Mirah in The Court of the Lions

Sultana by Lisa J Yarde

Review by Mirah W. (mwelday)

I recently traveled to Spain and one of the stops on my trip was the Alhambra in Granada, Spain.  Prior to my trip I found the book ‘Sultana: A Novel of Moorish Spain’ and thought it would be great book to read in preparation for my trip.

The novel is about Fatima, granddaughter of the reigning Sultan in 13^th century Moorish Spain.  The Nasrids were the last of the Sultans to rule in Granada and live in the Alhambra before the Christian reconquest.  Fatima is part of an arranged marriage to the Sultan’s nephew Faraj when she is just 9 years old and has no relationship with Faraj until years later.  We follow Fatima as she grows up and better begins to understand the secrets and roles of her family, her feelings for Faraj, and the threat of Christian influence.

Fatima lives in the Alhambra and we learn of the opulence of her life.  Through Yarde’s descriptions, the Alhambra itself become like a character in the story.  Of all the places I was going to visit in my tour of southern Spain, I was most excited about the Alhambra. Built in 889 it was originally a fortress and later became the royal palace for the Nasrid Dynasty.  In addition to being a UNESCO World Heritage Site it is also one of the locations in the book ‘1000 Places to See Before You Die’, a book I am working hard to get through; it is my bucket list.

While walking through the Alhambra I kept thinking, this is where the Sultana and her family lived.  Centuries ago, people really lived in this structure that looks like an amazing fantasy dream come true.  People walked through these courtyards and through these arches every day. People looked through these windows just like I did; and even though we saw different things, I believe it was just as awe-inspiring then as it is today.  It seems amazingly unreal to imagine everyday life happening within the elaborate walls.

Spain’s history is complex but Yarde creates a novel that is interesting and beautifully written.  After having walked through the arches myself, I know the magic Yarde expresses about the Alhambra has not diminished over the centuries.

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