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Queen of Cities

Andrew Novo
Coffeetown Press (2010)
ISBN 9781603810760
Reviewed by Andrey Bilko for RebeccasReads (12/10)

Spring of 1493 put an end to the Byzantine Empire. This year will be always remembered in history as the fall of the City of all cities, the “Queen” of all cities, the majestic and powerful Constantinople – the heart of once mighty Byzantine Empire. Constantinople was always considered to be a jewel, icing on the cake, leading to multiple attempts of conquering it, especially by the Ottoman Turks, who could not accomplish the goal until Sultan Mehmed II decided to make the “Queen” his own. Mehmed II succeeded after an almost two months long siege. The process was long and painful, but worth it at the end, Constantinople became a new capital of the Ottoman Empire.

The book is historical fiction describing the events from personal fictional accounts of historical figures playing major roles during the attack on Constantinople. Setting the ground by describing Sultan Mehmed II’s thoughts and intentions to make the mighty City his six months before the siege, the book continues with preparations for capture, excruciating siege, and eventual downfall. The reader learns about the events by interacting with the key players, whose personal lives and interactions are presented and shared with the reader. It is not just plain factual history; there are love, personal struggles, human emotions, and insightful thoughts. It is like a script to a movie set in medieval times, with everything that Hollywood enjoys thrives on, in addition, to the factual history.

The story is very lively, full of action, pulling the reader in, and holding him until the last page. Writing and descriptions are excellent; dialogues, however, seem to be missing something at times, not too realistic. There are also many common typos throughout the text, which are a bit distracting and look unprofessional. Overall, I would recommend the book to all those, who enjoy fictional accounts of historical moments, eager to read a fast-paced story from personal view points of historical figures.

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