I purchased this book hoping to read about a fresh, lush, complex Constantinople through the eyes of a woman clothed in layers of secrecy. I did not find it: the narrative was weak, jumping over all the delicious little "difficult" pieces of the main character's journey to emphasize discussions between characters; the character development was weak, as the writer chose instead to fill the gaps with historical knowledge of the city, linger incessantly on who was a eunuch or not, and react strangely to commonplace situations instead of individual details; the plot was weak, as her rise to importance was nearly instant, from a "pauper" with no reputation to her name (although successful where she came from) to the armpit of intrigue with little explanation as to, exactly how; the setting was weak, with a cursory glance around the city before we're lost in trips to talk to people, parlor conversations, and the most marginal of backstory before we're supposed to care.I wanted a saturation in a story. I got through a handful of boring scenes between supposedly important people before I put the book down. This book does have some flaws, mostly related to the author's less than thorough knowledge of Byzantine civilization.However, I loved the book. The character development was very good and her writing was wonderful. I think some fans of Anne Perry's, or mystery aficionados in general, may have been put off since it is a mystery, but it doesn't get solved for a good 6 or 7 years. I don't read many mysteries, but I think most get solved quicker than that. For me, though, it was the history of what was going on during those years that helped pull me through the book. That and her wonderful writing style.
Do You like book Du Sang Sur La Soie (2011)?
This book is taking me back to Istanbul. I am slowing down to savor the words and images.
—Peri
Enjoyed reading this book but did not like it as much as Anne Perry's other mysteries.
—Kiolilo
Byzantium history,something I knew nothing about until I read this.
—email0047
Pretty good. A little different for Anne Perry.
—dfilmsent
