Leyla: The Black Tulip

Girls of Many Lands

by Alev Lytle Croutier, Kazuhiko Sano (Illustrator)

Life in the Topkapi Palace harem follows its own rules and rhythms, and twelve-year-old newcomer Leyla has much to learn about this hidden world of women. When she reveals her skills as a gardener, Leyla is assigned to work with the Mistress of the Flowers. In the harem gardens, Leyla secretly plants the tulip bulbs she has brought from her home in the Caucasus Mountains--a reminder of the life she's left behind. If the bulbs are discovered, will there be trouble?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Fiction, Historical, Young Adult, Childrens, Middle East

198 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2003

About the author

Alev Croutier was born in Turkey. She has written and directed award-winning independent films and was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship (the first ever for a screenplay) for her work on Tell Me a Riddle. She is the author of the internationally acclaimed bestseller Harem: The World Behind the Veil. She divides her time between San Francisco and Paris.

Reviews

[Fatema Bodalbhai · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book because I could easily imagine how the main character must be feeling and also for me this book was easy to read because the language it used were words that I use everyday and the culture of the book is something that I'm proud to say that I am apart of and this book really did a good job showing both the negatives and the positives and not just leaning to one side.

[Lydia Therese]

This was not as good as the other two Girls of Many Lands books I have read so far. There was a lot of information in a very short amount of time. Don't get me wrong, it was really interesting -- I think most people know next to nothing about the history of Turkey during the Tulip Era. However, I think it probably could have been delivered in a better way. It was difficult to keep all the characters and their titles straight.
Another issue I have with this book is that it seemed incredibly unrealistic. If Leyla was actually caught painting, I have a feeling she would stay in prison, not be celebrated for going against the Islamic faith. It was just difficult for me to buy. I enjoyed the story for its educational value, though.

Book 4/264.
If you are unfamiliar, I am in the process of reading all 260-ish American Girl fiction books in chronological order according to the years in which they take place. It's a project I decided to start just for fun, since I have many of the books already in my own personal collection. It will probably take me several years, but I'm hoping to leave a review for each book. Follow along if you're interested! :)

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This author lives in turkey, and has written other books about harem life. So I can believe that the information in this book was well researched. My problem is that it felt more like a narrative. There wasn’t a lot of dialogue and it didn’t feel like a story. Nothing particularly exciting happened. It was just slightly more exciting than reading a story about an important section of history in a history textbook to be honest :/ it basically just followed her day to day life in the palace, and the day to day life of getting there as a slave. Things happened, yes, but nothing major. It really needs a boost. Just ok. Other books in this series are much better. Sad, because this isn’t a place or a time that is often taught in school, and i would have liked a more exciting book to teach me about it. And to draw others into it.

[Shayshkers · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was interesting to read about the various roles of the Harem, as I had no idea. Well paced and researched. Would recommend.

[Katie Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a hard one. There are many fascinating things about Leyla/Leelana's experience becoming a slave/member of the harem. However, most of the climax and denouement feel very deus ex machina-y, especially the things she achieves as an amateur and a young woman in this very rigid society.

I also wish that her work as an artist would have been in keeping with the Islamic tradition instead of being motivated by a desire to capture the world around her in painting. For me, the geometry and tesellations of Islamic art and how it is developed, produced, and learned is way more fascinating than the scandal of painting the living in a land where that's forbidden, especially since the text doesn't address how or why that was changing in Turkey at the time.

Overall, this text feels like it was written by a film maker who relies on a camera to bring things to life and is more concerned with representation than reality.

[Hilary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great book for young girls about a young girl sold into slavery from her small town and taken to a harem in Istanbul. Combines history, culture and stays very age appropriate!

[Prudence · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book while in high school from the library and I really liked it..I would really love to read it again but I can't seem to find it anywhere😖.

[Autumn Maisy Raquet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Reading this book this book is really good it's a beautiful story and I love the black tulips so beautiful ❤️ I really want the whole series

[Leia Skywalker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting topic . The Ottomans are horrible. The " living doll" thing is sickening. I feel so sorry for Lena. Poor girl.

[Betty Strohecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very interesting and informative book from the American Girl, Girls of Many Lands collection. It delves into the customs and culture of 1720 Turkish life in the Ottoman Empire while presenting an intriguing story of a twelve year old girl who undergoes an amazing and sometimes frightening journey. After her father disappears in war, Leyla makes a bargain with strangers who have come to her town looking for brides in exchange for gold. Leyla's mother refuses them, even though the family is struggling to survive, saying that Leyla is too young and she will not let her go. Leyla arranges to meet the strangers at dawn, leaving a note and the gold pieces for her mother. During her long journey to Istanbul, Leyla discovers she has been sold into slavery. Will her sacrifice for her family be something she can endure?

This is an exciting story, cleverly done, that should appeal to young girls interested in history, but also as a coming of age story. There is a factual section in the back with pictures of the Topkapi Palace, where Leyla ends up, clothing, and arts. An informative glossary is also included.

[Alice Benson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leyla is a beautiful 12 year old girl from Georgia south of Russia in 1720.. Her father disappears in in a war.He is the most famous artist in Russian.They are muslim, but he does a lot of Christian art. HE has trained Leyla and her brother well as artists. Leyla's mom, brother, a twin toddler brothers have run out of food when she sells herself as a princess. On the way to Istanbul, Turkey she finds out that she has sold herself as a slave.Fortunately, she is sold to the Sultan of Turkey's home and is treated well. Soon she comes to know the favored children of the Sultan.Her ability to grown tulips and draw-and paint as an artist become known and she finds her dad and persuades him to be released but the Sultan's palce will not let her go.

[Pearl Leighton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leyla does one thing in the very beginning: naively dives into a life-destroying decision in an understandable attempt to better her family's position. It is a promising start. But I swear it is the only decision Leyla ever makes. The rest of the story is about what happens to her, not what she does, and she is profoundly lucky to the point it is difficult to suspend disbelief.

Three stars because it is an easy read and an interesting enough world (no one is questioning the author's historical knowledge) that I did breeze through and complete it.

Perhaps I would have enjoyed this rosy story of a tulip breeding prodigy more as a child in the target age. But some other books in the series, which I did read as a child, feature more interesting heroes.

[Courtney Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book when I was 11 and I still love it! This is what inspired me to love Turkey/ the Ottoman Empire for many years. I wish I had read it before I traveled to Turkey this past summer, because of all the things I missed out on, it was the Topkapi Palace and Gardens in which the book takes place. I would have made a better effort to go had I known that was the root of my love for Turkey. The book itself is wonderfully written, adventurous, and inspiring.

[Little Seal]

I *know* that Leyla's life was not perfect, and there was a lot of rules, but she got a lot of luck on her side. More luck that I would ever imagine happened in real life during this time. It was such a stark difference to read this book after reading the trauma of Minuk's story.

I wanted to yell at Leyla whenever she did something stupid, even though I understand why she felt a need to rebel. I feel like in reality, she would have been imprisoned forever or killed for her foolishness.

[_Eizan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting short story, it was a fun read and was a simple way to understand more about the life of a girl in the ottoman empire around the 1700s.

I liked the writing style and even though the story was really fast-paced, it was easy to follow.

I didnt really feel like I was reading about a girl, it felt as if the book was in my own perspective at some points which isnt a bad thing.

[TJL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of the ones in this series I've read so far, this one's the best.

Coherent story that covers a lot of ground without becoming confusing, engaging narrator and characters, predictable enough with a little surprise here or there. Very good.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful story! I loved it. It is such a different topic and setting. Everything was great. It had more mature themes than any AG book I've read, but presented in a tasteful way. Highly recommend this to everyone.

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can tell it’s definitely written for a younger reader, so I understand that I can’t judge the book harshly on the writing style. I really enjoyed the story but I feel like it lacked much depth and detail. I definitely felt hungry for more.

[Jess Ketchum · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the words used to describ the palaces and the country. It all just came alive! I've read this books before and when I saw at a sale I had to re-read it!

[zane deann · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are so, so many problems with this book. As a preteen girl, I adored it, though, so three stars for good memories and an interesting story line.

[Chris Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing!!

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rated—PG (my personal opinion based on content)

[Berna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 stars rounded up to 4.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leyla: The Black Tulip by Alev Lytle Croutier – This series is full of gutsy young women that give you a glimpse into their world and what they wish they could change. Happy Reading!

[Dakota Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing and informative ( 🇹🇷 )

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful way to get a glimpse into the life of a peasant girl who suddenly becomes a part of the Padisha's harem.

[Kitty · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this more than I did, but I just couldn't get past how she seemed so happily accepting of being enslaved. And calling the women in the harem "The sultan's girlfriends???" Really?

I get that this is a book for kids, but referring to women/young girls who were abused, kidnapped, and sold into sexual slavery as someone's girlfriends? OOOF. Not a good look.

[Pumpkin Sumbul · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is well-written and tells an informing and intriguing story.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part of the Girls from Many Lands series distributed by American Girl magazine. Leyla is about a Turkish girl growing up during the Ottoman Empire. Her family falls upon hard times after her father disappears during the war. Leyla, thinking she is selling herself to be married, unwittingly sells herself into slavery in order to bring her family money. She finds herself as part of a harem where her love of gardening and painting become both her only solace and her salvation. This is a melancholy read, yet filled with hope. A great way for girls to explore how other girls have lived in the past. Grades 3 - 6.

From Booklist:
"At auction, lucky coincidences land her in the Grand Harem of the Padishah, where she becomes a skilled gardener and artist--talents that lead to rare opportunities and friendships. Leyla's first-person voice evokes the physical beauty of life in "the Golden Cage" with engaging detail, but like Leyla, readers will find themselves confused by the more "adult" aspects of harem life (such as the eunuchs) that are left unexplained. Many of the plot twists are also far-fetched. Yet, the opulent setting, gripping survival story, and the chaste romance with a handsome, benevolent prince have the power to draw in an audience."

[Kennedy Petties · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although not finishing the book, Leyla: The Black Tulip is an astonishing story of how a girl leaves her home to save her family. Her father was sent off as a war painter and has never returned. Her family is struggling to hold themselves up. Men come to town looking for girls with skills and talent and she is on the list. She takes the offer to help her family and brings along some over her self-cultivated tulips. She must go to Istanbul. She works with the Mistress of Flowers in the harem. She forms a best friend named Belkis and has a young girl named Lena as her favorite person in the world. She worries about Lena. Soon seeing Lena again Lena has become one of the Princess's living dolls. She is now happy to know Lena is ok but worries about her future in the palace, Istanbul, and the harem.

After finishing the book...
Leyla's story of persistence and hope is an example of what all people should do. It is a great example of grit. She keeps doing her job in the harem no matter all of the problem's that are thrown at her. Finally her dad comes back and she is thankful that Allah, her god, seemed to have brought him back. Leyla is an example of all the grit we girls show. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBmMU_...