Customer Reviews

Sofia

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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")

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.

Lavish, sensual, erotic, violent, and unforgettable--Ann Chamberlin's prose is so rich that it made me dream in scarlet and gold!

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.

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...

All three of the volumes in this series have been number one on the Turkish bestseller list. They were translated from English and published with the overall title _Safiye Sultan_. This volume's sub-title is translated as _Castrated Love_.

After reading multiple reviews this book sounded promising. The style of writing was not bad but I think that it is important to know that most of the book is told in first person from an admirer's (Giorgio) point-of-view. Because this booked is named Sofia I thought the main character would be Sofia, but it was not. There are only a few chapters that talk about her experiences from her point-of-view. If you want a book written in the style of an outsider looking in then you will have no qualms with this read.

I thought this book was supposed to about a young European girl's experience in a Turkish harem during the Ottomen empire, but it's really just a coming of age tale about the young man Giorgio and what he suffers for being in unrequited love.

I did not particularly like Giorgio, and since the book was written in first person, it was very difficult to get through. I kept hoping at some point it would actually be about what the preview says, but like previously mentioned any chapters directly about Sofia are few and far between.

The story was too slow and the characters were very frustrating and shallow. There were some good aspects of the book. It was interesting for me to see the inside of the harem and that way of life but I am not confident on the historical accuracy of the description. I don't recommend this book except as very light reading during a vacation, perhaps.

Sophia is interesting story. It is filled with detail. Lush descriptions, interesting characters, and adventure on the high seas make for an interesting read.

If you are a fan of Bertice Small's novels, you might be surprised by the more 'honest' depiction of Ottoman Harem life, and Istuabul as a whole.

The historical references are excellent. The history and the fiction smoothly combining into an interesting story.

There are some drawbacks to the story. Later in the story, there are some graphic references to how males were gelded. Some readers may find this uncomfortable, although I believe it was very essential to the story.

The story moves slowly, languidly even. I found this frustrating and distracting, which is why I gave the book an 8 instead of a 9 or 10. I hope you enjoy Sophia. I am off to read more of Ann Chamberlin's work!