The Aviary Gate: A Novel

by Katie Hickman

Overview

Constantinople, 1599. Paul Pindar, a secretary to the English ambassador, thinks he has lost his love, Celia, in a shipwreck. Now, two years later, clues begin to emerge that she may be hidden among the ranks of the slaves in the Sultan's harem. But how can he be sure? And can they be reunited? With a secret rebellion rising within the Sultan's palace, danger surrounds the lovers. A lush, ancient tale of treacherous secrets, forbidden love, and murder in the Ottoman palace,The Aviary Gate is exotic historical fiction at its very best.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781608196913
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	12/15/2010
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	352
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Katie Hickman is the author of five previous books, including Daughters of Britannia and Courtesans. She is married to Walker author A.C. Grayling, and lives in London.
Katie Hickman is the author of six previous books, including two bestselling history books, Courtesans and Daughters of Britannia. She has written two travel books: Travels with a Circus, about her experiences travelling with a Mexican circus, which was shortlisted for the 1993 Thomas Cook Travel Book Award, and Dreams of the Peaceful Dragon, about a journey on horseback through the forbidden Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. She was shortlisted for the Sunday Times Young British Writer of the Year award for her novel The Quetzal Summer. Katie Hickman lives in London with her two children and her husband, the philosopher A.C. Grayling.

Editorial Reviews

Combining elements of The Tempest with gothic intrigue and charged, poignant romance, this is a sensuously involving novel. Teasing, erotic, suspenseful and expertly done.” —Daily Mail (UK)

“This cleverly written escapist novel looks set to turn Hickman into the next Philippa Gregory.” —Evening Standard (UK)

“A magical, engrossing read that takes us inside a sixteenth-century harem—and into a world populated by scheming, exotic characters. This absorbing novel of intrigue and forbidden love manages to be both cerebral and entertaining. With all the intricate detail of historical non-fiction and all the pace of romantic drama, this is beautifully written stuff.” —Glamour (UK)

“Dear reader, lie back on your ottoman and relax. Katie Hickman will take you to a magical land, the Topkapi harem in Istanbul in 1599. The intricate courts, alleys and secret staircases of the Topkapi are enticingly described and contribute to a plot full of headlong twists and turns. Luscious…exquisite...a box of Turkish delight. Enjoy!” —The Independent (UK)

“Gorgeously vivid.” —Marie Claire (UK)

“Forbidden love, sailors and secrets—fasten your seat belts for Hickman's period tome. Think Jane Austen meets Pirates of the Caribbean.” —In Style (UK)

“Remarkably convincing…[an] entertaining mystery whose plot twists can be as Byzantine as the setting. Hickman brings alive the sights, sounds and smells of Constantinople. Hickman has given us a Turkish delight of a novel that should win her legions of fans.” —Tatler (UK)

“The author has done some very thorough research…her style is light and clear and there are gems of descriptions. The books is dreamy and rose-scented, and reading it is like spending a delightful couple of hours in the company of one of the Sultan's favourites.” —Literary Review (UK)

“This entrancing novel married a plot so thrilling you'll miss your station stop. Insatiably gripping.” —Easy Living (UK)

“The Aviary Gate is a hugely enjoyable novel, multi-layered, vividly depicted and a fascinating story, filled with the colors, sights and scents of Constantinople in the 16th century. This story is at the same time fast moving, complex and deeply satisfying.” —Joanne Harris, author of Chocolat

“The Aviary Gate reminds us of the fact that Katie Hickman is first and foremost a vibrant story-teller who writes mainly because of the pure joy of weaving stories, be they historical or as in this case fictional accounts. And for that, I am very grateful to her.” —Azar Nafisi, author of Reading Lolita in Tehran

“Constantinople 1599 conjures images of exotic displays of wealth and beauty, deadly intrigue, power struggles and politics. The Aviary Gate delivers on all these, and adds a cast of fascinating diverse characters, a great story line and an unexpected but entirely satisfying end. A glorious feast for the imagination, very convincingly delivered.” —Nicola, Nicola's Books, Ann Arbor, MI

From the Publisher