Rating: 
Summary: (3.5)The Three Graces of Persia....
Review: The Three Graces of Persia...Mossanen dips her honeyed pen into a fragrant mix of mythology, fancy and historical detail. In 14th Century Persia, the sultanas in the royal harem exist for the pleasure of their Shah. These sheltered women are attended by royal eunuchs, who arevested in their own self-interest. Hidden from the eyes of the world and enveloped in the trappings of opulence and excess, the sultanas are forever restricted by the rigid structure of harem protocol. The pungent scent of opium hovers as these sheltered women idle away the days, often years, awaiting the Shah's pleasure. Other parts of the city are defined by abject poverty, especially the Jewish Quarter, where piles of refuse are the source of sustenance for starving beggars. As everywhere in this society, women are possessions of their husbands as dictated by law. Here in the Jewish Quarter, the youthful Rebekah is sold in marriage before she even attains her womanhood. Her new husband, Jacob the Fatherless, is a base and cruel man who enjoys demeaning and beating his innocent bride, excited only by the scent of her fear mingled with his own avarice. Rebekah survives only by virtue of her wits, vowing to survive her desperate situation. The single joy produced from a loveless and brutal marriage, Gold Dust, Rebekah's only child, has unique qualities of her own and some of the striking looks of her mother. Rebekah schemes to situate Gold Dust safely in the sequestered harem of the Shah. Once this is accomplished, Gold Dust quickly becomes the favorite, to the exclusion of the other sultanas, which makes her an object of jealousy. Gold Dust produces a girl child by her beloved Shah, a strangely beautiful albino princess who is her father's delight. This child is called Raven; she will eventually sit on the throne of Persia. The three women are an allegory for the power behind the veil, defined by their ability to adapt and advance their interests. The matriarch, Rebekah, never a woman to be crossed or scorned, is capable of amazing feats on behalf of her family. Gifted with unusual beauty and a clever mind, Rebekah envisions her family thriving beyond the entrapment of marriage. To this end, she wields her agile mind as deftly as the Shah slashes his enemies with the royal crested sword, carving a place in history for the future generations of her tribe. A seemingly defenseless woman in the world of men, Rebekah's ambition propels her daughter and granddaughter into a life of untold luxury and privilege. This haunting tale is shrouded in layers of imagination as rich as the emeralds and rubies that adorn the Shah and his women. Opiate dreams mix freely with desire, mystery, greed and revenge. Mossanen invents a world of a thousand and one Persian nights, each more intriguing than the last. Luan Gaines/2003.
Rating: 
Summary: Not so great
Review: This is a book that implies an interesting read, however after about 100 or so pages it becomes clear you been swindled. The author had a much better time writing this than you will have reading it. I recommend Slammerkin, The Dress Lodger, or The Crimson Petal and the White instead, all of a different era however have much more interesting, better developed characters.
Rating: 
Summary: A lush magical universe
Review: This was the best book I have read in the last many years.
I was transported to a rich universe of characters of such strength, I didn't want to leave.
I highly recommend Harem to male and female readers. Every one will enjoy and learn something from it. A wonderful holiday gift.
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