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The Janissary Tree: A Novel Audiobook
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(3.00) - 1,996 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
The Janissary Tree, the first book in a new series, is set in a most extraordinary world and features a most extraordinary sleuth.
It is 1836. Europe is modernizing, and the Ottoman Empire must follow suit. But just before the sultan announces sweeping changes, a wave of murders threatens the fragile balance of power in his court. Who is behind them? Only one intelligence agent can be trusted to find out: Yashim Togalu, a man both brilliant and near-invisible in this world.
You see, Yashim is a eunuch.
He leads us into the palace's luxurious seraglios and Istanbul's teeming streets, and leans on the wisdom of a dyspeptic Polish ambassador, a transsexual dancer, and a Creole-born queen mother. He finds sweet salvation in the arms of another man's wife (this is not your everyday eunuch). And he introduces us to the Janissaries. For 400 years earlier the sultan had them crushed. Are the Janissaries staging a brutal comeback?
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"This novel is a decent mystery, but the best part about it is the way that the author describes the likely culture and inner workings of the Ottomon court in the late 19th Century. Ottoman society was a complex and rich mixture quite unlike anything we have had in the U.S., and I appreciate the author's effort to give it some real texture. As a result, I have decided to read a history of the Crimean War, and important precursor to the collapse of the Empire."
— Herschel (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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A work of dazzling beauty…The rare coming together of historical scholarship and curiosity about distant places with luminous writing.
— The New York Times Book Review -
“Goodwin, the author of a well-received history of the Ottoman Empire, Lords of the Horizons, makes a welcome shift to fiction with this impressive first of a new mystery series set in the empire’s declining decades.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“As Yashim wends his way in and out of the opulent palace and through the sordid back alleys of nineteenth-century Istanbul, the reader is treated to an appropriately exotic tour of a time and a place where intrigue, deceit, and corruption fueled perilous personal and political passions.”
— Booklist -
“An unusual, exotic historical mystery that reads like literature and moves like a thriller.”
— George Pelecanos, author of Drama City
The Janissary Tree Listener Reviews
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" Really enjoyed this unusual mystery set in Istanbul in the 1830s. Looking forward to further in this series as the characters were so engaging. "
— Vivienne, 2/19/2014 -
" Great setting (Ottoman Empire) and memorable characters (A eunuch, an ambassador without a country, a cross-dressing dancer to name a few)...This is a quick and enjoyable read. "
— Sarah, 2/11/2014 -
" A nice historical fiction/mystery about the Ottoman Empire in the 1830's. The pacing was relatively fast without skipping richness of description. The overall story worked very well, especially for a first novel. I look forward to seeing how the main character, a eunuch named Yashim, develops over the course of the series. "
— Brian, 2/11/2014 -
" Entertaining mystery set in 19th century Istanbul "
— Chris, 1/13/2014 -
" A terrific and intriguing setting, but the mystery was rather disappointing. "
— H.N., 1/11/2014 -
" This won a Gold Dagger? "
— Sam, 12/30/2013 -
" I am a sucker for historical mysteries, so I really enjoyed this look at 19th century Istanbul. "
— Allen, 12/13/2013 -
" Not my usual time period for what I tend to read, but a good book. Very interesting characters! "
— Gayle, 11/28/2013 -
" The Janissary Tree purports to be a mystery but in this novel the mystery does not appear to ever get solved. It is an interesting commentary on a segment of the Ottoman Empire, so if one knew nothing about it, after reading this book one would know a few new things. "
— Jared, 11/26/2013 -
" Really fun subject matter: eunuch detective in 1830s Istanbul! But NOT very well written. More interesting for the details of the sultan's court and Istanbul life than as an aesthetic experience... "
— Deborah, 11/18/2013 -
" Well-written historical mystery. More history, less mystery though. lovedthe characters. and the descriptions of food. "
— Chiranjeev, 8/14/2013 -
" I should have known a book that joz_pierce kept nattering about would be this stupid. "
— Anurasika, 4/30/2013 -
" Ottoman. Rec. by Mary M. "
— Sally, 4/2/2013 -
" A mystery led by an eunuch thru the Ottoman Empire in the 1830's. "
— Angela, 1/4/2013 -
" Liked the setting, couldn't get into the story or characters. "
— Lauren, 12/25/2012 -
" An entertaining literary drama with enough historical accuracy to satisfy the purist. Extraordinarily well written. Great characters. "
— Nick, 9/7/2012 -
" The plot was quite interesting but I am not particularly impressed with the historical bits. For instance the Janissaries were Bektashis, there is no such thing as Karagoz sect. "
— Adri, 7/23/2012 -
" Recommended by my mother-in-law (great knowledge and judgement regarding literature in general and mysteries in particular). Terrific late-Ottoman Empire Istambul setting including the revolt of the Jannisaries- a great fun read. "
— Marc, 7/2/2012 -
" Well-deserving of its Edgar nomination - clever use of vernacular dialogue and a drum-tight plot makes this a historical winner. "
— Jessica, 1/25/2012 -
" Istanbul in the 1850's. Just enough exotic details, history, and food to keep my interest. "
— Peggy, 12/17/2011 -
" really really good. Kind of like a Poirot mystery in the Ottoman Empire. Except the main investigator has no testicles (he's a eunich). Well-written and a good entertaining dip into turkish history and culture. "
— Arian, 10/2/2011 -
" I thought I would love this but found it oh so hard to get into. maybe you need more Ottoman history before starting? Interesting nevertheless . "
— Helen, 5/13/2011 -
" A very evocative portrait of Istanbul in the 1830's. The author's writing is very lush and vivid, especially of place and food. An easy dollop of history goes down as well. The mystery...well, let's say it's secondary. I would not call this a great "mystery" series. "
— Kate, 5/9/2011 -
" Finally got to read the first in this series dealing with the problem solving eunuch, Yashim, in the Ottoman Empire in the 1820s. Enjoyed it just as much, if not more than the others I've read in the series and convinced me to try the author's history of the Ottomans. "
— Kathleen, 5/3/2011 -
" I finished this one this morning, and, it was quite satisfying...I loved the descriptions of Istanbul, and the detective character, Yahsim, is a unique one. He also has unique friends (and enemies).I am looking forward to the next ones in the series. "
— Sally, 4/28/2011 -
" Entertaining mystery set in 19th century Istanbul "
— Chris, 4/27/2011 -
" This one beat me. I'll confess right now, when I can't get into a book I'll give up quickly. There is just too much out there for me to fight through a book I cannot sympathize with. "
— Sandra, 4/22/2011 -
" The setting,not the "mystery" make this story. "
— Bridget, 3/24/2011 -
" I found this one difficult to read, mostly because I'm unfamiliar with the history and geography of the setting. However, the mystery plot was very entertaining. "
— Tara, 3/11/2011 -
" We read this for The Dean's Book Club at Russell Sage College. Interesting. "
— Hannah, 3/7/2011 -
" Wonderful mystery set in nineteenth century Istanbul. "
— Nina, 3/7/2011 -
" liked it a lot - really transports the reader to constantinople of the past. "
— Anselm, 2/28/2011
About Jason Goodwin
Jason Goodwin is the author of Lords of the Horizons: A History of the Ottoman Empire, A Time for Tea: Through China and India in Search of Tea, and On Foot to the Golden Horn, among others. He lives in Sussex, England, with his wife and four children.
About Stephen Hoye
Stephen Hoye has worked as a professional actor in London and Los Angeles for more than thirty years. Trained at Boston University and the Guildhall in London, he has acted in television series and six feature films and has appeared in London’s West End. His audiobook narration has won him fifteen AudioFile Earphones Awards.