What do readers think of The Drowning Guard by Linda Lafferty? Write your own review.

Linda Lafferty's The Drowning Guard offers a interesting perspective of the struggles of power in Istanbul in 1826. This historical novel gave insight into the history of the Ottoman Empire and particularly that of the rule in Turkey, the relationship with the Janissaries and the bloody times during shifts of power. The book was very readable and centers around the internal struggle with good and evil that the Sultaness and her Christian drowning guard experience related to the power and control of the Sultan. The retelling of tales sometimes dragged a bit but about half way through the book its plot became much more compelling. I loved reading about the Sultaness and her harem and her ability to protect women in a harsh society for them.

This book has a strong themes within it. Detestable acts, despicable and atrocious acts are committed throughout.There are terms and words common to the time and place and they can be confusing at times. However, if you love history and are interested in a story about two unusual and flawed characters, you should give this book a chance. I did, and I don't regret it.

When I first read the description of this book it didn't sound like something I'd ever pick up on my own. But the setting in early 19th-century Constantinople was a nice change from England and the Ottoman princess was certainly exotic. What difference did it make if she was also a murderess? Not as much as I thought it would. I found this book very atmospheric; the Bosphorus was almost a character in its own right. The (other) characters were well done, the secondary ones surprisingly so, and they were believable enough to keep me interested. While Esma Sultane's actions did not make sense to me, the history included in her reminiscences were fascinating, and I was very taken with Ivan and Esme's harem ladies. If you want something very dark and moody, with a wonderfully realized setting and characters that come alive, this book is for you.

I love Istanbul so was delighted to read a book about Istanbul and its exotic ancient culture and history. The story lagged at times but still had two well drawn and interesting protagonists and a fascinating yet tragic beginning where the Princess Esma Sultan ordered the drowning guard, Ivan Postivich, to drown her latest lover as she did with all the men she called to her chambers for a night of intimacy. Intrigues, battles and love affairs followed. The pace of the novel was indeed slow at times but never did I feel I should put it aside. Unique plot twists kept me going.

Be prepared to be transported to Constantinople in the 1800's. The city is part of the vast Ottoman Empire. People from all over live here - Armenians, English, Portuguese, Italians, Greeks, Jews from Spain, Serbo-Croats. The story centers on the lives of a brother and sister, the Sultan and Sultane. They live in luxury and have control over the ordinary citizens. The main character is Ivan Postivich, a Serbo-Croat, who was forced to give up his identity and religion to serve the Sultane. The novel is a reversal of the "Tales from a 1,001 Nights. Esma tells her life story to the soldier Ivan, The novel held my attention as each night more is revealed. The royal family was so cruel in so may ways but also protective of those in good favor. I enjoyed this book because I was immersed in another era. The novel had several suspenseful story lines.

The author did an excellent job creating the scenes in the book. Her imagery was so vivid, it was almost possible to smell the scents in the streets of Istanbul. The plot, however, lagged a bit in the beginning. It took some time to get involved with the characters but untimately I enjoyed the story so I am glad I stuck with it. This is an excellent book for those who enjoy historical fiction as well as those who like strong female characters.

I enjoyed this book although it was a stretch for me to even request it. The Ottoman Empire is not of particular interest to me, although this book may have ignited a spark. I felt there was just the right amount of actual history to draw the reader in, the characters were strong, and the plot was interesting. If the reader has an aversion to some particularly cruel acts, however, it may not be the book for you.

[Editor's Note - review contains potential plot spoiler]

I just finished reading "The Drowning Guard" by Linda Lafferty and was captivated and awed by the story line and the characters. I loved that the story line somewhat followed the idea of Scheherazade telling nightly tales as from "The Arabian Nights: Tales from a 1,001 Nights" without going overboard with the idea, for me it was just right. I also found the writing and the character development superb, Lafferty has a wonderful way of getting to the "meat" of a character in a brief amount of time. Despite all of this, I gave the book four stars as I found that the ending, for me, was a bit too sweet and cutesy, considering the more striking brutality that takes place earlier in the novel's story. It just didn't seem to "fit".