The Tiger Queens by Stephanie Thornton – a Review
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Description:
In the late twelfth century, across the sweeping Mongolian grasslands, brilliant, charismatic Temujin ascends to power, declaring himself the Great, or Genghis, Khan. But it is the women who stand beside him who ensure his triumph….
After her mother foretells an ominous future for her, gifted Borte becomes an outsider within her clan. When she seeks comfort in the arms of aristocratic traveler Jamuka, she discovers he is the blood brother of Temujin, the man who agreed to marry her and then abandoned her long before they could wed.
Temujin will return and make Borte his queen, yet it will take many women to safeguard his fragile new kingdom. Their daughter, the fierce Alaqai, will ride and shoot an arrow as well as any man. Fatima, an elegant Persian captive, will transform her desire for revenge into an unbreakable loyalty. And Sorkhokhtani, a demure widow, will position her sons to inherit the empire when it begins to fracture from within.
In a world lit by fire and ruled by the sword, the tiger queens of Genghis Khan come to depend on one another as they fight and love, scheme and sacrifice, all for the good of their family…and the greatness of the People of the Felt Walls.
Review:
The Tiger Queens by Stephanie Thornton is an exquisitely written historical fiction tale. The descriptive writing allows the reader to see, feel, smell and otherwise emotionally experience life in this uncaptured period of time.
This is the story of the wives and daughters of Genghis Khan. Starting with his “wife of his heart” as a young girl and continuing with those in her life that she considered close friends, her daughters and the wives of her sons. These exceptional and unsung heroines gave more than anyone could have imagined to build and hold together the Mongolian state he created.
This story is so well told it brings love, laughter, horror, heartbreak, and sorrow. Your emotions will be run through the proverbial ringer as the stories of these exceptional women unfold. The details are told in tune with the thinking of the heroines, culture, religion, longing and so much more. It’s an exquisite tale that will fill your heart, although at times it will also break it.
Strong women living life as they see it, some things by choice, other by demand. A truly interesting journey into a time of characters that have always been more myth than men, this story fully takes you there. Are they monsters or just men trying to keep themselves and their families alive?
It’s not like the “history books”; this is seen through a different perspective and hearts.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story and found it hard to put down. Please get you favorite beverage, lots of tissues and enjoy, I most certainly did.
Reviewed by Georgianna
Copy provided by Publisher
