's review" as they are always excellent. I offer my own comments out of a habit that approaches compulsion, albeit an enjoyable one.]

It is the Summer of 1839 and the Ottoman Sultan lays dying in his palace. In the ten years since the Greeks have won their independence, Ottoman Turkey has become known as the "Sick Man of Europe". Its European neighbors are contemplating the Empire's dismemberment and nationalist feelings are awakening in the Balkans. It is a time of great political and economic uncertainty. Into this tense situation enters a French archaeologist searching for Byzantine treasures that hold great symbolic meaning to the Greek subjects of the Ottoman Empire. Yashim Togalu, a eunuch who conducts discreet investigations for the powerful is put on the archaeologist's trail. Thus begins Jason Goodwin's sequel to the Edgar Award wining, "Janissary Tree".

The Investigator Yashim Series has a lot going for it. Instanbul and its world of royal intrigue, harems and political uncertainty is as exotic a setting as any mystery series has ever had. It is a real pleasure to follow Yashim as he navigates the inner court yards of the Royal Palace and the mean streets of Instanbul's toughest neighborhoods. Jason Goodwin's ably opens a window into an interesting time and place.

Alas, I can only give this book four stars. One would think that a Nineteenth Century, Ottoman eunuch would be as alien as any person from the distant past could be. Yet, Goodwin has created a detective hero with a Twenty First Century sensibility. Not only is Yashim a Stendhal reading gourmand, he has great multicultural and transgender sensitivity credentials. European beauties find him irresistable and older powerful women find him to be a sensitive friend. Dare say, there is something metrosexual about Yashim Togalu. When I read a great detective series, I want to lose myself in the time and place. Unfortunately, Yashim's modern sensibilities keep me from losing myself.

Goodwin's first novel, The Janissary Tree (2006), won the Edgar for Best Novel (2007). He followed up that up with this outing, The Snake Stone. The series is set in 1830s Istanbul and features Yashim, an eunuch engaged by the Ottoman rulers to investigate unusual deaths.

In this outing, Yahim is enlisted to find out who and why a French archaeologist is murdered after asking one too many questions about antiquities.

Goodwin has chosen as his detective a character as unique as his setting, nineteenth century Istanbul. He brings both the character and the setting alive with his powers of description. When Yashim goes shopping, you can almost smell the aromas of the food bazaars.

This is a wonderful series that deserves to be widely read. If you are a reader looking for something to read that is unusual and well written, Goodwin's books are for you.

"The Snake Stone" was another good read by Jason Goodwin, but not quite as gripping as the "Janissary Tree". There were a few jumps of logic that were straight out of a television crime drama; we're just supposed to take these logical leaps for granted, rather than build a conclusion along with Yashim Effendi. However, the constantly twisting plot was a fun read, and I plan to keep up with Yashim's adventures.

I was intrigued, and a bit disturbed, however, by the parallels between Goodwin's "Snake Stone" and Jenny White's 2008 Kamil Pasha offering, "The Abysinninan Proof". No problem with two, well-connected 19th century Turkish detectives, but elements in both novels, underground resevoirs, slimy sewer chases in the dark, Christian religious relics hidden during the Ottoman takeover of Istanbul, seemed eerily similar. What connection is there between Goodwin and White? I'm sure that Yashim and Kamil would want to get to the bottom of it all...

The story is more like a Sherlock Holmes story moved to Istanbul. Even the end of the story is Holmes like. This does not make the story less. The hero is an absurd person, how come anyone invented a figure like Yashim? But it enriches the story. Yashim walks, eats, and talks with people like he was in London without Hastings, but the streets he walks is in Istanbul, with stray dogs that do no harm "most of the time they would sleep on the streets.." (p. 61, in fact I have seen them my selves), the food is Turkish, "a pilaf could be eaten without saffron" (p. 152), and the people that play the role of "others" have lived in Istanbul for many year, like Grigor. But neither the victim Lefèvre, nor Stanislaw Palewski, nor Dr. Millingen is from Turkey, nor the author with the name Jason Goodwin. I am wondering, do I see the people and Istanbul from the inside or from the outside? I had the same challenge with Alexander McCall Smith's "The no 1 ladies detective agency" that takes place in Botswana and Matt Rees' "The Samaritan's secret" that takes place on the West Bank. The Goodwin story is nicely constructed the end logical in its way - and Holmes like. The writing is full of nice sentences: "Haven't you noticed that the people here are colder than a Scottish welcome? (p- 92). "Both laughed -without reason." (p. 57). There are quotes from Lord Byron. Being a simple minded reader, I believe I get the better of two words from this novel, the truth about Istanbul, and the delight of a Holmes novel. (Quotes are translated). And I follow Yashims walk on my reading tablet.

This is the second novel in Jason Goodwin's series about the Ottoman investigator Yashim, and there is little new in this novel beyond the themes and characters Goodwin introduced in The Janissary Tree. In fact, this book is almost a carbon copy of the previous one. Yashim visits the court -- the sultan is now ill, so the focus is on the valide, the sultan's mother. He eats and pals around with his friend, the Polish ambassador Palewsky, who once again save's Yashim's life by rescuing him from an otherwise fatal predicament. Yashim does some cooking and shopping, experiences once again a eunuch's frustrating yearning for a damsel in distress. The novel turns on one of Istanbul's historic sights -- the Janissary tree in the first book, and the serpent column in this one. And the climactic chase takes place in one of the city's distinctive architectural features.

The author's intimate familiarity with the culture and history of this fabulous city and his skillful prose bringing it alive are still what carry this series, though it is starting to wear thin and I wonder what he will do to pick things up in the subsequent novels. I know that the third book takes place at least in part in Venice, so we'll see what that brings.

Aside from the lack of novelty in this second installment -- other regular characters such as his transvestite entertainer friend and a fruit stall owner dutifully make their appearances here -- what is missing the most is more characterization of Yashim. In fact, after intimating some depths of character in the first book, Goodwin actually seems to pull back from going to deeply into his character. The reader's empathy for this unusual investigator becomes, I think, more attentuated, rather than less so, in this novel.

The Snake Stone is Jason Goodwin's second novel in his Ottoman series featuring Yashim Togalu, the Ottoman court investigator, who becomes involved in a complicated set of intrigues in Istanbul, into which is woven a fascinating historical pattern of events involving the Ottoman Empire in the first part of the 19th Century. Goodwin is a master story teller with a classical prose style that is a refreshing change from the crude and often ungrammatical offerings of many modern popular fiction writers. Of particular interest is Yashim's relationship with the Polish ambassador Palewski, an Ottoman supported relic of a country that no longer exists in this époque, and whom we met in the preceding novel, The Jannisary Tree. Together, they form an odd, but infinitely interesting interactive couple as Yashim pursues his investigations.

This novel, as well as its preceding book, the Janissary tree, which introduces us to Yashim and the Ottoman world, are must reads for the ardent devotees of historical mystery fiction. The book is sophisticated, compelling, and holds the reader enthralled to the last. The historical detail is wonderful and plunges us into a world from which it is difficult to extract ourselves. I can't wait to read the next installment in the saga of Yashim.

I sense a degree of concern amongst the Americans about the diminished status of the hero of this novel. Don't be concerned these are first rate detective stories set in a Constantinople in transition. I would agree that they form a group with Erast Petrovich Fandorin and Captain Alatriste.

Read and enjoy

In 1839 Istanbul, the Sultan is dying. The city is racked with uncertainty, and you can almost hear the rumble of power shifting as rumors fly and every mischance in the city is magnified into an omen or, worse, a plot.

The trouble is there may well be a plot, as Yashim Togalu comes to understand as he investigates the gruesome death of the mysterious and quite shady French archaeologist, Lefevre, who claimed to be able to produce legendary artifacts from the fall of Constantinople in 1453. These could be of huge symbolic and political value to Greeks and Greek sympathizers in destroying the hated Ottoman Empire from which Greece was but recently independent.

The chase leads Yashim into two dark mazes. The first is physical as he explores the Stygian underground channels and cisterns that supply Istanbul's water and which are run--and guarded---by a guild of Albanian watermen. The second is the labyrinth of identities involved. No one and nothing is quite what it seems.

Here again, as in the earlier "The Janissary Tree," the achievement of formal justice (if such a thing could exist in so politically and culturally charged environments) is not even in Yashim's mind. He is successful if he blocks a threat to the state and what becomes of any malefactors (if they are malefactors) seems immaterial to him.

Goodwin is adept at evoking the lives and the people of 19th century Istanbul and at describing the physical locations of the city, its cultural patterns and its ethnic divides. Like one previous reviewer, I thought that a city map would have been helpful as would an historical note afterword.

Some of the dialogue used expressions that to me seemed unlikely to be used in 1839 Istanbul. I also found the romance in this book only a bit less improbable than that in "The Janissary Tree." These small imperfections detract only slightly from an entertaining read.