The Janissary Tree: A Novel (Investigator Yashim, 1)

Isaiah 56:3Investigator Yashim, the hero of Jason Goodwin's first novel, "The Janissary Tree" may be a Turkish eunuch but it is not at all likely that anyone reading this book will think of him as a "dry tree". In fact, if Yashim's steamy encounter with the beautiful but lonely wife of the Russian ambassador to Turkey halfway through the book is any indication, this is one heck of a unique eunuch.I would love to have been present when Goodwin pitched the idea of a novel (and the first in a proposed series) about a crime-solving eunuch in Istanbul to his agent or publisher. Fortunately, someone had the good sense to green light this project as Goodwin has crafted a highly-entertaining book.The Janissary Tree is set in Istanbul in 1836. Ten years earlier the Janissaries, the Sultan's version of the Roman Empire's Praetorian Guards, had been crushed by the "New Guard", the Sultan's standing army. Like the Praetorian Guards the Janissaries had evolved from a protective legion to one that terrorized the populace and the Sultan. Now, ten years later, the mysterious disappearance of four members of the New Guard and the murder of one of the Sultan's harem heralds the possible return of the Janissaries. The return of the Janissaries threatens to destroy the Sultanate and the relative calm of Istanbul. Enter Investigator Yashim. He is given ten days to get to the bottom of the mystery.Yashim is soon engulfed in murder and intrigue. Bodies begin to appear in bizarre places as Yashim and his friends (including a somewhat decadent Polish Ambassador who has no country to represent and a transvestite dancer) try to get to the bottom of this alleged revolt.Goodwin is very good at keeping the plot boiling (in more ways than one). Goodwin, who studied Byzantine history at Cambridge and who has written books on the history of the Ottoman Empire, has ample knowledge of the time and the place and has put this knowledge to good use. Goodwin seems to convey a real sense of how the city must have looked, felt, and even smelled more than 180 years or so ago.The Janissary Tree reminded me of Boris Akunin's Erast Fandorin novels (late 19th-century Russia) and Arturo Perez-Reverte's Captain Alatriste stories (17th-century Spain). They all take the standard detective or mystery story and transport the reader to a different time and place. As with both Akunin and Perez-Reverte's novels, Jason Goodwin's "The Janissary Tree" is an entertaining and diverting read. I look forward to the next in the series.L. Fleisig

I just finished listening to The Janissary Tree, by Jason Goodwin,read by Stephen Hoye. To my delight this is an unusual, exotichistorical mystery, well written and fast paced. The Janissary Treeis set in Istanbul in 1836. What attracted me to the title was theJanissary connection from "The Religion" which I also recently,set in the 1530s. Ten years before this story is set, in 1826, the Janissaries (the Ottoman Sultan's version of the Roman Empire's Praetorian Guards), had been crushed by the "New Guard", the Sultan's newly created standing army. Why did the Sultan choose to create and train the "New Guard" to defeat his own sworn guards (Janissaries)? Because, like the Praetorian Guards, the Janissaries had evolved from a protective legion (in the 1530s) to one that terrorized the populace and the Sultan himself in 1826. Now, ten years later, the mysteriousdisappearance of four members of the "New Guard" and the murder ofone of the Sultan's harem, heralds the possible return of theJanissaries. The return of the Janissaries threatens to destroy theSultan (the common practice being to kill not only the Sultan, butall his blood relatives as well) and the relative calm of Istanbul.Enter Investigator Yashim (a natural born eunuch - who....nevertheless has a steamy encounter with the beautiful but lonelywife of the Russian ambassador to Turkey halfway through the book)... anunusual leading character to say the least.Yashim has ten days to solve the mystery of 4 missing "new guards" (one has already turned up dead). Soon bodies are appearing in bizarreplaces, and Yashim and his "friends" (including a the decadent PolishAmbassador who has no recognized country to represent, and atransvestite dancer) try to get to the bottom of this revolt.This is my first listen to this reader and first book by thisauthor. And, what a delightful surprise. Hoye, gets a high B in thisperformance IMHO. I am quite quirky about readers, so this recommendation is a rare one. Hoye is excellent here, well above average characterization, identification, and range.Never the less, I have to say that Yashim is quite a bizzare leadingcharacter, the opposite of the usual "hero" sterotype, and I'm notsure how the author intends to use him as the basis for a series.While this first book (only 9 CDs long) is GREAT, I just don't seethis character as being the basis for a sluth series. JMHO. Still, Ihighly recommend this first story.

Most original historical detective story by a writer I knew from his "Lords of the Horizons", about the history of the Ottoman Empire.The subject detective is Yashim, and he operates in the Istanbul of the 1830s. What exactly his job is remains a bit unclear, but he seems to be used by higher-ups in the Sultan's court for investigative work. The theme of this story, the first in a series, revolves around the "Auspicious Event" some 10 years before, when the out-of-control Janissaries finally pushed the Sultan a step too far and got destroyed by more regular troops. In this book Yashim needs to help solve a number of murder mysteries directly related (but how?) to the dramtatic events a decade ago.In terms of originality, I'd have to rate this one at close to 5 stars. How often does one read stories about Ottoman detectives in the 1830s? This particular one even happens to be a eunuch (which is why he has good access to the palace - it does not stop him from having intimate relationships with ravishing Russian ambassadors' wives), even more original. The subject matter, the capital of the Ottoman Empire in the 1800s, is well chosen. In terms of writing and plot, perhaps closer to 3 stars. Well then, 4 is a good average clearly.

This book's structure suits its magnificent, 1836 Istanbul, substance: "an endless circuit, snake swallowing snake. Frustration and excitement and pleasure in equal measure - and without issue." (p. 304). Every chapter closes with an unresolved frustration, which is picked up and dealt with only a few pages later, thanks to short chapters, yielding the excitement of anticipation and the pleasure of fulfilment as you progress through a story which uses a plot full of mirth to present the character of a unique city in the 1830s. And the characterisation is what matters most (to me), since it is history brought alive. Human insight is an added extra: "Bitterness is not a better kind of grief, Zucci. Grief has its place, but bitterness invades a wound like rot. Slowly, bit by bit, it shuts you down. And in the end, even though you are alive, you are really dead." (p.144)

I read this during a cruise which stopped at Istanbul (which I have visited previously for a short stay) and I must say this novel nicely captures the sense of time and place.I thought Yashim was an original and compelling character although some of his experiences were a little far-fetched to say the least. Nevertheless I romped through this fairly quickly (always easier on holiday I know) and am surprised at those who found it slow and hard to get into. I enjoyed the unravelling plot but at the end I thought the whole thing got rather too complicated and I actually gave up caring who did what as the twists and turns kept happening.Nevertheless I found it overall an enjoyable read and would happily pick up the sequel to find out what Yashim does next!

Having just returned from this great city I enjoyed the fact that the geographical detail made sense. Living today it is hard to imagine the immense struggles between modernity and tradition in the 19th C. This book gives an insight through the Janus-like hero Yashim. Of course some elements are rather silly and contrived but I enjoyed the story immensely. I hope the second book in the series is as good.

This book deserved the Edgar award it won the year it was published. The locale is fascinating ( early 19th. century Istanbul) with vivid descriptions of a culture unfamiliar to most North Americans. The detective is unique in recent mystery novels and his insights into his countrymen are fascinating. He is simultaneously investigating two cases which coalesce in the end.