The Snake Stone ('Yashim the Eunuch' Mystery)
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Product Description
Financial Times
It's a spicy yarn - and an irresistable one ... What makes The
Snake Stone so enjoyable is the unassuming warmth of its enlightened hero.
Snake Stone so enjoyable is the unassuming warmth of its enlightened hero.
Review
"'Everything you could want from a novel - a cracking story, beautifully written, with a wonderfully seductive and original detective in the figure of Yashim the Eunuch.' Kate Mosse, author of Labyrinth"
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is the second in the series of novels featuring the eunuch Yashmin - the first being the equally good introduction "The Jannissary Tree". Set in the mid 1800's in Turkey at the height of the Ottaman Empire this is a detective novel with a slight quirky nature. Anyone who likes Boris Akunin will, I am sure, take just as kindly to this hero as they have done to Erast Fandorin or Sister Pelugia. Jason Goodwin carefully weaves colourful portraits of Istanbul, life within a Sultans palace, political intrigue and historical drama into the storyline (as well as some good cooking tips!) and, as with all good detective novels, the ending has a surprise or two in store. A very enjoyable book and one I thoroughly recommend.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
'The Snake Stone' is the second novel featuring Yashim the Eunuch, one of recent crime fiction's more interesting creations. Set in Istanbul against a backdrop of a crumbling Ottoman empire, Goodwin's novels are both tightly plotted and full of sumptuous description.
Yashim finds himself, an anachronism in a rapidly modernising city. With the Sultan on his deathbed, he is unsure of his continuing role and as a eunuch, is uncomfortable with his asexual persona. This makes Yashim both engaging and vulnerable, without the author having to resort to alcohol abuse and divorce; a welcome respite from two of crime fiction's most overused clichés.
Goodwin's writing is descriptive yet easy to read, his portrayal of Istanbul is rich and varied; you can almost smell the city. You can certainly taste Yashim's wonderful culinary concoctions; food and taste are at the heart of any culture, which is why many a foreign detective is a whizz in the kitchen; Yashim's tasty meals add authenticity to the author's excellent depiction of the city.
Some other reviews complain about historical inaccuracies and I confess to not having a enough knowledge to support or refute these claims. I would however, suggest that it probably doesn't matter, this is a work of fiction after all. Goodwin's novels ooze authenticity and his characters are well rounded and entertaining, in particular the brandy-loving Polish ambassador.
The plot of 'The Snake Stone', is exciting and believable, although I did feel that everything fell into place a little too conveniently. There is also a nice little sting in the final paragraphs, which I certainly didn't see coming. I have thoroughly enjoyed the two Yashim novels that I have read so far; they were both high quality crime-writing with an exotic garnish; I look forward to the next instalment.
Yashim finds himself, an anachronism in a rapidly modernising city. With the Sultan on his deathbed, he is unsure of his continuing role and as a eunuch, is uncomfortable with his asexual persona. This makes Yashim both engaging and vulnerable, without the author having to resort to alcohol abuse and divorce; a welcome respite from two of crime fiction's most overused clichés.
Goodwin's writing is descriptive yet easy to read, his portrayal of Istanbul is rich and varied; you can almost smell the city. You can certainly taste Yashim's wonderful culinary concoctions; food and taste are at the heart of any culture, which is why many a foreign detective is a whizz in the kitchen; Yashim's tasty meals add authenticity to the author's excellent depiction of the city.
Some other reviews complain about historical inaccuracies and I confess to not having a enough knowledge to support or refute these claims. I would however, suggest that it probably doesn't matter, this is a work of fiction after all. Goodwin's novels ooze authenticity and his characters are well rounded and entertaining, in particular the brandy-loving Polish ambassador.
The plot of 'The Snake Stone', is exciting and believable, although I did feel that everything fell into place a little too conveniently. There is also a nice little sting in the final paragraphs, which I certainly didn't see coming. I have thoroughly enjoyed the two Yashim novels that I have read so far; they were both high quality crime-writing with an exotic garnish; I look forward to the next instalment.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Jason Goodwin's second book "The Snake Stone" sees the return of the Turkish, crime-solving eunuch Yashim Togalu. I'm pleased to report that Goodwin's second book was as fun to read as his first, The Janissary Tree: A Novel".
As befits a mystery set in Istanbul the plot of "The Snake Stone" is moderately Byzantine but not so complex that the reader gets lost. Yashim is approached by a French archeologist (of the plundering sort) who tells Yashim a story about some priceless antiquities. Shortly thereafter the man is found dead and since Yashim is the last man to see him alive he finds himself faced with the prospect of being a suspect in the murder. Yashim has no choice but to try to unravel the mystery.
Two aspects of the book deserve special praise. As noted, the plot revolves around the possible discovery of priceless antiquities and this is a perfect device for a book set in a city such as Istanbul one of the world's historic cross-roads. The plot gives Goodwin a great opportunity to `explore' Istanbul's rich and diverse history both archeologically and socially. Goodwin studied Byzantine history at Cambridge and has written books on the history of the Ottoman Empire (Lords of the Horizons: A History of the Ottoman Empire and his writing evidences that knowledge. Goodwin puts his knowledge to good use as he paints a very readable picture of Istanbul that captures (for me at least) the sights, sounds, and smells of Istanbul's streets and alleys while also conveying a sense of the political and social backdrop that drove the characters in the book. Anytime a writer gives you the sense that you can almost get a visceral feel for the sights and sounds of a city that writer has done a good job.
Second, Goodwin has done an excellent job in developing the character of Yashim. Yashim is now, in the second book, a fully formed and very endearing character. The minor recurring characters are equally engaging. Last, Yashim isn't the first detective to be a gourmet cook but I have to say the descriptions of Yashim's recipes were very enticing.
In my review of "The Janissary Tree" I mentioned that Goodwin's Yashim reminded me of Boris Akunin's Erast Fandorin novels (late 19th-century Russia such as The Winter Queen: A Novel (Erast Fandorin Mysteries)) and Arturo Perez-Reverte's Captain Alatriste stories such as Captain Alatriste (17th-century Spain). They all take the standard detective or mystery story and transport the reader to a different time and place. "The Snake Stone" confirms my original impression that Goodwin's books belong in that good company. "The Snake Stone" was an excellent story and anyone who likes a good detective story with a bit of an exotic twist should enjoy it.
As befits a mystery set in Istanbul the plot of "The Snake Stone" is moderately Byzantine but not so complex that the reader gets lost. Yashim is approached by a French archeologist (of the plundering sort) who tells Yashim a story about some priceless antiquities. Shortly thereafter the man is found dead and since Yashim is the last man to see him alive he finds himself faced with the prospect of being a suspect in the murder. Yashim has no choice but to try to unravel the mystery.
Two aspects of the book deserve special praise. As noted, the plot revolves around the possible discovery of priceless antiquities and this is a perfect device for a book set in a city such as Istanbul one of the world's historic cross-roads. The plot gives Goodwin a great opportunity to `explore' Istanbul's rich and diverse history both archeologically and socially. Goodwin studied Byzantine history at Cambridge and has written books on the history of the Ottoman Empire (Lords of the Horizons: A History of the Ottoman Empire and his writing evidences that knowledge. Goodwin puts his knowledge to good use as he paints a very readable picture of Istanbul that captures (for me at least) the sights, sounds, and smells of Istanbul's streets and alleys while also conveying a sense of the political and social backdrop that drove the characters in the book. Anytime a writer gives you the sense that you can almost get a visceral feel for the sights and sounds of a city that writer has done a good job.
Second, Goodwin has done an excellent job in developing the character of Yashim. Yashim is now, in the second book, a fully formed and very endearing character. The minor recurring characters are equally engaging. Last, Yashim isn't the first detective to be a gourmet cook but I have to say the descriptions of Yashim's recipes were very enticing.
In my review of "The Janissary Tree" I mentioned that Goodwin's Yashim reminded me of Boris Akunin's Erast Fandorin novels (late 19th-century Russia such as The Winter Queen: A Novel (Erast Fandorin Mysteries)) and Arturo Perez-Reverte's Captain Alatriste stories such as Captain Alatriste (17th-century Spain). They all take the standard detective or mystery story and transport the reader to a different time and place. "The Snake Stone" confirms my original impression that Goodwin's books belong in that good company. "The Snake Stone" was an excellent story and anyone who likes a good detective story with a bit of an exotic twist should enjoy it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Disappointing
His first book the Janissary Tree was so good I was looking forward to reading this one. The plot was interesting but it got so bogged down with Greek history my mind glazed over... Read more
Published 4 months ago by J. Dixon
A slight improvement on The Janissary Tree
I read the first book in the series, The Janissary Tree last year, and was very disappointed with it. The murder/mystery aspect of the book seemed to be rather superficial. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Tigger
Delightfully moody, mesmerizing, and full of interesting detail about...
As a Turk who has lived in Istanbul for many years, I am perhaps one of the harder readers to please for a foreign author writing about Ottoman Istanbul, but I thoroughly enjoyed... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Z de MC
Nice and exotic
I am not a great fan of detective stories but combined with an exotic environment like Ottoman Istambul made the story quite enjoyable. Read more
Published 24 months ago by Kaila Kaarle
badly abridged [audio CD]
having listened to, & enjoyed, the other 2 books in the Yashim series, this one, for me, lacked the depth of description & atmosphere that mark the other 2 books out and made them... Read more
Published on 8 Sep 2009 by qahwa
Complex but not intriguing
I picked up this novel because I love historical fiction and liked the idea of reading about Istanbul in the early nineteenth century. Read more
Published on 5 Jun 2009 by viciousidol
Formulaic let-down
As a mystery writer Goodwin needs to realise that complexity is neither necessary nor sufficient and that there is a difference between a twist and a completely unexpained (and... Read more
Published on 4 Oct 2008 by Graham R. Hill
A strong example of the genre
Historical detective novels tend to suffer from the same concern. The setting is superficially historical, often with lavish physical descriptions, historical and cultural... Read more
Published on 25 Jun 2008 by Thomas Foster
Comparing to Prophet Murders Goodwin's knowledge of Istanbul gets only...
Just read two different thrillers on Istanbul with two similar heros. One the Snake Stone the other Prophet Murders. Read more
Published on 28 May 2008 by the reader
another breath of fresh oriental air
Well, what can I say? Having read 'The Janissary Tree' a while ago and having found it a very enjoyable novel, I'm glad to say this second novel featuring Yashim is as good if not... Read more
Published on 27 May 2008 by Didier
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