The Tiger Queens: The Women of Genghis Khan

The Tiger Queens by Stephanie Thornton is a wonderful combination of fiction and history as she writes of a group of women who helped to shape, sustain and control the wide-spread empire of Genghis Khan. These women were relatives and friends who supported, advised and watched out for each other while sharing their intimate confidences.

The women were Borte, the first wife and queen of the empire, her daughter Alaqai, a warrior princess, her daughter-in-laws Toregene and Sorkhokhtani, and finally Fatima, taken as a slave but evolved into a well loved and revered scribe and friend. They lived in violent times and women were not often elevated to a position of power, but these women were members of the ‘Golden Family’ and were show more situated to have influence, political savvy and ability.

The book is set in the late 12th century and details the life of Genghis Khan and, after his death, how the family plotted and schemed for his throne. The story unfolds through the voice of 4 of the women who played such strong and fierce roles in the reign of Genghis Khan. I loved the story and in particular the setting of the sweeping grasslands and harsh steppes of central Asia. The author immerses us in the food and culture and doesn’t shy away from the horrific violence that was part of the Mongol horde’s day to day life. This mix of a great story with fascinating history makes The Tiger Queens a very compelling read. show less

Most of us think of war and violence when we think of Genghis Khan. This book takes us into the life of this historical figure from a very young age, right through to well after his death. The story is told through four women, each one significant in 'The Golden Family'. Firstly there is Borte, betrothed to Temujin at young age. Then their daughter Alaqai takes over the story telling, followed by a Persian slave named Fatima. Finally Sorkhoktani, the mother of Kublai Khan finishes the tale.

This novel comes across as being well researched. The details of life as a Mongol are well drawn and the reactions of the women when they have to visit cities made of stone are interesting. Each of the women is strong in their own way. They each have show more very important roles to play in keeping the Mongol Empire together.

I didn't want to put this book down. The women's relationships with each other are very special. The way they managed their grief and the trials they had to face was beautifully done. show less

Why am I always reading historical fiction that makes me want to buy a bunch of history books and explore a new time and place? This is, yet again, the case with this novel, The Tiger Queens, which explores the lives of the women who surrounded Genghis Khan and his family. Covering multiple generations, this book reads at times like a dramatized history, but one centered on the role of women in creating and maintaining the Mongol Empire. All of these women, and much of their role, was unfamiliar to me and now I desperately want to dive into the books the author listed as a bibliography. That being said, the Mongols and their ruling family commit a number of brutal acts, often against and sometimes by the very women featured in this show more novel, which can make this book difficult to read at times. show less

"The deeds of our husbands, our brothers, and our sons have eclipsed our own as surely as when the moon ate the sun during the first battle of Nishapur. "

The Tiger Queens, Stephanie Marie Thornton

Five stars. Maybe the best of the year so far.

I am having such a year with books in 2020. I have had the pleasure to read lots of 4 and 5 star books, particularly in the last month or so. This maybe the best of the year so far.

For a book about Genghis Khan, I did not think this book would be so....soulful. But it is. The story is told by the women he loved and who loved him.

And I went into it, thinking I'd not like it or maybe even DNF. I took a chance. The last book I attempted to read, told about a famous warrior from the viewpoint of the show more women who loved him, was "The conqueror's wife" about the women who loved Alexander the Great and I never finished it.

But how wrong was I! This book is amazing. It is narrated by four different women, all of whom were intricate parts of Genghis Khan's life.

The first part of the book..and the longest story..is told by his first wife, Borte Ujin. What a woman she was! I love reading about strong women and Borte Ujin falls into that category. She had more strength in one finger than many have in a lifetime. Reading about her was a wonderful experience.

As I said, her story is first and the longest. It starts shortly before she meets Genghis for the first time, when she is just a young girl. But it continues through many many days and years of both deep darkness and tragedy as well as searing and intense beauty.

Then there are three other point of views, including Alaqui, the first daughter of Khan, Fatima, (The Rose), a captured slave and Sorkhokhtan, his daughter in law.

All four women's stories are fascinating in their own right. And all four women live through so much tragedy.

Tiger Queens spans years. It is a long book filled with love, loss and mesmerizing stories and events. It is also not for the faint of heart. There is blood and gore and rape and death..just know that before you go into it. And there is also extreme violence, torture and rape. So TRIGGER ALERT! Also, I am the first to turn away from stories involving animal cruelty but this story is about a culture that did indeed do things like eat horse meat on a regular basis. I was OK during these scenes but do feel compelled to let the reader know.

But that is a small part of the book. Tiger Queens is at once a cultural read as well as a story about families and love, friendships and loyalty. The story that emerges is hauntingly lovely and captivating. I was..and am..enthralled.

Atmosphere plays a big role and the villages and customs of the Mongol empire are described in detailed and starkly gorgeous prose that is all consuming and drops you right into the book itself. Time will slip away from you are you read this.

I think you will know, almost from the start if this is a book for you or not. I love the sensitivity in Khan that the reader is made deeply aware of. He loved and he loved hard. He loved his wife, his children and his whole family as they did him. I was struck by the loyalty and devotion depicted here.

It is impossible..or at least it was for me..not to feel as though I am walking in the villages with these people. You will feel everything from the winds blowing across the villages to the glimmering snowmelt to the lush fields and lakes and streams. I do not see how once read, anyone will be able to ever forget this book. show less

“Our names have long been lost to time, scattered like ashes into the wind.” So began this incredible book. I loved Thornton’s book “Daughter of the Gods” (about Egypt’s Hatshepsut) and I loved this one too. The descriptions had me right there with Borte, Alaqai, Toregene, Sorhokhtani, and Fatima. Amazingly strong women. Most people have heard about Genghis Khan and Kublai Khan, but never about these women. I love it that so many books are coming out now about the amazing women behind the famous men. Genghis Khan’s beloved first wife, daughters, and daughters-in-law kept the kingdom running while he was out capturing more land. They also carried held the kingdom together after his death. Women were usually not treated very show more well during those times, so these women were definitely unique.
Parts of the book were a bit difficult to read as some deaths were quite barbaric. But she did not linger on these parts. She focused more on the strong support these women gave their tribe and on the bond among themselves. Spread over generations and one even a captured slave, they were closer than blood sisters and were always loyal to each other. It was a beautiful story of family, friendship, and home.
Now I am eager to read her next book “The Conqueror’s Wife” about Alexander the Great. show less

Stephanie Thornton has earned herself a permanent place in my roster of favorite historical fiction authors. I mean, is there anything this woman can't write!? As she did with her first two novels, The Secret History and Daughter of the Gods, once again she has created another strong and heroic female character. And not only do we have the strong central character of Borte, but we have the other "women of Genghis Khan" who were also strong and heroic in their own right.

In The Tiger Queens, we get to hear the story of the women behind the legend of Genghis Khan. As any person who is obsessed with history, I have long been interested in Genghis Khan and his exploits. Now with this book, we get a glimpse of the inner workings of his life show more and who was really influential to him. Although this book is not non-fiction, it is so finely researched that I felt I was learning history along the way. And I always say that one of historical fiction's jobs is to spark enough interest in the reader to spur them into seeking more information on the subject, whether that be learning about it online or reading books about it. This book has definitely done that and then some!

And returning back to the character of Borte. Despite being read a prophecy by her mother that she would be responsible for great destruction in the future, Borte seeks to overcome this foretelling and bands together with the other tiger queens to ensure the happiness of their family, and the greatness of their people. Who doesn't love a character who overcomes adversity for the greater good? I know I do!

With The Tiger Queens, Thornton has firmly secured her place as one of the historical fiction greats. The glorious thing is knowing that she is hard at work on her next novel. I cannot wait for it! Please, if you have not read her books, take it from me. If you love historical fiction, or even just a great, well-told story, this is the author for you. show less

A couple of years ago I read and reviewed Khan: Empire of Silver from Conn Iggulden's Conqueror series that covers the turbulent time between Genghis Khan's death and Kublai Khan's ascension. I wrote, "Iggulden takes us on a roaring ride—all battles, military strategy, and new weapons (including proto-cannons)—lots of blood, death, and unimaginable destruction....Very few women make an appearance." Stephanie Thornton rights that imbalance with her book in the voices of key women in Genghis Khan's life: Borte, his chief wife; Alaqai, his daughter; Fatima, a captive slave and scribe to the Golden Family; and Sorkhokhtani, his daughter-in-law.

I enjoyed this book very much. The language is beautiful, level of detail extraordinary, and show more stories fascinating. Thornton vividly brings to life little known powerful women from an important historical period (but for the sudden death of one man, the Mongols were poised to sweep through Europe). The setting is visceral filled with sweeping steppes, towering mountains, and freezing deserts. The women worked incredibly hard (as did most women in history) doing the majority of the tasks to keep the people alive and the culture thriving. Thornton divided her book into four sections, set in consecutive time periods, each dedicated to one of four women, written in first person, and continuing the story of all the women. Of all the stories, the first about Borte, Genghis' first wife, appealed to me the most. She was the founding mother who suffered the most and gathered daughters by blood, adoption, and marriage, who carried on her legacy, ruled nations, and protected their people.

Paradoxically, my enjoyment and admiration for the book is the reason I gave it four stars rather than five--I wanted more. I felt that such powerful characters could have carried whole books by themselves and were shortchanged with a hundred or so pages each, especially the final one Sorkhokhtani, the formidable mother of Kublai Khan, who barely rated thirty-five pages (including the Epilog which wasn't in her voice). Sorkhokhtani ruled an empire as regent for her sons larger than any ruler in Europe, nimbly traversed the deadly politics of the Mongol court and successions, and raised the only grandsons of Genghis that seemed to have any ability to carry on his legacy. The scant references to her in the other women's stories and her truncated section of the book did poor justice to her importance to the Mongol story.

But wanting more is a good complaint. I highly recommend this book. show less