Adora

ADORA, one of Ms. Small's earlier works, is a grand, sweeping epic in much the same vein as THE KADIN, her debut novel. ADORA is an exciting, well-written story which, when I read it years ago, made me a diehard Bertrice Small fan.The central character, Theodora Cantacuzene (did I spell that correctly?) is the daughter of the emperor of the decaying Byzantine Empire. The nearby Ottoman Empire is rapidly expanding, forcing Byzantium to live under the constant fear of conquest and absorption. To appease Osman, the Ottoman sultan, Adora (Theodora's nickname) is offered up as his third wife. She is still a child at the time of the marriage, but it is agreed that the union won't be consummated until she is older.Along the way, Adora falls for Murad, Osman's charming son. But fate deals Adora one blow after another. Without going into the convoluted details -- they'll make for interesting reading! -- Adora eventually is reunited with Murad.But he loses points with me here because, in the early stage of their reunion at least, he holds against Adora things that weren't her fault and were completely beyond her control: the arranged marriage to his father; the flight to Alexander, a passionate man and one of the few people willing to give her shelter; and other purported crimes.I loved the ending. It was very moving.

This was my first book by Small and it will not be my last. Not only was there a great love story involved but also some great history. This book is also not your average everyday romance. It was refreshing to read a book where you got to view a persons whole life and not just a couple of years (or however long it takes to meet there love). Whenever I finish reading a romance I cant help wondering "what happens next?" Well in this book you view Adora's life from age 4-90. So you get to know what happens next. It was a great read and one of the only books that made me cry. It was very touching if you can get into the characters, not to mention some hot sex sceens. I have never written a review for a book before but once I read Adora I had to share my thoughts. If you can get a hold of this book it will be worth it.

As a child, Theadora Cantacuzene, a princess of Byzantium knew that she was destined for greatness. But not as she had hoped. Theadora's sister was wed to the future emperor of her beloved Constantinople while she was wed to the Ottoman sultan. Adora is a magnificently written classic by the always incredible Bertrice Small. As a young woman, Adora was placed into a convent until she was finally summoned by her much older husband, the sultan. Her heart belonged to his son Murad. Through trials and obstacles, Murad and Adora come together and then are split apart by fate, anger, and misunderstandings. Will they ever fulfill the destiny that was forged in the stars for them? Will Adora's childhood promise come true? That Constantinople will belong to her descendents. This book is truly an excellent read, describing in exquisite detail the crumbling of the Byzantine empire and the rise of the Ottoman Turks.

Adora and Murad are wonderful characters. When we first meet Theadora she is a child, so we really feel like we know her by the books end. Murad is a very complex man. On one hand he loves and wants Adora, yet he also is unable to forgive her for marrying his father. The struggles these two go through are seemingly insurmountable,yet they somehow manage to conquer everything. At times Murad is worthy of your dislike, yet in the end all that he has done makes no difference. The Turkish history in this book is fascinating. and the story excellent.A great book!

This novel truly ranks with Mrs. Small's best! I have loved her work for years, and "Adora" was as beautiful as her other novels. Once more, I was captured immediately with her sharp and descriptive prose, drawn to the glittering paradox of the decaying Byzantium and the rising glories of the Ottoman Empire. The lovers are tossed between the horrors of treachery and the excitement of passion, as their lives are shaped by the annals of history. Mrs. Small knows her history to the tiniest detail, and this book is no exception (she has even been known to leave a bibliography of sorts in her other works, such as "The Love Slave", another fantastic book). Her characters are colorful and virtually alive, especially Adora herself, a woman of great pride, intelligence and passion, beauty and power--she is certainly a force to be reckoned with, and rightly so. Any reader will be captivated by the lovely Adora! For anyone who enjoys great passion amongst glorious, gleaming settings, with a plot that continually surprises and captivates, "Adora" is certainly a wonderful, engrossing read, and I would recommend it to anyone!