Jason Goodwin
The Janissary Tree (2006)
Author: Jason Goodwin
Genre: Mystery (Amateur Detective)
Plot Summary:
Yashim Togalu is a eunuch whose skills have given him a certain amount of prestige in the court of Sultan Mahmut II, sultan of the Ottoman Empire in the 1830s. Yashim is one of a handful of people who has access to the sultan's Harem, and it is to Yashim that the Sultan turns whenever political dilemmas requiring delicacy, tact, and speed arise. Knowing this, the Seraskier, the general of the sultan's army, the New Guard, calls for Yashim when four of his officers come missing. One has been found, cooked in a large pot. The other three seem to face a similar fate. Yashim is only given ten days to figure out what has happened to the officers. As he moves further in his investigation, Yashim becomes convinced that the officers' disappearance is connected with a possible uprising of the Janissaries, an army whom the sultan defeated ten years ago. As Yashim works to find out when the uprising is set to take place, Yashim is also asked to investigate a murder in the sultan's harem and the theft of the sultan's mother's Napoleonic jewels. SPOILER: The case of the murder of the officers, the possible Janissary uprising, the murder in the harem, and the jewel theft all come to a climax at the same time. Convinced that the discovery of the last officer's body signals the start of the Janissary uprising, Yashim convinces the sultan and the seraskier to send the New Guard into the streets of Istanbul in an attempt to push the Janissaries back. As the seraskier aligns his troops, Yashim enters the harem's quarters and discovers that it was the kislar agha, the head servant of the harem, who committed murder to steal the Napoleonic jewels. When the kislar agha is killed, Yashim rejoins the New Guard to discover that the seraskier has not aligned the troops to protect the city, but to help the Janissaries retake the city. Yashim convinces the New Guard to turn and retalliate, thus saving the city. The seraskier committs suicide when he witnesses his failure.
Geographical Setting: Istanbul, Turkey
Time Period: Nineteenth-Century Ottoman Empire (1836)
Series: First book in the Investigator Yashim series
Appeal Characteristics:
Although relatively fast-paced (chapters average a page an a half long), the author doesn't use this as an excuse to leave his readers confused. The novel is written in a literary style filled with historical detail, explaining what Istanbul was like in the 1830s. While this style slows down the narration somewhat, suspense builds at a gradual pace and comes to a convincing climax at the end. The book is almost a classic textbook detective story with Yashim the Eunuch as the principle character. Emphasis is placed on the fact that since Yashim is a eunuch, he can enter any society in Istanbul without notice. Because of this, only Yashim can solve the mysteries presented to him. The reader must follow Yashim through to the very end in order to solve the primary plot of a Janissary uprising. The reader is given more clues to the secondary plot of a murder and a theft in the sultan's harem, and it is thus easier for the reader to solve than it is for Yashim. A number of sidekicks are used to gather clues, all of which have interesting personalities. Of special note are the Polish ambassador Palewski, Yashim's transsexual dancer friend Preen, and market trader Murad Eslek.
Read-alikes: Those who enjoyed the plot and setting of The Janissary Tree may also enjoy The Mosaic of Shadows by Tom Harper. Both are set in Istanbul/Constantinople, and focus on murder in the sultan’s court. Both novels feature amateur detectives known for their general knack for problem solving. Although not set in the same time periods, both deal with the theme of changing times. Those who enjoyed the historical elements of The Janissary Tree may also enjoy The Sultan’s Seal by Jenny White, which has been praised for the historical detail included in the novel. The story takes place in Istanbul during the same time period as that of The Janissary Tree and also involves a murder in the sultan's harem. Four for a Boy by Mary Reed and Eric Mayer may be a good suggestion for those who liked the concept of The Janissary Tree but prefer novels with a lighter tone. This series focuses on Istanbul in 6th Century Constantinople. John the Eunuch is working at the request of the emperor, but just like Goodwin’s Yashim he wanders through all social spheres to do so. For those who liked the literary and historical aspects of The Janissary Tree, My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk may be a good recommendation. The focus in this book seems to be on the literary quality of the stories instead of on the plot or the famous detective. The book takes place in 16th Century Istanbul. Liberation Movements, also known as Istanbul Variations, by Olen Steinhauer may be a good suggestion for those who liked the Eastern European setting of The Janissary Tree, but want a faster-paced novel. Defined as a thriller instead of a mystery, this book is set in Istanbul in 1968. Although the setting is more modern, it once again deals with a time period of political unrest. A secret policeman and a homicide detective work together to solve this case.
Red Flags: Some language, nudity, sexual references, references to murder (especially murder of the cooking order)
|top|
|
