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Set amid the beauty and decadence of the Ottoman Empire, Lady Emily's latest adventure is full of intrigue, treachery, and romance.Looking forward to the joys of connubial bliss, newlyweds Lady Emily and Colin Hargreaves, diplomats of the British Empire, set out toward Turkey for an exotic honeymoon. But on their first night in the city, a harem girl is found murdered, strangled in the courtyard of the Sultan's lavish Topkapi Palace. Sir Richard St. Clare, an Englishman who works at the show more embassy in Constantinople, is present and recognizes the girl as his own daughter who was kidnapped twenty years earlier. Emily and Colin promise the heartbroken father that they'll find her killer, but as the investigation gains speed, they find that appearance can be deceiving—especially within the confines of the seraglio
As a woman, Emily is given access to the forbidden world of the harem and quickly discovers that its mysterious, sheltered walls offer no protection from a ruthless murderer. As the number of victims grows, Emily must rely on her own sharp wis in a heart-stopping finale if she is to stop a killer bend on exacting vengeance no matter how many innocent lives he leaves in his wake.
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Lady Emily Ashton and Colin Hargreaves have finally managed to get married - and their honeymoon trip takes them on the Orient Express to Constantinople. But even their honeymoon is not devoid of mystery: when a harem girl is found murdered, Emily once again finds herself in the middle of an investigation - for no man may set foot in the sultan's harem.
To keep a promise to the dead girl's distraught father, Emily must match wits with two rival women who helped raise the sultan, struggle with her conscience versus her duty to the crown, and of course win a bet with her husband that she will solve the mystery first!
I loved this chance to visit Constantinople - Tasha Alexander manages to invoke the setting wonderfully. I particularly show more enjoyed the scene where Emily visits the baths and must overcome her own cultural limitations and expectations. On the whole I think the novel did a good job of evoking an exotic setting as well as focusing on the webs of intrigue and political alliances between the women in power, the concubines and the eunuchs. I thought that was interesting - and I liked how Bezime and Perestu often got the better of Emily because they were better-versed in intrigue. Despite all the new characters, though, I found myself missing my old favorites. Margaret shows up briefly (just long enough to get everyone into trouble), but I missed Cecile, her yappy dogs, and yes, even Emily's mother.
I enjoyed seeing Emily and Colin finally happily married and enjoying themselves -especially how even now there are constant references to literature, in this case Hero and Leander and swimming the Bosphorus. And I thought Emily's concerns regarding an heir and possible pregnancy added to the story. One of the things I like most about Tasha Alexander's mysteries is that the characters truly feel like real people solving mysteries. They have problems, worries, other interests unlike many sleuths, and I find it quite refreshing.
One thing that I did find a bit difficult was Emily's determination to help Roxelana. It seemed quite obvious to me that Roxelana was manipulating her and playing on her cultural prejudices for her own gain. While I appreciated the extra layer of duty not to cause diplomatic incidents and the dictates of her conscience - as well as the hijinks involved in planning an escape, I found it hard to believe that Emily couldn't see how adeptly she was being played.
The mystery itself was simultaneously a bit jumbled (what was going on with the garrote wires?) and relatively obvious. I had the right culprit picked out, but the wrong motive. I don't think the mystery in this one was as smooth as those in previous installments. It seemed to me like there were several loose threads that didn't end up going anywhere, which was a bit of a pity.
I found this an enjoyable installment in the Emily Ashton series - I don't think the marriage of the main characters has cost the series any tension, and I continue to enjoy the different locales Tasha Alexander uses for her characters.
FTC Disclosure: I received a free review copy through the LT Early Reviewers program. show less
To keep a promise to the dead girl's distraught father, Emily must match wits with two rival women who helped raise the sultan, struggle with her conscience versus her duty to the crown, and of course win a bet with her husband that she will solve the mystery first!
I loved this chance to visit Constantinople - Tasha Alexander manages to invoke the setting wonderfully. I particularly show more enjoyed the scene where Emily visits the baths and must overcome her own cultural limitations and expectations. On the whole I think the novel did a good job of evoking an exotic setting as well as focusing on the webs of intrigue and political alliances between the women in power, the concubines and the eunuchs. I thought that was interesting - and I liked how Bezime and Perestu often got the better of Emily because they were better-versed in intrigue. Despite all the new characters, though, I found myself missing my old favorites. Margaret shows up briefly (just long enough to get everyone into trouble), but I missed Cecile, her yappy dogs, and yes, even Emily's mother.
I enjoyed seeing Emily and Colin finally happily married and enjoying themselves -especially how even now there are constant references to literature, in this case Hero and Leander and swimming the Bosphorus. And I thought Emily's concerns regarding an heir and possible pregnancy added to the story. One of the things I like most about Tasha Alexander's mysteries is that the characters truly feel like real people solving mysteries. They have problems, worries, other interests unlike many sleuths, and I find it quite refreshing.
One thing that I did find a bit difficult was Emily's determination to help Roxelana. It seemed quite obvious to me that Roxelana was manipulating her and playing on her cultural prejudices for her own gain. While I appreciated the extra layer of duty not to cause diplomatic incidents and the dictates of her conscience - as well as the hijinks involved in planning an escape, I found it hard to believe that Emily couldn't see how adeptly she was being played.
The mystery itself was simultaneously a bit jumbled (what was going on with the garrote wires?) and relatively obvious. I had the right culprit picked out, but the wrong motive. I don't think the mystery in this one was as smooth as those in previous installments. It seemed to me like there were several loose threads that didn't end up going anywhere, which was a bit of a pity.
I found this an enjoyable installment in the Emily Ashton series - I don't think the marriage of the main characters has cost the series any tension, and I continue to enjoy the different locales Tasha Alexander uses for her characters.
FTC Disclosure: I received a free review copy through the LT Early Reviewers program. show less
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.Ironically, after saying that one really needs to read this series from the beginning in my last review from this series, what’s the next book I grab to dive into?! Book 4! Really, Sarah, really?... Yes, OK, I did the big bad and completely did what I myself said not to do. But you know what? It actually wasn't as big an error as it could have been.
I got a real feel for the characters and their relationships in this one, something that was sorely lacking in Book 9. The whole reason I grabbed this book, actually, was ‘cause I had heard it’s the “honeymoon” book between Colin and Emily, and I really wanted more of these two. And for the most part, I got it. I relished the real love connection between these two; it was a true show more treat to see Emily treasured for more than just her beauty and to see how much Colin really meant to Emily.
I also got some quality time in Emily’s head, seeing her confidence in her investigative skills, her insecurities with her own body and place in society, and fears from her past that impact her in the present. I actually really enjoyed exploring Emily in this book, getting to know her so to speak, even if several of my co-reviewers weren't that thrilled about it.
The world of late 19th century Constantinople and the world of the Ottoman court and harem life was also a treat. Tasha delivers again in her vivid descriptive passages and in her world-building. She transports her readers to this exotic and not often explored world with great skill. I especially treasured seeing how the inner politics of the harem were seen from the POV of an English lady and how different life in this part of world was different for women in general during this time period.
Now the mystery portion of the book? Not such a great feature in this volume. Don’t get me wrong. I was intrigued to find out the whodunit, and the eventual culprit was a surprise to me as I was reading along. But there were instances where I was very surprised at the ease in which Emily was given access to the harem itself. Some of the coincidences of evidence appearing like magic and some of the logic leaps were also eyebrow raising for me.
For me, the attractions and detraction for this volume versus book 9 were almost exact opposites. The time spent exploring the characters and their relationships were a treasure. Yet, the mystery portion was lackluster in areas and just downright audacious at times. I’m definitely glad I grabbed this book as it evens out the 9th volume very well. I got a feel for the characters even if the mystery part wasn't up to snuff. I’m going to be reading more of this series for sure; this volume just cemented my love for the characters and their relationships. show less
I got a real feel for the characters and their relationships in this one, something that was sorely lacking in Book 9. The whole reason I grabbed this book, actually, was ‘cause I had heard it’s the “honeymoon” book between Colin and Emily, and I really wanted more of these two. And for the most part, I got it. I relished the real love connection between these two; it was a true show more treat to see Emily treasured for more than just her beauty and to see how much Colin really meant to Emily.
I also got some quality time in Emily’s head, seeing her confidence in her investigative skills, her insecurities with her own body and place in society, and fears from her past that impact her in the present. I actually really enjoyed exploring Emily in this book, getting to know her so to speak, even if several of my co-reviewers weren't that thrilled about it.
The world of late 19th century Constantinople and the world of the Ottoman court and harem life was also a treat. Tasha delivers again in her vivid descriptive passages and in her world-building. She transports her readers to this exotic and not often explored world with great skill. I especially treasured seeing how the inner politics of the harem were seen from the POV of an English lady and how different life in this part of world was different for women in general during this time period.
Now the mystery portion of the book? Not such a great feature in this volume. Don’t get me wrong. I was intrigued to find out the whodunit, and the eventual culprit was a surprise to me as I was reading along. But there were instances where I was very surprised at the ease in which Emily was given access to the harem itself. Some of the coincidences of evidence appearing like magic and some of the logic leaps were also eyebrow raising for me.
For me, the attractions and detraction for this volume versus book 9 were almost exact opposites. The time spent exploring the characters and their relationships were a treasure. Yet, the mystery portion was lackluster in areas and just downright audacious at times. I’m definitely glad I grabbed this book as it evens out the 9th volume very well. I got a feel for the characters even if the mystery part wasn't up to snuff. I’m going to be reading more of this series for sure; this volume just cemented my love for the characters and their relationships. show less
Let me say that the main reason I keep reading Tasha Alexander's books is that I feel she takes particular care with her main character's ability to have complicated emotions. What keeps me coming back for more, quite frankly, is not the mystery part of her plot (which is often a bit coincidental and is always quite complicated -- though that's not always a bad thing). It's only sometimes the historical setting (oddly, I preferred her ability to convey a sense of time and place in her earlier works, whereas here I kept having The Aviary Gate flashbacks with this one). The best part of her novels, as far as I'm concerned, is Lady Emily's ability to struggle with feelings that make her a unique heroine for this particular show more mystery/romance/historical fiction genre. (Okay, and sure, there's a bit of her hunky love interest, Colin, tossed in there, too.)
The first book in the series, And Only to Deceive, opened on a young widow, Lady Emily Ashton, who barely knew her husband and came to fall in love with him only after his death and her investigation into the circumstances surrounding it. Not only did we have the fact that she was coming to care for him when they could no longer have a real romance, but she became aware of just how much he loved her and yet had never really expressed it. Alexander doesn't shy away from exploring the tangled (and often bittersweet) side of things in Emily's personal life. Thankfully, even though Emily has finally married Colin Hargreaves, things don't simply fade into happily ever after, though Colin himself does fade a bit into the background in this book, which is a bit of a disappointment. Sure, they're completely smitten with each other as they take off for their honeymoon and they repeatedly tumble in to bed, but there's also the fact that in a time without contraception, Emily's independence is somewhat in jeopardy should she become pregnant. Books don't often explore the potentially negative sides of this "blessed" event when it's in a stable and good relationship, but Alexander is aware that things are a bit more complicated than that in real life.
Tears of Pearl is set in lush Constantinople, at the beginning of Emily and Colin's nice, long honeymoon... but the reader shouldn't be all that surprised when they're embroiled in a mystery right off the bat. The storyline is dumped into their laps on the train (a surprisingly abrupt and graceless introduction, which is rather uncharacteristic of Alexander, I thought) and involves a British diplomat with a tragic past and an even more tragic immediate future. He traveled the world with his family in tow until one horrific night when his Turkish wife was murdered and his young daughter kidnapped. He managed to protect his son, Benjamin, but then spent the rest of his life seeking leads in hopes that his daughter, Ceyden, might still be alive (as she was likely sold into slavery). This story comes out in a rush when Colin and Emily sit next to this man, Sir Richard, on the train to Constantinople... only to then have him collapse from an apparent overdose of medication. Unsurprisingly, Colin and Emily (especially Emily) take interest in his situation. He repays their kind attention by getting them invited to an opera performed at the sultan's palace and even though the ending of the opera itself is altered to create a happy ending, the event ends with the murder of a young woman from the harem. Have you guessed who she is? Yep. It's Ceyden, the long-lost daughter, and with harem politics the way they are, it's anybody's guess who did this.
Emily, meanwhile, has actually gotten semi-official approval to work with Colin in situations when a feminine hand is required for his missions... like, say, when someone needs to do some interviews of harem-members. Emily gets wrapped up with several interesting characters (including the mother of the sultan, the sort-of-step-mother of the sultan, a young converted Christian desperate to escape the life of sin in the harem, and a very shifty eunuch) while Colin is off investigating other things that seem more official (read: boring), and so Emily wanders a lot of Constantinople on her own (though she's often accompanied by her honeymoon-crashing friend). During all this wandering, Emily notices that she's particularly prone to nausea while taking boats across the Bosporus. Hmm. Whatever could cause nausea in a woman who's been married a few months?
Emily's lengthy and difficult musings on the possibility of having a child were fascinating, because she was willing to admit that she might not be ready for this. She already enjoys a remarkable amount of freedom for any woman of the time -- but with a baby on the way, surely life would change. It would start with being coddled as a pregnant lady by her friends, family and even her loving husband -- and then she'd most likely have to stay close to home to be with a child. So much for rambling all over the world and assisting Colin on investigations. It's not like Colin is putting this pressure on her (though she sees his suspicious and hopeful glances), but Emily starts panicking about what a baby would change. In short, even if she might eventually want a baby, she doesn't feel ready yet and while this depth might not be uncommon in other genres, it's a unique and humanizing detail here, for a heroine whose life has not been full of easy emotions. In the usual historical mystery series, women always seem so ready for that inevitable child and somehow he/she is integrated into her life and the life of her adventuring husband with ease... or a series ends. Hm.
So even if every bit of the novel wasn't a delight for me, I am at least delighted that Tasha Alexander is one of the few writers these days who is staying true to her characters and allowing them the luxury of exploring complicated emotions. It means that I'll keep marking the paperback release of each of her books and I'll eagerly read to see how Emily grows as a character and tackles interesting issues (and mysteries, too). show less
The first book in the series, And Only to Deceive, opened on a young widow, Lady Emily Ashton, who barely knew her husband and came to fall in love with him only after his death and her investigation into the circumstances surrounding it. Not only did we have the fact that she was coming to care for him when they could no longer have a real romance, but she became aware of just how much he loved her and yet had never really expressed it. Alexander doesn't shy away from exploring the tangled (and often bittersweet) side of things in Emily's personal life. Thankfully, even though Emily has finally married Colin Hargreaves, things don't simply fade into happily ever after, though Colin himself does fade a bit into the background in this book, which is a bit of a disappointment. Sure, they're completely smitten with each other as they take off for their honeymoon and they repeatedly tumble in to bed, but there's also the fact that in a time without contraception, Emily's independence is somewhat in jeopardy should she become pregnant. Books don't often explore the potentially negative sides of this "blessed" event when it's in a stable and good relationship, but Alexander is aware that things are a bit more complicated than that in real life.
Tears of Pearl is set in lush Constantinople, at the beginning of Emily and Colin's nice, long honeymoon... but the reader shouldn't be all that surprised when they're embroiled in a mystery right off the bat. The storyline is dumped into their laps on the train (a surprisingly abrupt and graceless introduction, which is rather uncharacteristic of Alexander, I thought) and involves a British diplomat with a tragic past and an even more tragic immediate future. He traveled the world with his family in tow until one horrific night when his Turkish wife was murdered and his young daughter kidnapped. He managed to protect his son, Benjamin, but then spent the rest of his life seeking leads in hopes that his daughter, Ceyden, might still be alive (as she was likely sold into slavery). This story comes out in a rush when Colin and Emily sit next to this man, Sir Richard, on the train to Constantinople... only to then have him collapse from an apparent overdose of medication. Unsurprisingly, Colin and Emily (especially Emily) take interest in his situation. He repays their kind attention by getting them invited to an opera performed at the sultan's palace and even though the ending of the opera itself is altered to create a happy ending, the event ends with the murder of a young woman from the harem. Have you guessed who she is? Yep. It's Ceyden, the long-lost daughter, and with harem politics the way they are, it's anybody's guess who did this.
Emily, meanwhile, has actually gotten semi-official approval to work with Colin in situations when a feminine hand is required for his missions... like, say, when someone needs to do some interviews of harem-members. Emily gets wrapped up with several interesting characters (including the mother of the sultan, the sort-of-step-mother of the sultan, a young converted Christian desperate to escape the life of sin in the harem, and a very shifty eunuch) while Colin is off investigating other things that seem more official (read: boring), and so Emily wanders a lot of Constantinople on her own (though she's often accompanied by her honeymoon-crashing friend). During all this wandering, Emily notices that she's particularly prone to nausea while taking boats across the Bosporus. Hmm. Whatever could cause nausea in a woman who's been married a few months?
Emily's lengthy and difficult musings on the possibility of having a child were fascinating, because she was willing to admit that she might not be ready for this. She already enjoys a remarkable amount of freedom for any woman of the time -- but with a baby on the way, surely life would change. It would start with being coddled as a pregnant lady by her friends, family and even her loving husband -- and then she'd most likely have to stay close to home to be with a child. So much for rambling all over the world and assisting Colin on investigations. It's not like Colin is putting this pressure on her (though she sees his suspicious and hopeful glances), but Emily starts panicking about what a baby would change. In short, even if she might eventually want a baby, she doesn't feel ready yet and while this depth might not be uncommon in other genres, it's a unique and humanizing detail here, for a heroine whose life has not been full of easy emotions. In the usual historical mystery series, women always seem so ready for that inevitable child and somehow he/she is integrated into her life and the life of her adventuring husband with ease... or a series ends. Hm.
So even if every bit of the novel wasn't a delight for me, I am at least delighted that Tasha Alexander is one of the few writers these days who is staying true to her characters and allowing them the luxury of exploring complicated emotions. It means that I'll keep marking the paperback release of each of her books and I'll eagerly read to see how Emily grows as a character and tackles interesting issues (and mysteries, too). show less
How lovely to join Lady Emily on her honeymoon - of course someone drops dead early in the piece and mysteries ensue. Emily and Colin are still amusing characters after their marriage, and it was fun to see them in an exotic setting. This wasn't hugely twisty, and I was able to put it down and wash dishes, but it was satisfying. I hope there will be more books about Emily and Colin's travels.
(spoiler)
I am glad that we are likely to be spared stores about their progeny, as Amelia Peabody's Ramses gave me the horrors.
(spoiler)
I am glad that we are likely to be spared stores about their progeny, as Amelia Peabody's Ramses gave me the horrors.
`Tears of Pearl' is the newest Tasha Alexander `Lady Emily' Victorian mystery offering.
Here the newly married Lady Emily ventures to the Ottoman Empire with the hunky Colin. On their first night in Constantinople a harem girl is conveniently murdered, and the chase is on, as the two newlyweds team up to find the culprit and protect the interests of the British Empire.
I enjoyed the first novel of the series, and if you haven't read any I strongly suggest that you start with that - `And Only to Deceive' - and work your way through to this one. The relationship between Emily and Colin does, obviously, change and develop. And Emily herself does stretch and grow a bit. That's always a bonus in a series character.
Alexander attempts to make show more a few positive changes here. There's less of the emphasis on Emily's interests in all things Greek. And Emily is now forced to face possibility of providing Colin with an heir. And to her (and Alexander's) credit, this is not an unmixed blessing.
Nevertheless, I found `Tears of Pearl' to be far from riveting reading. I found it bland and uninspired. But then I've found each succeeding book less interesting than its predecessor. So I'm biding adieu to Emily and Colin with this one. But I will return to read your reviews of the next book to see if a little spark has been added.
Please don't judge Alexander by my ennui; give the first chapter or so a peak before you decide. Others may enjoy it far more than I did.
Three stars because many of Alexander's readers will enjoy it; only three because it's a bit slow. show less
Here the newly married Lady Emily ventures to the Ottoman Empire with the hunky Colin. On their first night in Constantinople a harem girl is conveniently murdered, and the chase is on, as the two newlyweds team up to find the culprit and protect the interests of the British Empire.
I enjoyed the first novel of the series, and if you haven't read any I strongly suggest that you start with that - `And Only to Deceive' - and work your way through to this one. The relationship between Emily and Colin does, obviously, change and develop. And Emily herself does stretch and grow a bit. That's always a bonus in a series character.
Alexander attempts to make show more a few positive changes here. There's less of the emphasis on Emily's interests in all things Greek. And Emily is now forced to face possibility of providing Colin with an heir. And to her (and Alexander's) credit, this is not an unmixed blessing.
Nevertheless, I found `Tears of Pearl' to be far from riveting reading. I found it bland and uninspired. But then I've found each succeeding book less interesting than its predecessor. So I'm biding adieu to Emily and Colin with this one. But I will return to read your reviews of the next book to see if a little spark has been added.
Please don't judge Alexander by my ennui; give the first chapter or so a peak before you decide. Others may enjoy it far more than I did.
Three stars because many of Alexander's readers will enjoy it; only three because it's a bit slow. show less
Lady Emily Ashton and her husband, Colin Hargreaves, are on their honeymoon to Constantinople, when a girl in the harem, the daughter of an Englishman dies. Lady Emily, at the behest of the English Crown, enters the harem to discover who murdered the girl.
I enjoy reading about the Victorian time period, I really do. I read Tasha Alexander’s first book, And Only to Deceive, and liked it, in a way. The details of Victorian England were well-researched. But here, with the Ottoman Empire, I feel that the author skimped on historical accuracy in order to focus on the exoticness of the location. There was a lot that I found to be in-credible, mainly that Emily as a westerner would be able to come and go in the harem so easily—and that the show more women there would be so willing to talk to her. Or that a woman of the harem would be able to do what Roxelana tries to do, without any consequences! Also, Emily had free and easy access to the sultan, which wasn’t believable to me, either. I don’t know much about the Ottoman Empire in the late 19th century, so I don’t know if my misgivings about the accuracy are correct or not (for all I know European women took baths frequently with women of the harem). However, I think the author should have at least have attempted a story that seemed realistic.
For all that Emily prides herself on being forward-thinking, she’s still prevented from understanding the players in this particular game by her own narrow views on the Ottoman lifestyle (which she seems to have mostly gleaned from romance novels). And she exhibits no interest in understanding them, either. Even when common sense would dictate that helping Roxelana do what she does is a very, very stupid idea, Emily still assists her. Is it really stupidity on Emily’s part? Or ignorance? In any case, the way that Emily goes about solving the murder of the harem girl is, in her usual way, very single-minded. How can you solve a crime if you don’t even try to understand the people involved?
Nonetheless, I enjoyed the sexual tension between Emily and Colin; they haven’t merely settled down into a life of marital complacency. Things between them are still intriguing and exciting. It’s too bad that the writing seems to have fallen down a bit, because there was a lot of potential here. show less
I enjoy reading about the Victorian time period, I really do. I read Tasha Alexander’s first book, And Only to Deceive, and liked it, in a way. The details of Victorian England were well-researched. But here, with the Ottoman Empire, I feel that the author skimped on historical accuracy in order to focus on the exoticness of the location. There was a lot that I found to be in-credible, mainly that Emily as a westerner would be able to come and go in the harem so easily—and that the show more women there would be so willing to talk to her. Or that a woman of the harem would be able to do what Roxelana tries to do, without any consequences! Also, Emily had free and easy access to the sultan, which wasn’t believable to me, either. I don’t know much about the Ottoman Empire in the late 19th century, so I don’t know if my misgivings about the accuracy are correct or not (for all I know European women took baths frequently with women of the harem). However, I think the author should have at least have attempted a story that seemed realistic.
For all that Emily prides herself on being forward-thinking, she’s still prevented from understanding the players in this particular game by her own narrow views on the Ottoman lifestyle (which she seems to have mostly gleaned from romance novels). And she exhibits no interest in understanding them, either. Even when common sense would dictate that helping Roxelana do what she does is a very, very stupid idea, Emily still assists her. Is it really stupidity on Emily’s part? Or ignorance? In any case, the way that Emily goes about solving the murder of the harem girl is, in her usual way, very single-minded. How can you solve a crime if you don’t even try to understand the people involved?
Nonetheless, I enjoyed the sexual tension between Emily and Colin; they haven’t merely settled down into a life of marital complacency. Things between them are still intriguing and exciting. It’s too bad that the writing seems to have fallen down a bit, because there was a lot of potential here. show less
They are very bad at honeymooning, but their adventures are fascinating. Love the history, love the plain speaking on both sides of the Ottoman/British cultural divide. Continue to enjoy the series.
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29+ Works 8,650 Members
Tasha Alexander is a graduate of Notre Dame. Following graduation, she traveled for several years, eventually settling with her family in Tennessee. When not reading, she can be found hard at work writing. She is the author of the bestselling Emily Ashton Series. She also wrote the novelization for Elizabeth: The Golden Age. (Bowker Author show more Biography) show less
Tasha Alexander is a LibraryThing Author, an author who lists their personal library on LibraryThing.
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Awards
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Tears of Pearl
- Original title
- Tears of Pearl
- Original publication date
- 2009-09-01
- People/Characters
- Emily Ashton; Colin Hargreaves; Margaret Seward; Sir Richard St. Clare; Roxelana; Bezime (show all 7); Benjamin St. Clare
- Important places
- Constantinople, Byzantine Empire; Turkey
- Epigraph
- I fain would go, yet beauty calls me back.
To leave her so and not once say farewell
Were to transgress against all the laws of love,
But if I use such ceremonious thanks
As parting friends accustom on the shore,... (show all)
Her silver arms will coil me round about
And tears of pearl cry, "Stay, Aeneas, stay."
Each word she says will then contain a crown,
And every speech be ended with a kiss.
I may not 'dure this female drudgery.
To sea, Aeneas! Find out Italy!
- Christopher Marlowe, Dido, Queen of Carthage - Dedication
- For my parents, who taught me to love books
- First words
- It is always a mistake to underestimate the possibilities of a train compartment.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Prepare yourself, darling wife. I am about to swim the Bosphorus for you.
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- 638
- Popularity
- 45,742
- Reviews
- 38
- Rating
- (3.43)
- Languages
- English, Serbian, Slovenian
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 10
- ASINs
- 6
