This wondrous historical novel, with its touches of magical realism caught and held my attention from the beginning. At first, I thought it might be a romance, and it has elements of that, but not in the usual way. Fatima loves only one person, and he loves her, too, but not in a romantic way. Eventually, Fatima's heart expands to embrace many more. Her journey from a self-centered concubine to a free woman is fascinating. Her inner journey is as intriguing as the physical one. I didn't particularly like Fatima at the beginning of this novel, but by its end, I loved her.
The descriptions are beautiful. The use of color, in particular, stood out to me. There is nothing about this book I didn't like.
The descriptions are beautiful. The use of color, in particular, stood out to me. There is nothing about this book I didn't like.