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Kadin #1
Гарем
XV століття. Шотландія. Юна Джанет попрощалася зі щасливим життям того дня, коли її викрали й продали до гарему турецького султана. Вона отримує нове ім’я – Сайра – і нову долю. Тоді вона ще була наївною дівчинкою, але вчасно зрозуміла, що може продати невинність так вигідно, як продали її саму. Джанет усвідомлює: щоб видертися на вершину влади, потрібно спуститися на таку глибину, де про моральні принципи ніхто й не чув.
Відверта історія про те, чого можна досягти, упавши на самісіньке дно.
Бертріс Смолл – одну з найвідоміших романісток світу – не дарма часто називають королевою жіночого роману. Кожен її твір стає бестселером і користується величезним попитом. Мільйони читачів із захопленням перечитують незрівнянні, чуттєві, сповнені інтриг, пристрастей та пригод романи.
Відверта історія про те, чого можна досягти, упавши на самісіньке дно.
Бертріс Смолл – одну з найвідоміших романісток світу – не дарма часто називають королевою жіночого роману. Кожен її твір стає бестселером і користується величезним попитом. Мільйони читачів із захопленням перечитують незрівнянні, чуттєві, сповнені інтриг, пристрастей та пригод романи.
512 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1978
226 people are currently reading
1952 people want to read
About the author
Bertrice Small
216 books1,128 followersBertrice Williams was born on December 9, 1937 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA, the daughter of Doris S. and David R. Williams, both broadcasters. She studied at Attended Western College for Women and Katharine Gibbs Secretarial School. On October 5, 1963, she married George Sumner Small, a photographer and designer with a History Major at Princeton. They had a son Thomas David. She lived on eastern Long Island for over 30 years. Her greatest passions were her family; Finnegan and Sylvester, the family cats; Nicki, the elderly cockatiel who whistles the NY Mets charge call; her garden; her work, and just life in general.
Published since 1947, Bertrice Small was the author of over 50 romance novels. A New York Times bestselling author, she had also appeared on other best-seller lists including Publishers Weekly, USA Today, and the L.A. Times. She was the recipient of numerous awards including Career Achievement for Historical Romance; Best Historical Romance; Outstanding Historical Romance Series; Career Achievement for Historical Fantasy; a Golden Leaf from the New Jersey Romance Writers chapter of Romance Writers of America; an Author of the Year (2006) and Big Apple Award from the New York City Romance Writers chapter of RWA, and several Reviewers Choice awards from Romantic Times. She had a "Silver Pen" from Affair De Coeur, and an Honorable Mention from The West Coast Review of Books. In 2004 she was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by ROMANTIC TIMES magazine for her contributions to the Historical Romance genre. And in 2008 she was named by ROMANTIC TIMES along with her friends Jennifer Blake, Roberta Gellis and Janelle Taylor, a Pioneer of Romance.
Bertrice Small was a member of The Authors Guild, Romance Writers of America, PAN, and PASIC. She was also a member of RWA's Long Island chapter, L.I.R.W., and is its easternmost member on the North Fork of Eastern Long Island.
Published since 1947, Bertrice Small was the author of over 50 romance novels. A New York Times bestselling author, she had also appeared on other best-seller lists including Publishers Weekly, USA Today, and the L.A. Times. She was the recipient of numerous awards including Career Achievement for Historical Romance; Best Historical Romance; Outstanding Historical Romance Series; Career Achievement for Historical Fantasy; a Golden Leaf from the New Jersey Romance Writers chapter of Romance Writers of America; an Author of the Year (2006) and Big Apple Award from the New York City Romance Writers chapter of RWA, and several Reviewers Choice awards from Romantic Times. She had a "Silver Pen" from Affair De Coeur, and an Honorable Mention from The West Coast Review of Books. In 2004 she was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by ROMANTIC TIMES magazine for her contributions to the Historical Romance genre. And in 2008 she was named by ROMANTIC TIMES along with her friends Jennifer Blake, Roberta Gellis and Janelle Taylor, a Pioneer of Romance.
Bertrice Small was a member of The Authors Guild, Romance Writers of America, PAN, and PASIC. She was also a member of RWA's Long Island chapter, L.I.R.W., and is its easternmost member on the North Fork of Eastern Long Island.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
August 13, 2017
A Classic Saga: Love with a Turkish Sultan
First published in 1978, this was Small’s debut novel and by her own words, she spent five years researching it. I love that her stories reflect deep historical research. It shows in the many details and the vivid descriptions.
The saga begins in the late 15th century and covers more than fifty years. It’s divided into 5 parts, named for the heroine’s roles: the Ambassador’s Daughter, Cyra, The Kadin, Hafise and Janet. And the beginning and end, which take place in Scotland, provide perspective on her life. (And it’s in Scotland where the bodice ripping occurs.)
This is the story of Lady Janet Leslie, the only daughter of a Scottish earl, Lord Glenkirk, King James’ ambassador to the tiny Mediterranean country of San Lorenzo. At 14, she is happily betrothed to the San Lorenzo’s heir, but then she is betrayed by a servant, abducted and sold on the auction block in Crete. The highest bidder was Hadji Bey, chief eunuch for the Sultan of Turkey. Even Janet’s father could not find the gold to outbid him.
Taken to the Sultan’s harem, Janet’s name is changed to Cyra (meaning “flame” for her vivid red gold hair) and there she is taught all she needs to serve the Sultan (which conjured images of Esther and Daniel from the Old Testament). She also makes two friends bought by Hadji Bey around the same time, one from China and one from the Caucus mountains. These two women become her closest friends. When the 25th birthday of the Sultan’s youngest son, Salim, arrives, he is given the choice of six women from the Sultan’s harem to form his own. Unbeknownst to the Sultan, Hadji Bey has been hiding the three virgins he wants Salim to choose. Salim chooses Janet (Cyra) and her two companions, to be among the six, as he was encouraged to do by Hadji Bey.
A wonderful cast of secondary characters surrounds Cyra as she takes up her role as Salim’s favorite. And Small’s research is evident in the many details of harem life and the eastern culture that pervades the story. That Cyra, a strong-willed, high-spirited young teenager could easily accept her fate was a bit hard to swallow. But as the story continues, it is consistent with her character and her decisions to pursue the path of diplomacy and wisdom.
Many things happen in this saga. There is intrigue, treachery (including murder) and jealousy among the women—exactly what happened historically. Cyra takes her place among the Kadins (the women of the harem who give Salim children) and becomes the bas Kadin, the mother of Salim’s heir, Suleiman (a real historic figure and the longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire). Cyra’s wisdom and leadership rise to the fore and she is respected and loved by all but her rivals.
Great storytelling, wonderful characters and real history deftly woven make this a well-loved classic. However, the end is bittersweet, which will disappoint some romance readers who prefer to be left happy. And, with the events in the Middle East today, romances that feature a Muslim sultan acquiring an European Christian woman to add her to his harem, have lost much of their former appeal. It would not be the fantasy of many women today.
The sequel is LOVE WILD AND FAIR, the story of Catriona, one of Janet’s descendants.
You can see my tribute to the author here: http://reganromancereview.blogspot.co...
First published in 1978, this was Small’s debut novel and by her own words, she spent five years researching it. I love that her stories reflect deep historical research. It shows in the many details and the vivid descriptions.
The saga begins in the late 15th century and covers more than fifty years. It’s divided into 5 parts, named for the heroine’s roles: the Ambassador’s Daughter, Cyra, The Kadin, Hafise and Janet. And the beginning and end, which take place in Scotland, provide perspective on her life. (And it’s in Scotland where the bodice ripping occurs.)
This is the story of Lady Janet Leslie, the only daughter of a Scottish earl, Lord Glenkirk, King James’ ambassador to the tiny Mediterranean country of San Lorenzo. At 14, she is happily betrothed to the San Lorenzo’s heir, but then she is betrayed by a servant, abducted and sold on the auction block in Crete. The highest bidder was Hadji Bey, chief eunuch for the Sultan of Turkey. Even Janet’s father could not find the gold to outbid him.
Taken to the Sultan’s harem, Janet’s name is changed to Cyra (meaning “flame” for her vivid red gold hair) and there she is taught all she needs to serve the Sultan (which conjured images of Esther and Daniel from the Old Testament). She also makes two friends bought by Hadji Bey around the same time, one from China and one from the Caucus mountains. These two women become her closest friends. When the 25th birthday of the Sultan’s youngest son, Salim, arrives, he is given the choice of six women from the Sultan’s harem to form his own. Unbeknownst to the Sultan, Hadji Bey has been hiding the three virgins he wants Salim to choose. Salim chooses Janet (Cyra) and her two companions, to be among the six, as he was encouraged to do by Hadji Bey.
A wonderful cast of secondary characters surrounds Cyra as she takes up her role as Salim’s favorite. And Small’s research is evident in the many details of harem life and the eastern culture that pervades the story. That Cyra, a strong-willed, high-spirited young teenager could easily accept her fate was a bit hard to swallow. But as the story continues, it is consistent with her character and her decisions to pursue the path of diplomacy and wisdom.
Many things happen in this saga. There is intrigue, treachery (including murder) and jealousy among the women—exactly what happened historically. Cyra takes her place among the Kadins (the women of the harem who give Salim children) and becomes the bas Kadin, the mother of Salim’s heir, Suleiman (a real historic figure and the longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire). Cyra’s wisdom and leadership rise to the fore and she is respected and loved by all but her rivals.
Great storytelling, wonderful characters and real history deftly woven make this a well-loved classic. However, the end is bittersweet, which will disappoint some romance readers who prefer to be left happy. And, with the events in the Middle East today, romances that feature a Muslim sultan acquiring an European Christian woman to add her to his harem, have lost much of their former appeal. It would not be the fantasy of many women today.
The sequel is LOVE WILD AND FAIR, the story of Catriona, one of Janet’s descendants.
You can see my tribute to the author here: http://reganromancereview.blogspot.co...
May 24, 2021
RTC
This deserves a review. More for me to get a good night's sleep than anything else, still.
This deserves a review. More for me to get a good night's sleep than anything else, still.
October 23, 2014
The Muslim in me is offended and disgusted by the horrible lies told about my religion -_- Muslim men aren't allowed to sell and buy women and treat them like whores
* i won't bore you with all the details about the mistakes the writer made *
but please dear writers , READ A BOOK! ..
but even if i weren't a Muslim ,, where is the point of this novel ?? how can a woman take it easy that her husband has 5 other lovers and in what hell is to okay for a 13 year-old to be a mistress even if it's the 15th century -_- !!!!!!!!!!!!!! ... wasted hours of my precious life .
* i won't bore you with all the details about the mistakes the writer made *
but please dear writers , READ A BOOK! ..
but even if i weren't a Muslim ,, where is the point of this novel ?? how can a woman take it easy that her husband has 5 other lovers and in what hell is to okay for a 13 year-old to be a mistress even if it's the 15th century -_- !!!!!!!!!!!!!! ... wasted hours of my precious life .
April 29, 2015
The Kadin is Bertrice Small's debut novel, published in 1978. It is the harem novel of all harem novels, taking the reader on a wild journey from the Scottish Court of James IV in the late 1400s through the Ottoman Empire, inside the Sultan's harem, before concluding back in Europe in the mid 1500s.
What Small has created in this book is astounding, particularly because she wrote this decades before George R R Martin's beloved Game of Thrones novels that are, like Small, partly based on historical fact, partly based on the author's whimsical interpretation, and all of it sprinkled with a healthy dose of fantasy.
Love her or hate her, Small's imagination and vision put The Kadin way above your usual silly bodice-ripper romance. In fact, it is less of a romance than it is an epic historical fiction, filled with court and harem intrigues, wars, assassinations, spying, political conflict between Europe and the Ottoman Empire, and a clash of cultures and religion, from the Easternmost borders of China, through the "heretic" Shiite branch of Islam espoused by Ancient Persia, the Sunni model that rules the Ottoman Empire and Europe's weary Christian monarchs, resolved to weed out the pagan "Moors" as well as the Jewish populace, even as they fight among each other to uphold either the Protestant faction or the Catholic one.
The reason the novel is not as satisfying as Game of Thrones is not because of the writing style, because Small is a great writer who draws you into her stories. In her smaller, less ambitious novels that are more self-contained, limited to a specific historical period and location unlike this sweeping saga, she is very successful at character development. Here, because she has tried to cram her main character Janet Leslie's entire life in one book, we are left dizzy with the pace of events and the changes she endures both externally and internally. Her personal character's development suffers as a result of trying to bring the entire saga to conclusion and so it is difficult for the reader to comprehend or relate how she could turn from a Christian, Scottish, naive but feisty teen-ager, daughter to a less than important Earl, to a wise-beyond-her-years, cunning and admirable Turkish Kadin, wife to the most powerful leader East of Italy.
Written as a series, the Kadin could have rivaled any other epic saga. Readers looking for Small's usual sexy bodice rippers may be disappointed. This is definitely a novel where the historical fiction overwhelms the personal story of the characters. I, for one, loved it, and I truly admire this author. It bears repeating that this woman wrote this as her debut novel, and it spawned endless sequels and spin-offs. While I am not in love with all her books, she has my utmost admiration.
What Small has created in this book is astounding, particularly because she wrote this decades before George R R Martin's beloved Game of Thrones novels that are, like Small, partly based on historical fact, partly based on the author's whimsical interpretation, and all of it sprinkled with a healthy dose of fantasy.
Love her or hate her, Small's imagination and vision put The Kadin way above your usual silly bodice-ripper romance. In fact, it is less of a romance than it is an epic historical fiction, filled with court and harem intrigues, wars, assassinations, spying, political conflict between Europe and the Ottoman Empire, and a clash of cultures and religion, from the Easternmost borders of China, through the "heretic" Shiite branch of Islam espoused by Ancient Persia, the Sunni model that rules the Ottoman Empire and Europe's weary Christian monarchs, resolved to weed out the pagan "Moors" as well as the Jewish populace, even as they fight among each other to uphold either the Protestant faction or the Catholic one.
The reason the novel is not as satisfying as Game of Thrones is not because of the writing style, because Small is a great writer who draws you into her stories. In her smaller, less ambitious novels that are more self-contained, limited to a specific historical period and location unlike this sweeping saga, she is very successful at character development. Here, because she has tried to cram her main character Janet Leslie's entire life in one book, we are left dizzy with the pace of events and the changes she endures both externally and internally. Her personal character's development suffers as a result of trying to bring the entire saga to conclusion and so it is difficult for the reader to comprehend or relate how she could turn from a Christian, Scottish, naive but feisty teen-ager, daughter to a less than important Earl, to a wise-beyond-her-years, cunning and admirable Turkish Kadin, wife to the most powerful leader East of Italy.
Written as a series, the Kadin could have rivaled any other epic saga. Readers looking for Small's usual sexy bodice rippers may be disappointed. This is definitely a novel where the historical fiction overwhelms the personal story of the characters. I, for one, loved it, and I truly admire this author. It bears repeating that this woman wrote this as her debut novel, and it spawned endless sequels and spin-offs. While I am not in love with all her books, she has my utmost admiration.
March 10, 2021
This book is not a romance.
Saying this book is a romance is like saying The Other Boleyn Girl a romance.
But my god. I don't know how to explain my feelings right now. This book felt epic adventure. We were on a long journey of this young girl from Scotland towards the end of her death.
I am astoundedly pleased. Despite again the rape stuffs. I am... speechless.
P.s. I am very triggered by these depictions of Muslim, so know that I do not agree with that.
Saying this book is a romance is like saying The Other Boleyn Girl a romance.
But my god. I don't know how to explain my feelings right now. This book felt epic adventure. We were on a long journey of this young girl from Scotland towards the end of her death.
I am astoundedly pleased. Despite again the rape stuffs. I am... speechless.
P.s. I am very triggered by these depictions of Muslim, so know that I do not agree with that.
November 7, 2013
I finished the book an hour ago and thought about what I was going to say on the review. The bottom line is I really have no idea what I just read. This book was touted as a romance and there was no romance to it that I could see. It was more of a history of the Ottoman Empire. Guess what? I don't care about the Ottoman Empire. I didn't care about any of the characters in this book. There was so much detail about how opulent things were. I get it. Let's get down to some action here, you know. Nothing. The author most definitely did her research which is why I gave this book 3 stars but there was no plot, I wasn't drawn into the story at all and it got to a point where I just wanted to get it over with. Rather than draw me, the reader, into the story, she just told me the story. If I wanted to read a bedtime story, I'd read a Goodnight Moon or something by Dr. Suess.
People died, people lived, babies were born, children died which really was very tragic but I didn't feel anything other than, "Oh, that's a bummer." I didn't feel anything for any of them although I will say that I was pretty appalled that this girl was abducted at 14 and having children at 15 for a older man. But at the same time, that's how it was done back then and I had to keep that in mind.
Anyway, that being said, the book is great if you're a history buff but if you're looking for an action-packed romance, keep looking. You aren't going to find it here.
People died, people lived, babies were born, children died which really was very tragic but I didn't feel anything other than, "Oh, that's a bummer." I didn't feel anything for any of them although I will say that I was pretty appalled that this girl was abducted at 14 and having children at 15 for a older man. But at the same time, that's how it was done back then and I had to keep that in mind.
Anyway, that being said, the book is great if you're a history buff but if you're looking for an action-packed romance, keep looking. You aren't going to find it here.
December 23, 2015
IF YOU FIND ANY COPIES OF THE KADIN JUST BURN IT. THE WORLD AND THE COUNTLESS GENERATIONS THAT COME AFTER US WILL BE SO BLOODY GRATEFUL.
God how was this was rape-fuelled, atrociously written and bizarrely plotted book with laughable and unbelievable characters and nonsensical situations actually published?
Yeah, yeah I know this is an (early) 80s Bodice Ripper.......
Onto the review!
The Kadin is the story of the super special snowflake Lady Janet Leslie and her uncanny ability to be fucking perfect and brilliant no matter what land, culture or situation she should find herself in because God/Allah forbid that Lady Janet Mary-Sue Leslie should ever be so unlucky or actually have to face the trials/hardships of everyday life. Basically Janet is kidnapped aged 14 by Mediterranean Pirates, bought by the Chief Head Eunuch of the Imperial Ottoman Harem for OMG the greatest amount of money ever (!!!), renamed Cyra, forms a pact with two other slave girls, falls madly in love with Sultan Selim, becomes his favourite, gives birth to Suleiman the Magnificent all the while becoming the perfect concubine, mother, housewife, relations, political dissembler, expert info gatherer and all around angel of ever lasting mercy whose wisdom, kindness, beauty and managerial abilities are praised beyond the heavens themselves.
All by age 14.
And it only gets worse!
The crux of the matter is that Janet Leslie (who either has access to modern day anti-ageing creams/plastic surgery or has inexhaustible supply of Harry Potters Philosophers Stone i.e she never gets old or ugly ever! Not even when she's sixty!)is the dictionary definition of Mary-Sue; the one who should only be found in the angst ridden and execrable stories of starry eyed 14 year olds on Fanfiction.net. She's perfection incarnate and can do no wrong ever. She's oh so glorious and divine that she brings all powerful Sultans to their knees, advises older, experienced adults on what to do in a time of crisis, makes friends out of enemies as quick as you blink, can retain an enviable and slender figure after bearing 5 children, can inspire frenzied lust in every bloody man she meets and garners the adoration of nearly all she meets. Such blatant hero-worship is nauseating to the extreme and several times I wondered whether Bertrice Small had replaced the real manuscript of the Kadin as a sadistic joke for her readers.
The character of Janet Leslie ruins the story completely. She, for all her flawless brilliance and beauty (ugh the amount of times we're told about her fiery hair, marble skin, firm bosom and luminous green eyes is infinite and liable to cause explosions of rage), is a cypher; a caricature of a real breathing person; Heck she's probably a self insert by the author herself based on all the drooling she does over her. There is no way that any person like that could ever exist in real life; it isn't feasible and the novel/author fasts loses credibility. A woman so beautiful at 54 that men of 20 years are driven wild by lust? In that age, the 15th century no less?!? What were you smoking Ms Small? A woman soooo all powerful and mighty in the imperial harem that when she fakes her death (WTF?) and escapes back to her cherished Scotland she can still apparently influence events and assassinations in the Ottoman Empire no less??? Its clear now to me that when the stars shine at night they don't shine for all the world they shine for Lady Janet Leslie.
So all consuming was Ms Small's undying devotion to Janet Leslie that none of her other characters came alive or at least were not memorable enough for me to remember (Well maybe the Kadin Zuleika and her sick revenge of casting an old foe into sex slavery to a deformed evil man). Honestly to describe every single character beside Janet as dull, lacklustre and ill-defined is right on the mark. The utter lack of any decent characterisation or growth was shocking and thoroughly disappointing. Everyone firmly subscribed to black and white morality; no ambiguity here, amigos! Suleiman was smeared as weak and incapable of being a good soldier. WTF?!?
Writing and dialogue wise this was a childish, simplistic and insulting mess. Inelegant, awkward and frustrating were the three main words that bounced around in my poor head concerning this novel and its excuse of a writing style. No urgency, no suspense and no refinement about Ms Bertrice and her methods of writing. This is how young teenagers write with neither subtlety or forethought. Dialogue so fawning and unbelievable that I swear it should have been garnished with rose petals or whatever. I'm still struggling to understand how an adult could written and published such a book.
History wise, Ms Bertrice gets so many things, people, cultural aspects and dates wrong that its almost to hard to know where to start. Please do not take any of this as accurate! Read any book about the Ottoman empire, the Sultans or the Imperial Harem to get the right facts! One of the ways where Ms Bertrice messes up so badly is with the Kadins having more than one son. In reality this was never allowed (Suleiman and Heurrem have several sons but their relationship was unique and strayed far away from the excepted concubine master- relations of the day). After bearing the Sultan a son a concubine was never allowed near the Sultans bed again. If a concubine had two sons she could only support one to be Sultan and would have to watch the other die on his brothers command. Divided loyalties were not acceptable as a Princes greatest ally was his mother. Two Princes competing for the same mothers trust would cause havoc. A concubine could only return to the Sultans bed if she bore him a daughter. The real mother of Suleiman bore three daughters to Selim before Suleiman was born. See how wrong the Kadin is??
Like all Bertrice Small novels the Kadin has a very commending attitude towards rape. Why it isn't rape when a 14 year old girl is forced to sleep with a man 12 years her age and who says he wanted to rape her anyway if she didn't do what he said. It isn't rape when a old guy you just met gets into your bath and then drags you to bed to do the deed because you find it oh so wonderful and releasing. It isn't rape when a horny king 35 years your junior forces you into sex because oh how your body loves it. However it is rape when you sell an old foe as a slave to a horrible little rapist who proceeds to tie her up, rapes her and then sells her to be raped yet again by soldiers; after all how best to get your kicks from the humiliation of your old rival, rape will surely make you feel better as an individual. Fuck this book and its disgusting and thoroughly despicable attitude towards rape.
Also how the fuck did no one notice that the Princess of Cathay had been switched with a slave girl? How the fuck did no one find out that Janet had actually not died in the harem? How the fuck did that Prince Karim learn about Jesus Christ and actually believe in such stuff? How the fuck did Janet relearn and master the Scottish language and accent after more than 30 years in Turkey?
I am done. So very done. Never again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
dnf
May 27, 2018Remember that time Tova said she was going to read it even though she said she wasn't. Well she's DNFing it because she loves herself and knows she doesn't care and will probably hate it regardless, so she's saving herself pain and time.
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Remeber that time, Tova said she would never read another Bertrice Small book again? Yeah, well she's gonna read this one. My library bought this on my purchase suggestion (because I have zero control). So I'm going to read it and probably hate it. Expect another very long ranty review.
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Tova, breathe. Everything is going to be alright. *takes a deep breath* How many times do I have to say this: Kadin is an Ottoman Turkish title which is often used for ladies residing in a harem. It was used after the reign of Murad III. Before that time the proper term would be Khatun (or Hatun).
I actually wish my library had this book in its system, because I kind of want to read it, and then roast it - because I already know that I'm going to hate it.
---
Remeber that time, Tova said she would never read another Bertrice Small book again? Yeah, well she's gonna read this one. My library bought this on my purchase suggestion (because I have zero control). So I'm going to read it and probably hate it. Expect another very long ranty review.
---
Tova, breathe. Everything is going to be alright. *takes a deep breath* How many times do I have to say this: Kadin is an Ottoman Turkish title which is often used for ladies residing in a harem. It was used after the reign of Murad III. Before that time the proper term would be Khatun (or Hatun).
I actually wish my library had this book in its system, because I kind of want to read it, and then roast it - because I already know that I'm going to hate it.
May 23, 2019
I know Bertrice Small's books are not for everyone but I love them and this is no exception. I love how much research she puts into her books. They are not for the feint of heart. She digs into the deep, dark depths of our world's history and weaves it into her stories. Yes, the heroine of this book is put into some extreme situations. These situations are the types that really happened to women throughout history (and yes women are still dealing with these atrocities in today's world as well and despite some reviews to the contrary- human trafficking has been happening for a really long time and hasn't stopped). They are not easy situations. That is why I love Ms. Small's characters so much. They are really dealt a horrible hand in life. Instead of wallowing in misery, they take the hand dealt to them and they make it work for them. They carve out some happiness in this new existence. The heroine of this book, Janet, is no exception. She could cry and scream and carry on but it wouldn't do her any good. Instead she held her head high and started her new life. She found love not once but twice and she fought hard for everything in her life. I really love characters with real inner strength so she is definitely one of my favorites.
I am so glad I re-read this book as it is still one of my favorites. I already have book 2 lined up to read and I haven't read that before so I can't wait.
I am so glad I re-read this book as it is still one of my favorites. I already have book 2 lined up to read and I haven't read that before so I can't wait.
June 1, 2024
This book charts the colorful life of Janet Leslie from birth to death. Born in Scotland, she ended up one of the chief wives of an Ottoman prince and comes to play an important part in his reign.
Firstly, this is not a romance. We do not see much of the relationship between Janet/Cyra and either of her love interests. Instead, we get a lot of political intrigue, historical facts, and some lovable gal palling between Cyra and Selim's other wives. It's not serious historical fiction either - Cyra is too perfect for that. But I learned a surprising amount about Ottoman battles in this period all the same.
I enjoyed the first hundred or so pages of this book, full of Bertrice Small's typical over-the-top storytelling. The story slows toward the middle, but it didn't really begin to drag until when Janet returns to Scotland. Small seems to have run out of ideas and ended up dumping and dumping facts and cousin marriages all over the place. I was disappointed.
06/01/2024
Clearly I was a bit miffed by the last hundred pages or so - which really are a mess of battles that Janet's family don't even fight in - when I rated the book last. It's pretty solid until that point, and on this pass at the book I appreciated how Small showed how the women adapted to an alien culture, working inside the system to amass power and influence.
I also redoubled in my hatred of Colin Hay, who after the complex Selim appears even more the boor. That Janet succumbs to his charms defies explanation. The book really should have ended right after Janet's escape, but I guess we can't have everything.
Raising my rating to three stars.
Firstly, this is not a romance. We do not see much of the relationship between Janet/Cyra and either of her love interests. Instead, we get a lot of political intrigue, historical facts, and some lovable gal palling between Cyra and Selim's other wives. It's not serious historical fiction either - Cyra is too perfect for that. But I learned a surprising amount about Ottoman battles in this period all the same.
I enjoyed the first hundred or so pages of this book, full of Bertrice Small's typical over-the-top storytelling. The story slows toward the middle, but it didn't really begin to drag until when Janet returns to Scotland. Small seems to have run out of ideas and ended up dumping and dumping facts and cousin marriages all over the place. I was disappointed.
06/01/2024
Clearly I was a bit miffed by the last hundred pages or so - which really are a mess of battles that Janet's family don't even fight in - when I rated the book last. It's pretty solid until that point, and on this pass at the book I appreciated how Small showed how the women adapted to an alien culture, working inside the system to amass power and influence.
I also redoubled in my hatred of Colin Hay, who after the complex Selim appears even more the boor. That Janet succumbs to his charms defies explanation. The book really should have ended right after Janet's escape, but I guess we can't have everything.
Raising my rating to three stars.
April 16, 2013
I found that the summary of this book was very misleading. It makes it sound similar to one of Johanna Lindsey's older bodice rippers, but this book is really, really, not that. I wouldn't even call this a romance novel. There's no "emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending", and the main focus isn't even on the relationship between the primary couple. I would instead call this a historic novel, which is fine if that's what you're looking for.
The story follows the life of Janet, a girl from Scotland who comes to be the most powerful woman in Turkey. She's a little bit of a Mary Sue. This girl has it ALL, she's beautiful, wise, politically minded, sweet, practical, and fiery. And that's all when she's only thirteen! Her relationship with the hero is polygamous, which is different, but it does fit into the setting's cultural norms. Nobody seems to mind. In fact, her transition to living in Turkey was ridiculously smooth.
There's a lot of political drama in this book. A lot of spying, assassinations, and political manipulations by all the main characters. I would say that overall, the way the politics impacted the family made it sad, and the book ended on a low note for me.
TLDR: This isn't a romance novel, it's dramatic historical fiction about harem life. It's a little bit sad, but an interesting read.
The story follows the life of Janet, a girl from Scotland who comes to be the most powerful woman in Turkey. She's a little bit of a Mary Sue. This girl has it ALL, she's beautiful, wise, politically minded, sweet, practical, and fiery. And that's all when she's only thirteen! Her relationship with the hero is polygamous, which is different, but it does fit into the setting's cultural norms. Nobody seems to mind. In fact, her transition to living in Turkey was ridiculously smooth.
There's a lot of political drama in this book. A lot of spying, assassinations, and political manipulations by all the main characters. I would say that overall, the way the politics impacted the family made it sad, and the book ended on a low note for me.
TLDR: This isn't a romance novel, it's dramatic historical fiction about harem life. It's a little bit sad, but an interesting read.
November 21, 2015
Rating 3.5 Blossoms
I had high hopes for this one, and there were some things that were brilliant about this story. The history, the detail and the friendships that are developed. But quite frankly, I was disappointed in the romance and the ending was not what I expected. I would not term this as a romance, more around historical fiction with some romantic elements. I also didn't understand the heroine that well. She seemed way more mature than she should have been at being so young for what she is challenged by. At the beginning, she is carefree and energetic like any teenager. Then she gets kidnapped and sold and all of a sudden she acts years beyond her age. This didn't really make sense for me. BUt what I was impressed by was the detail that this author writes with. This is her first novel, and I know from her site, that she spent over five years in researching it. WOW!! That is impressive and I feel like she did a good job in the historical details of the story. But if you are looking for a HEA or even a HFN, you won't find it in The Kadin. Which was highly disappointing, since that is why I read romance. But will this deter me from reading this author more? HELL NO!! She is wonderful in the books I have read from her so far. And I know many of her author books, are actual romances. So I would recommend this one to historical fiction lovers with a spice of romance.
I had high hopes for this one, and there were some things that were brilliant about this story. The history, the detail and the friendships that are developed. But quite frankly, I was disappointed in the romance and the ending was not what I expected. I would not term this as a romance, more around historical fiction with some romantic elements. I also didn't understand the heroine that well. She seemed way more mature than she should have been at being so young for what she is challenged by. At the beginning, she is carefree and energetic like any teenager. Then she gets kidnapped and sold and all of a sudden she acts years beyond her age. This didn't really make sense for me. BUt what I was impressed by was the detail that this author writes with. This is her first novel, and I know from her site, that she spent over five years in researching it. WOW!! That is impressive and I feel like she did a good job in the historical details of the story. But if you are looking for a HEA or even a HFN, you won't find it in The Kadin. Which was highly disappointing, since that is why I read romance. But will this deter me from reading this author more? HELL NO!! She is wonderful in the books I have read from her so far. And I know many of her author books, are actual romances. So I would recommend this one to historical fiction lovers with a spice of romance.
December 28, 2012
Loved it! It is because of THIS book that I am now in love with Turkish style, history, culture, and of course Kadin (harem) . Read ALOT of single romance books of B.Small's ! Loved them all
February 19, 2013
Leave it to ole Bertrice to shake things up, delivering a most chaste harem saga. I mean, wow, she kind of makes it seem like the most sensible thing ever. The endless descriptions of both dress, hierarchy, and the chessboard game of thrones was a bit dulling, and that's after you swallowed the plot of a special snowflake tween who quickly and rationally hops into harem politics and diplomacy without batting an eye. Yeesh.
And I must stress - the typos were horrendous in the e-book version. Very distracting.
And I must stress - the typos were horrendous in the e-book version. Very distracting.
January 3, 2015
A steamy, kidnap-y premise devolves from bodice ripper into a snoozer. I liked her descriptions of harem life, but was unable to give a hoot about the central "love" story or the female friendships. I wanted more Hot Harem Sex and less Gal Pals. I'm shallow that way.
June 17, 2009
My favorite guilty pleasure romance. There's something about a harem fantasy...
Read
July 18, 2025thought this might be something interesting and different but it’s just not my bag baby.
August 2, 2013
I started reading this book to find out if it was a book I'd read years ago. I'd bought a romance book (along with bath oil, candles, etc) for a friend going through a hard time. I read it myself and loved it, then sent it on to her. I've been trying to find it to read again but can't remember the name.
It was about a young English girl who's ship is captured by pirates in the Mediterraian. After being bought and prepared for a harem, she has a love affair with the Arab Shiek she's given to. Very familiar to this story. Needless to say it's not the same book, but I loved this one also. Once into "The Kadin", I couldn't put it down.
Janet Leslie's story is amazing. She's a protected Scottish lass who now has to deal with being a slave as she is thrown into a completely different way of life that she's been used to. She not only survives but florishes showing the strength of her Scottish forebears. First she becomes the main wife of a Turkish prince, sharing him with five other young girls. Then when he becomes the Sultan, as the mother of his heir, she finds herself the second most powerful person in the kingdom after her husband. The intriques behind the walls of a Turkish harem in the 1600's is facinating.
Janet, now called Cyra, and Prince Salim are the perfect match, falling hopelessly in love. She becomes his safe place in a dangerous world. They have their blissful years, as Cyra, along with her three sister-wives, give birth to and raise the prince's many sons and daughters. But there are also the dangerous times then they have to fight to keep their family alive and together.
I love Hadji Bey, the head of the Sultan's eunuchs. He is a very wise, loyal man, who is a good friend to Prince Salim's family. Lady Renfret, Marian & Esther Kira are also facinating characters and good friends.
Ms Small really did her research. After doing some online digging of my own, I found that there really was a Salim I that ruled during the timeframe of this book. Just as in the book, he succeeded his father Sultan Bajazet, though instead of his brothers (Ahmet & Korkut)and nephews dying of natural causes, he killed them himself to eliminate threats to his throne. A common policy back then. He also conquered the same lands. All we know about Salim's wife was that her name was Ayse Hafsa, but the customs and hierarchy of the harem are correct. The historical accounts of the battles between Scottland, England & France are also correct.
Favorite part: Of course it's their first night together.
It was about a young English girl who's ship is captured by pirates in the Mediterraian. After being bought and prepared for a harem, she has a love affair with the Arab Shiek she's given to. Very familiar to this story. Needless to say it's not the same book, but I loved this one also. Once into "The Kadin", I couldn't put it down.
Janet Leslie's story is amazing. She's a protected Scottish lass who now has to deal with being a slave as she is thrown into a completely different way of life that she's been used to. She not only survives but florishes showing the strength of her Scottish forebears. First she becomes the main wife of a Turkish prince, sharing him with five other young girls. Then when he becomes the Sultan, as the mother of his heir, she finds herself the second most powerful person in the kingdom after her husband. The intriques behind the walls of a Turkish harem in the 1600's is facinating.
Janet, now called Cyra, and Prince Salim are the perfect match, falling hopelessly in love. She becomes his safe place in a dangerous world. They have their blissful years, as Cyra, along with her three sister-wives, give birth to and raise the prince's many sons and daughters. But there are also the dangerous times then they have to fight to keep their family alive and together.
I love Hadji Bey, the head of the Sultan's eunuchs. He is a very wise, loyal man, who is a good friend to Prince Salim's family. Lady Renfret, Marian & Esther Kira are also facinating characters and good friends.
Ms Small really did her research. After doing some online digging of my own, I found that there really was a Salim I that ruled during the timeframe of this book. Just as in the book, he succeeded his father Sultan Bajazet, though instead of his brothers (Ahmet & Korkut)and nephews dying of natural causes, he killed them himself to eliminate threats to his throne. A common policy back then. He also conquered the same lands. All we know about Salim's wife was that her name was Ayse Hafsa, but the customs and hierarchy of the harem are correct. The historical accounts of the battles between Scottland, England & France are also correct.
Favorite part: Of course it's their first night together.
March 8, 2018
He said it was going to be forever...
This was such a disappointment and talk about DEPRESSING. The hero dies---and he's got like five other wives. The sex is boring. Honestly, hanging wallpaper is more interesting. It's all subplots and intrigue. Like I really care that some nameless person was poisoned. Even the death of her sons is a simple afterthought. I cried more over a corny country song than this woman did over her son's death.
I am so disappointed. I was hoping for a prince to fall in love with a chick, chase her across deserts and love her desperately forever. I feel so cheated. It was like reading Ayn Rand. You're on page 675 and thinking, shit...now I have to finish it on principle alone.
This was such a disappointment and talk about DEPRESSING. The hero dies---and he's got like five other wives. The sex is boring. Honestly, hanging wallpaper is more interesting. It's all subplots and intrigue. Like I really care that some nameless person was poisoned. Even the death of her sons is a simple afterthought. I cried more over a corny country song than this woman did over her son's death.
I am so disappointed. I was hoping for a prince to fall in love with a chick, chase her across deserts and love her desperately forever. I feel so cheated. It was like reading Ayn Rand. You're on page 675 and thinking, shit...now I have to finish it on principle alone.
February 15, 2011
I don't quite know what to say about this book. It raised such conflicting emotions in me. I initially had real problems with the polygamous relationship of a sultan. Janet/Cyra loved Selim in spite of having been kidnapped to join his harem. And he loved her. Yet he never hesitated to take other women to his bed. That surprisingly bothered me. I guess because it didn't seem to bother her and I was relating to her throughout the book.
I was also saddened by all the tragedies in her life. I was not expecting this book to be a saga of her life. It never seemed to have the obligatory HEA. She outlived all of her children. It was just a sad story and has left me melancholy.
I was also saddened by all the tragedies in her life. I was not expecting this book to be a saga of her life. It never seemed to have the obligatory HEA. She outlived all of her children. It was just a sad story and has left me melancholy.
July 26, 2018
Mom gave this book a three star because the writing is good/the author has some talent. Mom, though, has some complaints they she needs to air so heads up, this is not a review as much as it is a complaint list, with some complements thrown in.
Mom liked some of the progressive female friendships, but there were still some very unprogressive ones too, along with unprogressive, sometime contradicting thoughts.
The other thing mom would say is this is not a romance, so much as it more came off to her as historical fiction with some romance in it. ( The romance part being written with the romance tint of the time.)
The discriptions in this book were to much for mom. They just seemed to go on and on. They were not bad, and it probably did not help that this was read on a reading crunch for a challenge, but mom did not feel the descriptions drew her in as much as they were something to skip. If it your cup of tea, great, but mom feel if the editor had told the author to cut back on the descriptions this book would have been a more solid read instead of a drag.
Lastly the ending was good and bad. We seemed to degrade, but we degraded with thought, so not bad.?.
Over all this book, unless your cup of tea, may not be worth the read.
Mom liked some of the progressive female friendships, but there were still some very unprogressive ones too, along with unprogressive, sometime contradicting thoughts.
The other thing mom would say is this is not a romance, so much as it more came off to her as historical fiction with some romance in it. ( The romance part being written with the romance tint of the time.)
The discriptions in this book were to much for mom. They just seemed to go on and on. They were not bad, and it probably did not help that this was read on a reading crunch for a challenge, but mom did not feel the descriptions drew her in as much as they were something to skip. If it your cup of tea, great, but mom feel if the editor had told the author to cut back on the descriptions this book would have been a more solid read instead of a drag.
Lastly the ending was good and bad. We seemed to degrade, but we degraded with thought, so not bad.?.
Over all this book, unless your cup of tea, may not be worth the read.
February 3, 2022
I have quietly been rereading this oldie. I did change my initial 5 stars to 3 stars rating. I must say I have changed as a reader these past few years, so this was a totally different experience reading The Kadin again.
I loved the story in a sense that it was not a simple romance. It was an entire lifetime of one woman: her joy and pain, her triumphs and losses, her love and grief. I know this is fiction but I admired the gumption that Janet/Cyra possessed in order to accept the circumstance that life dealt her and come out on the top of the world. I loved themes of female friendship, loyalty and bonds that lasted beyond one's lifetime. The steam level was low and there were scenes of non/dubcon but softly written.
What this book lacked was good execution. The author told rather than showed the story. A lot of times I felt like I was reading lists of events. I liked some dialogues and scenes but they again were written in a way that I found unappealing. I must admit that the book still made me emotional. I felt for Cyra and all she has sacrificed in her long life. The ending is a peculiar one. It could be considered tragic or as happy as can be for the time period. It lingers in my mind. I think I will reread it again one day.
I loved the story in a sense that it was not a simple romance. It was an entire lifetime of one woman: her joy and pain, her triumphs and losses, her love and grief. I know this is fiction but I admired the gumption that Janet/Cyra possessed in order to accept the circumstance that life dealt her and come out on the top of the world. I loved themes of female friendship, loyalty and bonds that lasted beyond one's lifetime. The steam level was low and there were scenes of non/dubcon but softly written.
What this book lacked was good execution. The author told rather than showed the story. A lot of times I felt like I was reading lists of events. I liked some dialogues and scenes but they again were written in a way that I found unappealing. I must admit that the book still made me emotional. I felt for Cyra and all she has sacrificed in her long life. The ending is a peculiar one. It could be considered tragic or as happy as can be for the time period. It lingers in my mind. I think I will reread it again one day.
July 9, 2024
First time I read this was in the early 80’s so I was curious to see how it held up. Pretty well, just as I remembered. . High school me knew what was up 😀
July 31, 2019
You ever read a book when you were a teenager and think, “Wow, that was the greatest thing ever!” Then you revisit the same book as an adult, and you start longing for a time machine so you can travel back and give your teen self a stern talking-to? Yep, that’s me and this book.
My kid self thought Janet/Cyra/Hafise/Lady Super Special Snowflake/Mother of Dragons/Godslayer/Whateverelsethefrickshecalledherself was OMG KEWL and her life story was OMG EXCITING AND ROMANTIC. My adult self sees: 1) A total, complete and utter Mary Sue, 2) Cringeworthy rapiness all over the place, 3) A second Mary Sue who’s nearly as Sue-ish as the first Sue, 4) A plot that hinges entirely on their dual Sueishness and 5) Some nasty touches of racism. YEESH.
Cyra/Janet, as other readers have pointed out, switches cultures as easily as swapping out earrings, is the perfect wife/mother/harem organizer/political strategist, and never, ever ages. She’s in her freaking old age at the end of the book and instead of going grey, her BRILLIANT FLAMING REDDER THAN RED TRESSES just “fade to a soft peach.” Whatever you’re washing your hair in, lady, slide some over my way.
Ah, but then there’s Sue #2, Cyra’s buddy Esther Kira, a supposedly humble merchant who’s actually such a brilliant chemical genius that she’d have both the medical establishment AND the Mafia begging for her services. She can whip up everything from birth control potions to poisons that leave no trace upon request, and her OMG MAD SKILLZ end up driving several plot points. Ol’ Esther puts in cameos in future Small books as well, in which we find she eventually became the matriarch of a banking dynasty, aged about as much as Cyra Sue, and died at 110 - only from being caught in a riot.
Come to think of it, the only truly relatable character in the book was Cyra’s sister-wife Sarina, a gardener from Spain who spent most of her time chasing the other characters’ Sue-spawn away from her plants. Firousi, sister-wife #2, was an OMG SO PURE HEARTED artist from Russia. And then, there was Zuleika, which brings me to my next gripe . . .
Look, I know this book is old-school. But still, there’s some nasty bits of racism that leave a bad taste in one’s mouth. Zuleika, a Chinese princess, is a stereotypical Dragon Lady, driven by RAGE!!! and revenge. (She sets up a rival to be gang-raped. Ugh.) And then there’s the whole portrayal of Turks as bloodthirsty and ready to string up enemies at the littlest slight. Okay, I get this is set in the Renaissance, when everyone was pretty nasty (see also the Tudors and Borgias). But really? This seems just a tad Islamophobic.
Oh, and did I mention Cyra-Sue continues to influence events in Turkey from HALFWAY ACROSS THE FREAKING WORLD after she fakes her own death to thwart her OMG EVIL daughter-in-law (now I want to find a book about the real Khurrem/Roxalena, I’m sure she wasn’t the murderous bitch seen here) and returns to Scotland? And that she finds another ONE TRUE LOVE in the form of a Scottish nobleman named Colin Hey? (Yes, like the vocalist of Men at Work. I kept half-expecting him to start singing about vegemite sandwiches).
Giving this a charitable second star because I’m taking the old-schoolness into account. But seriously, this could have been so much better if more thought had gone into characterization and research. As is, it’s not even campy fun.
My kid self thought Janet/Cyra/Hafise/Lady Super Special Snowflake/Mother of Dragons/Godslayer/Whateverelsethefrickshecalledherself was OMG KEWL and her life story was OMG EXCITING AND ROMANTIC. My adult self sees: 1) A total, complete and utter Mary Sue, 2) Cringeworthy rapiness all over the place, 3) A second Mary Sue who’s nearly as Sue-ish as the first Sue, 4) A plot that hinges entirely on their dual Sueishness and 5) Some nasty touches of racism. YEESH.
Cyra/Janet, as other readers have pointed out, switches cultures as easily as swapping out earrings, is the perfect wife/mother/harem organizer/political strategist, and never, ever ages. She’s in her freaking old age at the end of the book and instead of going grey, her BRILLIANT FLAMING REDDER THAN RED TRESSES just “fade to a soft peach.” Whatever you’re washing your hair in, lady, slide some over my way.
Ah, but then there’s Sue #2, Cyra’s buddy Esther Kira, a supposedly humble merchant who’s actually such a brilliant chemical genius that she’d have both the medical establishment AND the Mafia begging for her services. She can whip up everything from birth control potions to poisons that leave no trace upon request, and her OMG MAD SKILLZ end up driving several plot points. Ol’ Esther puts in cameos in future Small books as well, in which we find she eventually became the matriarch of a banking dynasty, aged about as much as Cyra Sue, and died at 110 - only from being caught in a riot.
Come to think of it, the only truly relatable character in the book was Cyra’s sister-wife Sarina, a gardener from Spain who spent most of her time chasing the other characters’ Sue-spawn away from her plants. Firousi, sister-wife #2, was an OMG SO PURE HEARTED artist from Russia. And then, there was Zuleika, which brings me to my next gripe . . .
Look, I know this book is old-school. But still, there’s some nasty bits of racism that leave a bad taste in one’s mouth. Zuleika, a Chinese princess, is a stereotypical Dragon Lady, driven by RAGE!!! and revenge. (She sets up a rival to be gang-raped. Ugh.) And then there’s the whole portrayal of Turks as bloodthirsty and ready to string up enemies at the littlest slight. Okay, I get this is set in the Renaissance, when everyone was pretty nasty (see also the Tudors and Borgias). But really? This seems just a tad Islamophobic.
Oh, and did I mention Cyra-Sue continues to influence events in Turkey from HALFWAY ACROSS THE FREAKING WORLD after she fakes her own death to thwart her OMG EVIL daughter-in-law (now I want to find a book about the real Khurrem/Roxalena, I’m sure she wasn’t the murderous bitch seen here) and returns to Scotland? And that she finds another ONE TRUE LOVE in the form of a Scottish nobleman named Colin Hey? (Yes, like the vocalist of Men at Work. I kept half-expecting him to start singing about vegemite sandwiches).
Giving this a charitable second star because I’m taking the old-schoolness into account. But seriously, this could have been so much better if more thought had gone into characterization and research. As is, it’s not even campy fun.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2016
I have fond memories of what was probably a fairly ridiculous Victoria Holt novel The Captive, read in my early teen years, so when this was posted as on sale it sounded similar enough to be worth a look. I was pleasantly surprised by the length and depth of the novel, it's not just the story of a young girl stolen away into a far-away harem, but rather the story of a remarkable fictional woman's life.
I personally have not researched the Ottoman empire or culture, let alone to the specificity of the late 1400s that this book is set in, but the novel felt grounded in history and was full of descriptions and interesting tidbits. Of course a high ruler in the 1400s/1500s was quite different than any Muslim would be today, after all despite a few with delusions of grandeur, there aren't any Englishmen like Henry VIII. I found the descriptions of culture and religion to be detailed and appropriate for the setting of the story, yet not directly the center of the story, leaving that to the politics and family life of our heroine Janet / Cyra / Hafise. There are a few nods to the religious differences that Janet had to deal with, but it's not a central tenet of the book.
Janet, our heroine, goes through a lot of interesting and remarkable scenarios in her lifetime, but through it all holds to her family (wherever and whoever it is at the time) and her strong need to live, survive, and be successful. She was a Scottish diplomat's daughter who was kidnapped and then sold into slavery, bought by the head eunuch of the Ottoman Empire for the prospective heir to the throne. Renamed Cyra, our lady learns to fit in to her new home, falls in love with her new lord, and forms alliances with his other women (called kadins) in order to put together a happy family life and see to the success of their world. They are successful, and Cyra's lord and later her son become sultan in their turns, and the Ottoman Empire succeeds.
Slight spoiler for this section, which is why I dropped a star and almost two from the rating.
So, if we could pull that little incident out, I'd give this 5 stars. As it is, 3.5 and rounded up to 4. I enjoyed quite a lot of the book and had a great time reading it, apart from the incident.
I personally have not researched the Ottoman empire or culture, let alone to the specificity of the late 1400s that this book is set in, but the novel felt grounded in history and was full of descriptions and interesting tidbits. Of course a high ruler in the 1400s/1500s was quite different than any Muslim would be today, after all despite a few with delusions of grandeur, there aren't any Englishmen like Henry VIII. I found the descriptions of culture and religion to be detailed and appropriate for the setting of the story, yet not directly the center of the story, leaving that to the politics and family life of our heroine Janet / Cyra / Hafise. There are a few nods to the religious differences that Janet had to deal with, but it's not a central tenet of the book.
Janet, our heroine, goes through a lot of interesting and remarkable scenarios in her lifetime, but through it all holds to her family (wherever and whoever it is at the time) and her strong need to live, survive, and be successful. She was a Scottish diplomat's daughter who was kidnapped and then sold into slavery, bought by the head eunuch of the Ottoman Empire for the prospective heir to the throne. Renamed Cyra, our lady learns to fit in to her new home, falls in love with her new lord, and forms alliances with his other women (called kadins) in order to put together a happy family life and see to the success of their world. They are successful, and Cyra's lord and later her son become sultan in their turns, and the Ottoman Empire succeeds.
Slight spoiler for this section, which is why I dropped a star and almost two from the rating.
So, if we could pull that little incident out, I'd give this 5 stars. As it is, 3.5 and rounded up to 4. I enjoyed quite a lot of the book and had a great time reading it, apart from the incident.
April 30, 2018
My first Bertrice Small novel. Several months ago I undertook reading 'The Love Slave' also by Small, but didn't get past page 40-50 because from what I remember it wasn't up to my expectations. 'The Kadin', however, is a far cry from the first novel although without some disliked elements.
First of all, I really disliked the 'multiple heroines' feature of 'The Kadin' because it was deeply irritating that focus was put too much on more than one heroine rather than the usual single heroine of most HRs. It didn't give us a real chance to get to know Cyra, our first heroine in the first part of the novel. I felt Cyra was slightly missing among all the other women of the harem. So this was an annoyance.
Second, I highly DISBELIEVE that a harem of beautiful women all married to a powerful sultan would GET ALONG like strawberries-and-cream or like the colors of the rainbow. No matter religion, race, country, personality, women are not born with an instinct to "share their man". I'm sorry but this just doesn't happen within the female race and Small made a big mistake to oversee this. There should have been at least some sort of mischief, intrigue, and backbiting for it to be realistic.
Third, what's with ALL THE NAMES??!! God, it was just so confusing going back into the storyline to remember who was whose son, daughter, mother, father, neighbour, friend, etc etc etc... Small could have left out all the minor characters & their names since they hardly played a role anyways.
Fourth, I find it highly strange that not once did our first heroine, Cyra, ask about her family back in Scotland after she was abducted and entered the harem. Nor did her family try to seek her out afterwards. This was strange.
Fifth, what I also disliked was Small's description of the Ottoman campaign against the Persian empire. The Ottomans do not practice nor do they carry the true & pure faith of the Islamic religion. Their was a lot of hatred evidenced in Small's narration about the Persians.
First of all, I really disliked the 'multiple heroines' feature of 'The Kadin' because it was deeply irritating that focus was put too much on more than one heroine rather than the usual single heroine of most HRs. It didn't give us a real chance to get to know Cyra, our first heroine in the first part of the novel. I felt Cyra was slightly missing among all the other women of the harem. So this was an annoyance.
Second, I highly DISBELIEVE that a harem of beautiful women all married to a powerful sultan would GET ALONG like strawberries-and-cream or like the colors of the rainbow. No matter religion, race, country, personality, women are not born with an instinct to "share their man". I'm sorry but this just doesn't happen within the female race and Small made a big mistake to oversee this. There should have been at least some sort of mischief, intrigue, and backbiting for it to be realistic.
Third, what's with ALL THE NAMES??!! God, it was just so confusing going back into the storyline to remember who was whose son, daughter, mother, father, neighbour, friend, etc etc etc... Small could have left out all the minor characters & their names since they hardly played a role anyways.
Fourth, I find it highly strange that not once did our first heroine, Cyra, ask about her family back in Scotland after she was abducted and entered the harem. Nor did her family try to seek her out afterwards. This was strange.
Fifth, what I also disliked was Small's description of the Ottoman campaign against the Persian empire. The Ottomans do not practice nor do they carry the true & pure faith of the Islamic religion. Their was a lot of hatred evidenced in Small's narration about the Persians.
September 18, 2022
Listen, I get it. Problematising media from 50 years ago seems silly. But I've got to be honest - after trying to find an equivalent to, say, Outlander, and seeing the high rating this book had, I thought, "This actually might be an interesting opportunity to learn more about the Ottoman Empire and get my historical romance fix too." No, no, no. First of all, beyond Cyra, very few people are given any sort of meaningful character development. You feel like a babysitter listen to the kid you're sitting play barbies when you read how the people interact. Clunky, one-voiced, no nuance. The world building is also non-existent.
And then there's, of course, the problematic elements. Women's submission is shown plainly as a good thing without any sort of complicated feelings from any of the enslaved women. There are strange references to thinness constantly and the author is at pains to let you know that every villain is ugly and FAT, less Sarina (main antagonist of the harem) who is hot but sooooo selfish and not cared for that much by Selim. All of the 'good' women only mention how much they miss their dads and make no reference to their mothers. You'd think Cyra would pine for her grandmother, one of her own constants in her life, right? Apparently she's more preoccupied with her father. Same for Fiorusi.
Although most main characters are women in this novel, they are curiously erased into almost smooth faceless statues by Small's characterisations of them. Beyond their physical characteristics, we know almost nothing of them.
And then there's, of course, the problematic elements. Women's submission is shown plainly as a good thing without any sort of complicated feelings from any of the enslaved women. There are strange references to thinness constantly and the author is at pains to let you know that every villain is ugly and FAT, less Sarina (main antagonist of the harem) who is hot but sooooo selfish and not cared for that much by Selim. All of the 'good' women only mention how much they miss their dads and make no reference to their mothers. You'd think Cyra would pine for her grandmother, one of her own constants in her life, right? Apparently she's more preoccupied with her father. Same for Fiorusi.
Although most main characters are women in this novel, they are curiously erased into almost smooth faceless statues by Small's characterisations of them. Beyond their physical characteristics, we know almost nothing of them.
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January 23, 2015I love the way this book was written.
I think Cyra was a smart woman but she fell short of Hadgi Bey's wisdom when she chose to interfere in her son's love life by selecting that clawing witch of a girl Roxelana.
I like that she got to see her son Prince Karim again. But, Lord, you see so much of her life that you see the death of her sons, husband, friends, brother. It's a fact of life but chucked as it is in this book it seems overwhelming.
I love the travel throuh history; makes me want to take studies in Eastern cultures.
It's wonderful that Beatrice prepared a new life and love/lover for her future to give her some comfort, company and a loving shoulder to lean on. I like Colin even though he wasn't by any means gentlemanly toward her in the beginning. Just took what he wanted, but didn't hurt her.
Can't wait to see what part two is like.
I think Cyra was a smart woman but she fell short of Hadgi Bey's wisdom when she chose to interfere in her son's love life by selecting that clawing witch of a girl Roxelana.
I like that she got to see her son Prince Karim again. But, Lord, you see so much of her life that you see the death of her sons, husband, friends, brother. It's a fact of life but chucked as it is in this book it seems overwhelming.
I love the travel throuh history; makes me want to take studies in Eastern cultures.
It's wonderful that Beatrice prepared a new life and love/lover for her future to give her some comfort, company and a loving shoulder to lean on. I like Colin even though he wasn't by any means gentlemanly toward her in the beginning. Just took what he wanted, but didn't hurt her.
Can't wait to see what part two is like.
October 7, 2014
I read this years ago and just reread it. Janet Leslie the 13 year old daughter of a Scots Lard,
Ambassador to a small Spanish country on the Mediterrean is kidnapped and sold to a representative of the future sultan of Turkey. As his BasKadin Janet, or Cyra as she becomes known, is to become the mother of a future sultan and live a life of luxury and intrigue. The book is filled with fiction and history and Cyra's story is one that probably never happened but it sure is fun to imagine. Beatrice Small's books are always interesting and surrounded in historical fiction.
Ambassador to a small Spanish country on the Mediterrean is kidnapped and sold to a representative of the future sultan of Turkey. As his BasKadin Janet, or Cyra as she becomes known, is to become the mother of a future sultan and live a life of luxury and intrigue. The book is filled with fiction and history and Cyra's story is one that probably never happened but it sure is fun to imagine. Beatrice Small's books are always interesting and surrounded in historical fiction.
September 18, 2024
Finally. Finished The Kadin by Bertrice Small (1978)…, a reread after 44 years. Was always my favorite Small book tho now I’m not so sure. The novelty of the story including location, events and plot made me focus this time around more on the romance between Janet/Cyra and Selim but the main focus actually was the lifetime deep friendships she had with the other kadins. If you’ve read The Kadin what are your thoughts?
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