The Oracle of Stamboul in Around the World

Aug 08, 2013 Jenny (Reading Envy) rated it really liked it

Shelves: around-the-world, location-turkey, read2013

A story of a young girl who learns at an insane speed, and seems destined to have a role in late 19th century Turkey's political turmoil.

I enjoyed it but it doesn't really feel all that Turkish, in the end. You could have picked Eleanor up and dropped her into any exotic location with a sultan/king/emperor and the story could have been the same. I think the author wrote the book to get to write Istanbul but it wasn't essential for the story somehow.

And while it isn't classified YA, it had that f ...more

7 likes · Like · see review

Jan 25, 2011 Barbara rated it really liked it

Shelves: published-in-2011, historical-fiction, russia, turkey, read-in-2011, politics, romania, stamboul, in-germany, in-istanbul

Posted 3/20/11 -- Who says you can't judge a book by its cover? Well, the cover of this book is beautiful, and so is the story. This is a wonderful, magical tale, and I absolutely loved it. I will be back to write a full review.

Posted 2/8/11 -- Yay! I won this book in the Goodreads' First Reads giveaway!!! I really wanted this book -- I love stories that take place in Turkey, and I love fables, and I believe this is a fable (based on some reviews that I have seen.) Actually, I read an interview ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jan 31, 2020 Barbara (Bobby) Title rated it it was amazing

In Poisonwood Bible, author Barbara Kingsolver writes, "“I was afflicted with Africa like a bout of a rare disease, from which I have not managed a full recovery.”

This is exactly how I feel about Istanbul, having lived there mid-life for two years - and sorry to have to come home. Thus, I have a very hard time being neutral about any book before I begin. It wasn't long into the book that I had to tell myself to "Let the story be...." and to not try to fit it into what i remembered of Robert's Co ...more

Like · see review

Sep 09, 2012 Nina rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: world2012, 2012, middle-east

My opinion goes with the majority on this novel. I wanted to love the novel, but I only ended up liking it. Michael David Lukas is an excellent writer, and he sets a mystical mood with his beautiful descriptions of the city of Stamboul and little touches of magic that fit into the world perfectly. The pacing is pretty slow, but it felt right to me, and the characters were interesting enough.

Many people complained that "nothing happens," which I agree with. This wouldn’t have been so bad in anoth ...more

Like · see review

Sep 14, 2013 Marcia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: science-fiction-and-fantasy, historical-fiction, 2013-around-the-world

Great book with a great main character, a young Jewish girl from Romania in the late 1800s who is a child prodigy and her destiny in Istanbul. Hard to categorize, this is historical fiction with a touch of the magical.

Like · see review