The Mapmaker's Daughter
A Novel

A fascinating peek into the 16th century world of the Ottoman Empire. The story is told through the memories of a woman who is dying and recalling the circumstances that brought her to where she is now. Her extraordinary life included being kidnapped by pirates, educated with a prince and joining th......more

As the story starts it goes in no direction for far too long. But as story builds up, it becomes interesting until it starts alternating between present and past time. Nurbanu tells her own story. Born illegitimate Venetian in the 16th century. She becomes wife of Sultan Seim II. (However, her origin......more

I really don't like rating books that I DNF'd, but I feel bad not writing a review since I got this book from Netgalley. So this review is only for the first 20% or so. The rest of the book could be fabulous; I just don't know. I can see what the author was attempting to create here, along the lines......more

I picked this up in anticipation of meeting the author next month. This is historical fiction and is the story of Cecilia Veneiro who became Nurbanyu after she was kidnapped and then married into the Ottoman Empire. She was the wife of Selim II and the mother of Murad III. It is told as a memoir wri......more