This was the first book I won on Library Thing in exchange for a review.
Having been to this part of the world and actually having spent 15 days in Turkey to include Edirne and Istanbul I was tickled to have won a chance to read this book.
First I must say that Mr. Shipman is a captivating storyteller. I was caught up in the events immediately. Knowing quite a bit about the religious and historical background beforehand, I found having the personal relationships, emotions and motivations of the key players intertwined with the facts to be integral to gaining a greater depth of understanding.
Although I knew from the beginning who would "win" and who would "lose", the details of the battle to breach and protect the walls showed such a tremendous dominance of will against the odds on both sides. Becoming more aware of issues under the surface: the insufficient manpower, lack of funds to reinforce walls and an absence of Christian unified support made the outcome seem inevitable. The love of the Greeks for Constantine and their undecided support of Giovanni made you hope against hope that they would hold fast.
The fight of the young Mehmet to free himself from the restrictions placed upon him by his "advisors" and his father's failure to develop him as a leader was brilliantly laid out. His struggle to be recognised permeated the entire Ottoman battle. Fighting against the memory of a father who never supported him and the principal advisor Halil he inherited from dear old dad show more burnished his character throughout the novel. Mehmet slowly grew into his own sense of self worth and in doing so earning the admiration of his people by biding his time and working his plans through via innovative strategies.
Pride and purpose drove Constantine to defend his Greek Orthodox faith (he gave in to the pressure to embrace the Latin doctrine) and above all "his" city a center of Christianity. It was very disappointing to learn that Zophia was fictional since all other characters were historical. Her symbology enveloped the feelings of the Greek peoples and helped to demonstrate the random treatment of the conquered that Mehmet doled out. The self centered reaction of the Christian entities involved served to fail them in the end. A good lesson in looking at the greater good for the entire religion, not the separate pieces.
I have personally visited the Hagia Sophia and seen the Christian icons side by side with the Muslim script. I have appreciated the secular nature of Turkey and the ability to enter Blue Mosque built solely as a tribute to Islam just across the square.
Mehmet seems to have been ahead of his time in terms of tolerance for other beliefs and had the foresight to see that he needed to import Greeks and Italians to help build up the city afterwards to regain its glory. And then he could later surpass its former glory with reforms of his own.
I appreciated the wrapping up of the main characters and city states at the end due to the clarity it provided, especially for some who may not have known much about this piece of monumental history. show less
Having been to this part of the world and actually having spent 15 days in Turkey to include Edirne and Istanbul I was tickled to have won a chance to read this book.
First I must say that Mr. Shipman is a captivating storyteller. I was caught up in the events immediately. Knowing quite a bit about the religious and historical background beforehand, I found having the personal relationships, emotions and motivations of the key players intertwined with the facts to be integral to gaining a greater depth of understanding.
Although I knew from the beginning who would "win" and who would "lose", the details of the battle to breach and protect the walls showed such a tremendous dominance of will against the odds on both sides. Becoming more aware of issues under the surface: the insufficient manpower, lack of funds to reinforce walls and an absence of Christian unified support made the outcome seem inevitable. The love of the Greeks for Constantine and their undecided support of Giovanni made you hope against hope that they would hold fast.
The fight of the young Mehmet to free himself from the restrictions placed upon him by his "advisors" and his father's failure to develop him as a leader was brilliantly laid out. His struggle to be recognised permeated the entire Ottoman battle. Fighting against the memory of a father who never supported him and the principal advisor Halil he inherited from dear old dad show more burnished his character throughout the novel. Mehmet slowly grew into his own sense of self worth and in doing so earning the admiration of his people by biding his time and working his plans through via innovative strategies.
Pride and purpose drove Constantine to defend his Greek Orthodox faith (he gave in to the pressure to embrace the Latin doctrine) and above all "his" city a center of Christianity. It was very disappointing to learn that Zophia was fictional since all other characters were historical. Her symbology enveloped the feelings of the Greek peoples and helped to demonstrate the random treatment of the conquered that Mehmet doled out. The self centered reaction of the Christian entities involved served to fail them in the end. A good lesson in looking at the greater good for the entire religion, not the separate pieces.
I have personally visited the Hagia Sophia and seen the Christian icons side by side with the Muslim script. I have appreciated the secular nature of Turkey and the ability to enter Blue Mosque built solely as a tribute to Islam just across the square.
Mehmet seems to have been ahead of his time in terms of tolerance for other beliefs and had the foresight to see that he needed to import Greeks and Italians to help build up the city afterwards to regain its glory. And then he could later surpass its former glory with reforms of his own.
I appreciated the wrapping up of the main characters and city states at the end due to the clarity it provided, especially for some who may not have known much about this piece of monumental history. show less
This review was written for LibraryThing Member Giveaways.
Surprise; this book is NOT about Alex Cross being on trial. As a matter of fact he is not even a character.
Instead the reader is drawn into a world of such horror and deep sadness to think of the cruelty of man to another who doesn't look "just like me".
Told from the viewpoint of a young child who witnessed a lynching in a town where the KKK is a strong and proud tradition that should not be taken a stand against.
Sent by the President of the United States to Eudora, Mississippi to ascertain the veracity of the rumors of these events, a young lawyer learns the dark secrets of his hometown and those he grew up with.
I was captivated by this sadly true story and the incredible courage this lawyer found within himself to make a stand despite the very life threatening risks to himself and those he learned to care so deeply for.
A new view into a horrid part of our nation's history.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who seeks truth, enlightenment and a peek into a side of life they may have little personal knowledge of.
This is a book that WILL move you.
It is NOT light entertainment.
Instead the reader is drawn into a world of such horror and deep sadness to think of the cruelty of man to another who doesn't look "just like me".
Told from the viewpoint of a young child who witnessed a lynching in a town where the KKK is a strong and proud tradition that should not be taken a stand against.
Sent by the President of the United States to Eudora, Mississippi to ascertain the veracity of the rumors of these events, a young lawyer learns the dark secrets of his hometown and those he grew up with.
I was captivated by this sadly true story and the incredible courage this lawyer found within himself to make a stand despite the very life threatening risks to himself and those he learned to care so deeply for.
A new view into a horrid part of our nation's history.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who seeks truth, enlightenment and a peek into a side of life they may have little personal knowledge of.
This is a book that WILL move you.
It is NOT light entertainment.
This book touched me very deeply. Danielle Steel's gut wrenching search to figure out what is wrong with her son Nick, to enable him to grow and achieve and offer some sense of normalcy for him is incredibly captivating. You so badly want him to find the strength and desire to continue the battle and go on. This is by far her best writing. The truth and desperation draws you in and her strength in sharing her struggles to manage this tragic disease truly rip your heart open. This is a book I will never forget.
I found this book to be quite captivating. It draws you in immediately and you feel the passion and confusion of the main character in his changing relationships with those around him