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The Snake Stone ('Yashim the Eunuch' Mystery)

Author: Jason Goodwin
Publisher: Faber and Faber
Category: Book

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Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars

10 reviews
Sales Rank: 3869

Media: Paperback
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5 x 0.9

ISBN: 0571236472
EAN: 9780571236473
ASIN: 0571236472

Publication Date: May 1, 2008
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Also Available In:

•	Paperback - The Snake Stone
•	Hardcover - The Snake Stone
•	Hardcover - The Snake Stone ('Yashim the Eunuch' Mystery)
•	Paperback - The Snake Stone ('Yashim the Eunuch' Mystery)
•	Paperback - Snake Stone, The

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Customer Reviews: Read 5 more reviews...

3 out of 5 stars

A strong example of the genre June 25, 2008
Historical detective novels tend to suffer from the same concern. The setting is superficially historical, often with lavish physical descriptions, historical and cultural infodumping and one of two token quirks in the character and plot. The sensibilities tend to be perfectly contemporary. Some authors, such as Stephen Saylor, structure their initial premise is such a way as to alienate their protagonist from their peer culture and justify his very modern sensibilities. Others attempt to maintiain the illusian of an archaic sensibility. Some appear entirely unaware of the challenge.

Jason Goodwin is a rare example of an author who successfully treads the line. His protagonist, a eunuch who earns his living as a private "problem solver", rather than a palace employee, has the typical outsider's profile. With an interest in French literature and European culture, and a passion for Ottoman style cooking he has both a frame of reference for modern readers and suitably archaic quirk. The novel never quite reaches the peak of, say, the Unburied, by Charles Palliser, which presents it historical setting straight and allows the reader to sink or swim, but by dint of effort Goodwin raises his head above the churning surf of the genre.

3 out of 5 stars

Comparing to Prophet Murders Goodwin's knowledge of Istanbul gets only a D May 28, 2008
Just read two different thrillers on Istanbul with two similar heros. One the Snake Stone the other Prophet Murders. The Snake Stone takes Istanbul as a souvenir backstage as flat as a Hollywood movie made in 1930's when nobody had a knowledge of socalled exotic places. Whereas Prophet Murders, featuring a cool, elegant, Audrey Hepburn fan, classical music critic, aikido master transvestite night club owner turned detective in Istanbul is completely different; the city lives in the pages as vivid as pictures taken moment by moment. The difference is so clear; the writer of Prophet Murders is Turkish and lives in Istanbul. Fun and perfect for summer as well. Sorry Goodwin, you need to study harder to compete with the "girls"...

4 out of 5 stars

another breath of fresh oriental air May 27, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful

Well, what can I say? Having read 'The Janissary Tree' a while ago and having found it a very enjoyable novel, I'm glad to say this second novel featuring Yashim is as good if not better. Yashim is an unlikely kind of detective, not so much because he is eunuch (although I'll grant there's probably precious few other eunuch detectives out there) but because his approach is so very subtle and stealthy. There's nothing hard-boiled about Yashim, he blends in with his surroundings, observes in silence the comings and goings, and then lets his formidable intelligence do the rest. This is not to say that every case is a breeze for Yashim, on the contrary. In 'The snake stone' as in 'The Janissary tree' he has to deal with formidable opponents who do not shy away from physical violence and the occasional gruesome murder.

Add to this the unusual setting of Istanbul in the 1830s (I was there a couple of years ago and oddly enough the descriptions given in this book instantly reminded me of the 21st century atmosphere of that city, no doubt much has changed but much has remained the same also), the colourful characters (the Polish ambassador Palewski!) and the subtle language in which this whole tale is told and what you end up with is a delightful detective novel, and one which I can heartily recommend.

4 out of 5 stars

Journey to Ottoman Istanbul... January 20, 2008
3 out of 4 found this review helpful

Our favourite eunuch makes his next outing in declining Istanbul. This time it's a secret Hellanistic cult that needs thwarting. It's more of the same as the last book, intriguing mystery, another beautiful woman that causes emotional turmoil, various culinary experiences and another slightly fudged ending and all is well at the end. Of course the storyline is hardly paramount in the book, one reads this for the journey through Ottoman Istanbul, the experience the smells and sights and to learn its history. The atmosphere and background is beautifully described, one can really get the sense of the authors historical expertise coming in to play. The plot fades from memory almost instantly on completion, but the sense of old Istanbul lingers in the memory long after the books completion.

4 out of 5 stars

The Turkish impotentate returns! December 15, 2007
6 out of 7 found this review helpful

Jason Goodwin's second book "The Snake Stone" sees the return of the Turkish, crime-solving eunuch Yashim Togalu. I'm pleased to report that Goodwin's second book was as fun to read as his first, The Janissary Tree: A Novel".

As befits a mystery set in Istanbul the plot of "The Snake Stone" is moderately Byzantine but not so complex that the reader gets lost. Yashim is approached by a French archeologist (of the plundering sort) who tells Yashim a story about some priceless antiquities. Shortly thereafter the man is found dead and since Yashim is the last man to see him alive he finds himself faced with the prospect of being a suspect in the murder. Yashim has no choice but to try to unravel the mystery.

Two aspects of the book deserve special praise. As noted, the plot revolves around the possible discovery of priceless antiquities and this is a perfect device for a book set in a city such as Istanbul one of the world's historic cross-roads. The plot gives Goodwin a great opportunity to `explore' Istanbul's rich and diverse history both archeologically and socially. Goodwin studied Byzantine history at Cambridge and has written books on the history of the Ottoman Empire (Lords of the Horizons: A History of the Ottoman Empire and his writing evidences that knowledge. Goodwin puts his knowledge to good use as he paints a very readable picture of Istanbul that captures (for me at least) the sights, sounds, and smells of Istanbul's streets and alleys while also conveying a sense of the political and social backdrop that drove the characters in the book. Anytime a writer gives you the sense that you can almost get a visceral feel for the sights and sounds of a city that writer has done a good job.

Second, Goodwin has done an excellent job in developing the character of Yashim. Yashim is now, in the second book, a fully formed and very endearing character. The minor recurring characters are equally engaging. Last, Yashim isn't the first detective to be a gourmet cook but I have to say the descriptions of Yashim's recipes were very enticing.

In my review of "The Janissary Tree" I mentioned that Goodwin's Yashim reminded me of Boris Akunin's Erast Fandorin novels (late 19th-century Russia such as The Winter Queen: A Novel (Erast Fandorin Mysteries)) and Arturo Perez-Reverte's Captain Alatriste stories such as Captain Alatriste (17th-century Spain). They all take the standard detective or mystery story and transport the reader to a different time and place. "The Snake Stone" confirms my original impression that Goodwin's books belong in that good company. "The Snake Stone" was an excellent story and anyone who likes a good detective story with a bit of an exotic twist should enjoy it.