Jamal Eddin Shamil is only eight years old when he is stolen from his native Caucasus Mountains and whisked away by Russian soldiers to the glittering court at St. Petersburg. There Czar Nicholas takes a special interest in his exotic Muslim hostage, the eldest son of Chechen warrior chief Imam Shamil. In St. Petersburg, Jamal Eddin is immersed in imperial life, educated alongside the czar’s own sons and gradually maturing into the consummate courtier. Through it all, he remains true to the Muslim faith of his father—until he falls in love with a beautiful Russian aristocrat. To marry her he must convert to Christianity, a sacrifice Jamal Eddin is prepared to make for the woman he loves. But he doesn’t realize that there are greater forces at work, forces that have lain in wait for Jamal Eddin to come of age and serve the purpose for which he was groomed. And when he is called to return to his native land and take his rightful place as leader of the Muslims, Jamal Eddin must choose: reject his people to follow his heart or abandon his bride to fulfill his duty.
Based on an astonishing true story, Between Love and Honor is a sweeping historical novel in the grand style of Alexandre Dumas and a breathtaking love story of sacrifice and devotion. It was awarded with two prestigious literary prizes upon its publication in France in 2009: the Prix des Romancières award presented by a jury of female novelists, and the Prix Vivre Plus award granted by the monthly magazine of the same name.
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"A lovely historical drama based on true facts. The ending left me sad but I still respect all the characters and actions they took. Much information about Islam is misguided." — Sarah_ekm (4 out of 5 stars)
"A lovely historical drama based on true facts. The ending left me sad but I still respect all the characters and actions they took. Much information about Islam is misguided."
" A little long, but interesting - gave insight into the Muslim culture in Chechen region. Then when this is combined with life in the St. Petersburg court it adds an interesting element. Liked that it is based on a true story. "
" I enjoyed this book, however I am not familiar with Russian history or geography, so I did not enjoy it as much as I probably should have. "
" Historical fiction based on memoirs, letters and real life accounts! Loved it! "
" A fabulous read! "
" Like this quite a bit more than other reviewers did. It was worth the read. "
" Interesting read to compare our current affairs to the era this book was set. And it is based on a true story. "
" Made it over halfway through and just didn't like it enough to keep going. "
" Loved this book -- extremely well written. "
Alexandra Lapierre is a French novelist and biographer. She is a graduate of the Sorbonne and the University of Southern California. Her bestselling books have been translated worldwide and have garnered her numerous awards, including the best book of the year by the readers of Elle magazine for her biography of American pioneer Fanny Stevenson. She was voted Woman of Culture by the city of Rome, Italy, and has been nominated Chevalier in the “Order of Arts and Letters” by the French government. She lives in Paris.
Nick Podehl is a professional voice actor. He has narrated numerous audiobooks, many of which have won prestigious awards, including fourteen AudioFile Earphones Awards. He currently lives and works around Grand Rapids, Michigan, with his wife.
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