The Oracle of Stamboul

(Paperback)

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Description

A magical historical novel about an astonishing eight-year-old girl in the last days of the Ottoman Empire.

It is 1877, on the shores of the Black Sea, and the omens for the newborn Eleonora Cohen are hardly promising. Not only does her mother die in childbirth, but her village is being attacked by the Tsar's Royal Cavalry. However, despite this bad beginning, a sour stepmother and a traumatic journey in the hold of a ship, young Eleonora grows into a remarkably clever but very engaging child. And when a heartbreaking tragedy leaves her marooned in Istanbul, where spies and boarded-up harems and sudden death are as much a part of life as delicious spices, Paris fashions and rosewater, it is Eleonora's extraordinary courage and character which lead her straight to the Sultan's court, and to her salvation.

Reviews

."..this riveting debut novel not only captures the atmosphere of the exotic European crossroads but also introduces a young girl who is utterly captivating."--Bookloons.com
""The Oracle of Stamboul" is a delight, a gem of a first novel."--Read All Day
"[An] impressive debut novel."--San Francisco magazine
"A beautifully written debut novel. . . . Political intrigue, historical upheaval and Eastern mysticism come together in surprising ways as Lukas brings the book to a poignant conclusion tinged with magical realism."--Mercury News
"A gem of a first novel...an appealing blend of magical and historical realism...This is a polished literary work that will appeal to a wide readership."--Cleveland Plain Dealer
"A lyrical debut...A passionate novel that beautifully conveys the flavor of Turkish culture...focusing on the effect a young prodigy has on the political leaders of the time."--Kirkus Reviews
"A magical debut."--Good Housekeeping
"A stunning debut . . . Lukas has managed to create an instant classic that feels as if it should be retroactively slipped into the great libraries of the old world."--Reif Larsen, author of The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet
"An enchanting literary debut...A charming tale of passion and intrigue...that could be read in one sitting, spine-tingling descriptions will transport readers to another place and time."--Today's Zaman
"An enchanting, gorgeous read . . . Lukas captures the scents and sounds, the vivid beauty, the subtle intrigue and simultaneous naivety, of the Ottoman Empire unaware of its imminent demise."--Siobhan Fallon, author of You Know When the Men are Gone
"Beguiling. . . . Lukas veers from the tried-and-true, making "The Oracle of Stamboul" a novel that offers delightful surprises."--Jane Ciabattari, Los Angeles Times
"In his enchanting debut novel, Michael David Lukas captures the mystical world of the Ottoman Empire."---Book Beast
"Lukas . . . brings a raconteur's sense of storytelling, a traveler's eye for color and a scholar's sense of history to his first novel. . . . Lukas has given us a Turkish delight."--San Francisco Chronicle
"Michael David Lukas charms in his debut."--Vanity Fair
"The exotic sights and sounds of nineteenth-century Turkey spring vividly to life in Lukas' promising debut."--Booklist (starred review)
"This first novel by a promising young writer is both vivid historical fiction and a haunting fable."--Library Journal
"THE ORACLE OF STAMBOUL is one of those debuts that defies the norm."--Bookreporter.com

Author Bio

Michael David Lukas was born in 1979 and lives in California, where he teaches primary-school children Creative Writing and writes travel journalism. This is his first novel. For more information on the author please visit: www.michaeldavidlukas.com.