Moon Queen

by Katharine Branning

Overview

Mahperi the Moon Queen survived in a competitive court ruled by both love and hate in an era of builders and destroyers. Armed with intelligence and determination, she courageously weathered power struggles with male and female rivals, wars with the Mongols, intrigue at the court, and ultimate betrayal to become one of the most influential figures in the empire.

Inspired by true events and people, Moon Queen weaves a bright carpet of inspiration, by turns inspiring and heartbreaking, providing a new perspective on one of the most glorious periods of Turkish history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781935295679
Publisher:	Blue Dome Press
Publication date:	10/15/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	536
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Katharine Branning, MLS, is Vice-President of the French Institute Alliance Françaisein New York City. Specializing in Islamic arts, Branning has conducted annual field work in Turkey since 1978, edited books and curated exhibits on Seljuk architecture and decorative arts. She is the author of Yes, I Would Love another Glass of Tea, a collection of letters on Turkey. She lives in New York City.

Editorial Reviews

10/13/2014
Branning, an expert in Islamic arts, imagines the life of Mahperi Hatun, the 13th century Sultana of the Seljuk Empire, located in present-day Turkey, in this overwrought debut novel. After her city is taken by the Seljuk army, the Armenian princess Mahperi is married to the Sultan himself, Alaeddin Keykubad. Despite their lack of a shared language or religion, the couple falls instantly in love, with Mahperi becoming Alaeddin's most trusted advisor. Alaeddin's reign is renowned for its architecture, and Branning lavishes attention on every detail of the sultan's building projects, bringing the urban landscape of medieval Turkey to life. Unfortunately, the people who live within that landscape are not as richly drawn. Everyone speaks in language that is simultaneously grandiose and dry—the sultan, for example, describes his latest construction to his advisors thus: "Our buildings will communicate to our citizens a clear religious, commercial and philosophical statement about where we stand as a culture." Mahperi faces challenges—her husband's decision to take a second wife, her son's exile, her best friend's gruesome death—but the Sultana is so flawless, so over-imbued with qualities, that she ultimately falls perfectly flat. The resulting narrative is something that feels more like an architecture lesson than a work of fiction. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

A delightful surprise is in store for readers who love being in touch with history in a visceral way through its most vibrant, sometimes outlandish personalities. Moon Queen, Katharine Branning’s latest, is set in Turkey, as was her earlier Yes, I Would Love Another Glass of Tea, though during an entirely different time period. This time, we are introduced to Mahperi, wife and mother of sultans in the 13th Century, a woman whose accomplishments would remain unknown to most of us without Ms. Branning’s deep research into unusual sources. The novel treats us to intrigues worthy of the Borgias and plunges us into a historical moment that fascinates, while also allowing us to feel that we are relating to flesh and blood persons. Don’t try for aesthetic distance while reading this novel. Just immerse yourself in its lusciousness. A book such as Moon Queen does much to dispel oversimplifications by introducing us to a deep and vast old culture, thereby increasing our understanding of that culture in the present. Though Branning does not make a claim to total historical accuracy, she contributes immeasurably to our own pleasure in experiencing this exquisite moment in time and space. Branning made me want to eat those meals, touch those fabrics, see those old stones, be present in 13th Century Turkey.

Dr. Joanna Dezio

13th century Turkey: The Sultana Mahperi was born Maryam, during her lifetime as wife and mother to sultans, she built mosques and caravan stops to develop important trade routes. Those sites’ fabulous architecture inspired this novel...

Historical Novel Society, HNR Issue 70 (November 2014) - Richard Bourgeois