They plot to get enough money and the approval of both Muslims and Christians, including the Pope, as well as the assistance of French and English soldiers. They are even willing to hire a group of mercenaries known as the fiercest fighters in the world but also known for their unspeakable brutality and selfish motives and goals once victory is achieved.
Into this world comes the English knight William Chandon, who is severely wounded in the Battle of Jaen and taken prisoner by the troops of Sultan of Granada. It is felt that he serves the purpose of a pawn to be used at the right time rather than be killed as the infidel he is to Muslim believers. Layla is the unusual Arab woman who is intelligent, kind-hearted, and very spiritual. But the Sultan in his wisdom surrounds himself with advisers of all sects from ultra-conservative to liberal.
She is assigned to work in a hospital for abandoned citizens who have a physical or mental challenge. Layla experiences the oneness of love with one of her patients, a very moving moment. She also slowly but surely falls in love with her student, Chandon, and he falls just as hard for her. Assassination attempts, criticisms, challenges, adventure, tender and funny moments, plots and counter-plots and more abound in these pages in such an engaging way for the reader that he or she will hate for this amazing novel to end. Add to the intriguing story line multiple beautiful descriptions of Arab architecture, literature, art, music, garden arrangements, and more that give the reader a plethora of knowledge about Arab history and culture that is probably the second, and no less important, aspect of this novel that makes one want to see more than the black and white pictures provided of these places after the story.
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Emeralds of the Alhambra: A Novel is an obviously meticulously researched story told with masterful skill. As well as intellectually pleasing, the reader will get to enjoy a tender romantic story that may seem contrived but is no less wonderful because of that fact. This should be a best seller and might even be a healthy addition to high school and college reading lists. Superb writing and reading!
Apr 29, Xanat Meza rated it liked it Shelves: This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Edited January 15, I will divide this review in three parts: The negative, the inconsistent and the positive. There were a lot of repetitive words and expressions e. Laylas father conjures his wife's image so much, that he could be considered a wizard.
The author could use other words, beside conjure. The foreshadowing regarding poison was not a good move as well. Several adjectives are Edited January 15, I will divide this review in three parts: Several adjectives are not used properly or in a strange way, like in "ridiculously fragrant scents", describing blossoms really? The story starts slow, has an even slower building up, a sudden peak and a sudden end.
There were some weird jumps in the time too. On the same lines, the descriptions of the constellations acting and foreshadowing the cross-stared love was simply too much. Still, writing a novel assuming we are quiet instructed in European medieval culture while being ignorant of Islamic medieval culture bothers me.
It is a spiritual experience, not some news account! And then, Chandon summarizes the whole experience in a single word that he as a foreigner should not know well, despite the fact that he is a quick learner. Nice way of using people and throw them away like trash. I know it might be historically accurate, but still Layla is a virgin, sex rarely is pleasurable the first time. Plus, she had Tawhid she became one with God! The author never mentions the bodyguards' horses, which had to be there for sure.
Chandon and Constancia converting to Islam in order to get married to Muslims. Sorry, but it sounds as veiled propaganda. An interfaith relationship is not only a matter of knowing your Holly books, there is so much involved there To portray it as the only solution is not fair nor correct. Also, Chandon's "arabization", to the point that he changes his name.
Now he is supposed to be Shahab, "The shooting star who lights the night", who lights Layla. That puts Layla in a passive role. It might not be such a case always, but the subtext is there. It is curious that an Italian author Emilio Salgari in his "Damascus Lion" written in , depicted the exact opposite: I wonder if the author ever pondered on Mozarabs, who absorbed many cultural treats from Spanish Muslims but remained Christians, and if he ever did, why he didn't use that approach.
Still, having the couple working at the same place is a good way to interlink them more. Still, fathers are usually cautious on the matter of their sons-in-laws. He accepted Chandon way too easily! Wasn't that part of the protocol?
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I think this expression is used in an incorrect way. What might look like a love marriage today, is not what used to be considered an agreed marriage with the intervention of relatives in those times. Something rings skewed here. Chandon's surprise is skewed, because he later says the status quo regarding women is nearly similar in his country. I can not believe Kaoru Mori, a Japanese author whose expertise is Victorian England, got a traditional Muslim weeding ceremony much more accurately than this author who claims to have studied Islamic culture throughly.
I liked Chandon almost immediately, although I had problems with Layla. How can she be so spiritual and so bad tempered at the same time? A strong character doesn't mean you have to throw tantrums often. Descriptions of horses also. That made me like her lifestyle. I especially liked how the author wrote the right words and the right actions in Chandon. It is difficult to convey love, longing and desire in an elegant way, but this part made it.
Not pretty, but it is important to see the perspective of women who suffer violence. Although historically inaccurate, it was an interesting addition to the plot. It made me cry sometimes. Jun 16, Bridget rated it liked it Shelves: Review originally posted at The Romance Reviews: There are some books that have the power to transport, to create a world so detailed and emotional that readers will want to return again and again.
Though slow and detail-heavy in places, fans of historic novels will find much to enjoy in this first Anthems of al-Andalus Series. The world of 14th century Spain was one where Christians, Jews and Muslims lived together, sharing customs and language.
But in this world, warfare was devastating and brutal, bringing men around the world in the name of religion. Into this fascinating and violent world marches William Chandon, a Christian knight fighting on the side of the Pope to drive all Muslims from the Spanish peninsula.
When he is badly wounded on the field of battle, his wounds are treated by the Sultan's own physician and he is brought to the Sultan's court in Grenada to be used as a bargaining chip. Though in constant danger from an unseen enemy, as William begins to recover, he finds himself enthralled by the beauty of the Alhambra and its fascinating inhabitants. Layla al-Khatib is the driven, passionate daughter of the Grand Vizier, determined to rise above the male-dominated Muslim world and become the world's first female Sufi mystic.
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When she is assigned the task of teaching the Christian soldier Arabic, she is convinced the task will accomplish little more than keep her from her own work. But with each passing day spent in William's company, their bond grows ever closer and they realize they both have much more than words to teach the other. But with any real relationship strictly forbidden, will these two remarkable people find a way to create a future together? William and Layla are both vivid, complex characters, and they stand out, even against the dramatic background of the novel.
Emeralds of the Alhambra
William's chivalry is immediately evident and his talent as a warrior formidable, but it's his open mind and unwavering loyalty that immediately won my heart. Similarly, Layla's wisdom is remarkable, and her relentless pursuit of insight and knowledge only highlighted her strength of character and determination. Best of all, in a world full of hate and potential conflict, these two are able to see the truth in each other and make any sacrifice in order to make a future hand in hand.
The power of their love is strong enough to change the world around them and becomes an unforgettable part of this deeply emotional story. As much as this is a love story between Layla and William, this is also a beautiful tribute to a place and an era, and John D. Cressler does a beautiful job bringing Granada, and especially the Alhambra Palace, to life. Each scene is filled with vivid details and a series of photographs included in the book help readers to tumble into the world of the book. Though such detail does slow the plot frequently, as the story focused more and more on Layla and William, the pace of the story accelerated and became fully engrossing.
This is a thoroughly, exhaustively researched book, and the story told with infectious passion. The focus on religion and the differences that separate each character is dealt with very respectfully and with deep insight into all aspects of this historic moment. Though a bit slow-going and academic at times to the detriment of the plot and pace, this is a work of fiction that will delight fans of epic historic novels and moving romance, and has the hallmarks of a fascinating series. Jun 05, Christina Torretta rated it really liked it. This started very slow for me. Honestly, I read a paragraph to my husband and he was enthralled while I was wanting him to do the review for me!
Although I could tell that the history behind this story was very well done. Cressler must have researched thoroughly, and it shows in the amazing details that he adds in for the wars, the language, the city, the people, etc. The synopsis of this story is really interesting and honestly, s This started very slow for me. The synopsis of this story is really interesting and honestly, so is the story. The writing is phenomenal and I did love the depth of the characters. While reading, however, I was completely impressed by John D.
Anthems of al-Andalus Series by John D. Cressler
The language and the descriptions in the book were phenomenal and I never felt like something needed to be explained more. You can literally SEE everything he describes, beautifully. Their story pulls you into the plot. The depth of these two characters, and the other characters was great. The teach each other so much, even with being from completely different warring cultures!
And the ending had me sniffing. I thought I was going to have to get tissues out! So, long story short… not entirely for me. I do think my husband will love this and will have to get it for him to see! Apr 18, Teri rated it it was ok. I really really did. And it had a lot of the features of a historical novel that I enjoy But even with all that, I just couldn't bring myself to finish it.
It was so incredibly boring. Four pages of architectural details for every one page of character or plot dev 1. Four pages of architectural details for every one page of character or plot development. I couldn't keep characters straight because I was getting so bogged down in the details about how far someone walked before turning left and then right and then left again, and how many stars were cut into the ceiling of each room. I give the author props for his attention to detail, but sometimes too much detail is detrimental to your story.
Jun 06, Samantha rated it really liked it Shelves: Quite enjoyable, I was relieved to find this book to be educational without being preachy. I often have difficulty really getting into stories written in the present tense, and I did initially feel myself at a distance from this novel. The execution of the present unfolds almost as a screen play, and slowly, I was able to move past the superficial writing and fully appreciate the story line, which was excellent. Jun 10, LisaMarie rated it it was amazing.
Really enjoyed this book! Enjoyed the maps and photos and the time period but most of all that they lived in harmony and boy if we can get back to that life would be blessed! Jul 20, Ally rated it liked it Shelves: I won a copy from Goodreads First Reads. Okay, The Emeralds of the Alhambra is an okay book. Scratch that, The Emeralds of the Alhambra is an above average book.
Anthems of al-Andalus Series by John D. Cressler
The Emeralds of the Alhambra is set hundreds of years ago, where the people of the book lived and roamed freely. Anyway, the plot is creative and twisty, but isn't anything too shocking or stunning. It's has a nice beginning and went off on the right foot. Emeralds of the Alhambra: We live in a world being torn apart by religious tensions and fanaticism, yet we managed to forget that for hundreds of years Christians, Muslims and Jews lived together in peace, sharing languages and customs, embracing a level of tolerance and mutual respect unheard of today.
Working together, these three peoples spawned one of the great intellectual and cultural flowerings of history. Our aching world desperately needs to recall this forgotten fact, these rich possibilities. Emeralds is set in the resplendent Alhambra Palace in Granada during the Castilian Civil War , a time when, improbably, Muslims took up their swords to fight alongside Christians. Emeralds of the Alhambra is the first book in the trilogy Anthems of al-Andalus.
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