8-9 Stars
Since I don't really have time to write my own synopsis of this book I'm posting a copied one from Amazon:
"In an ancient Arab nation, one woman dares to be different.Buran cannot -- Buran will not-sit quietly at home and wait to be married to the man her father chooses. Determined to use her skills and earn a fortune, she instead disguises herself as a boy and travels by camel caravan to a distant city. There, she maintains her masculine disguise and establishes a successful business. The city's crown prince comes often to her shop, and soon Buran finds herself falling in love. But if she reveals to Mahmud that she is a woman, she will lose everything she has worked for."
I loved this book...Admittedly the first reason I picked it up was because of Trina Schart Hyman's beautiful Cover illustration (I can honestly say that I've read every book I've come across that has had the cover art done by T.S.H. She is a GENIUS! Any author lucky enough to have her art on their book should be singing her praises...GENIUS!)
The story is told in parts from the perspective of different characters. I love the insight into the lives and culture of Arab and Muslim women (and men) of the day. The characters are easy to identify with and feel empathy for. The plot is interesting and inventive.
I have reread this book at least two times since first reading it...it is a fairly quick read, and always leaves me feeling satisfied.
I haven't read this book for a very long time, but when I was supposed to give Sarah's copy back to her (from Amy), I may have "forgotten" so I could re-read it. ;) Yeah, so that probably indicates I would give it at least an 8. (Let's not lie, I'm not prone to re-reading very often.) But I may add further comment upon actual reading.
ReplyDeleteIncidentally, I completely agree with Amy's comment about Trina Schart Hyman. She and I must have similar reading tastes, because most books that I pick up solely for having her picture on the front, I end up really liking. Turns out you CAN judge a book by its cover.
Okay, I've re-read it now, and I'm going to stick with the 8, BUT maybe a -.5 or some other tiny amount for some very mildly--but not unexpected--suggestive material. (It is, after all, a book about a girl that dresses up as a boy, and is set in a time and place where harems abound.) It follows a "storyteller's tale" format pretty faithfully, I thought, which adds to the oriental flavor. I sort of wish the whole thing stuck to Buran's perspective, but it's still worth the afternoon it'll probably take you to read it.
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