The Sultan’s Wife is an engaging and beautiful story about a forbidden love. This wasn’t a gushy romance with some awkwardly placed sex-scenes to give it a ‘hot’ rating. It was a story of a eunuch slave and a concubine, finding a connection under the harshest of circumstances; finding each other when they need it the most; and finding themselves along the way.

Nus-Nus is a slave to the sultan after being taken from his tribe as a young man. His literacy skills grant him a position, but every day could be the last. The fiery temper of his master often results in a decapitation or two, especially if he has dressed in yellow that day.

Survival is hard, with enemies both in and out of the palace. But while danger lurks, so does the hope of friendship and love. Some nobles are prepared to watch out for Nus-Nus, offering advice and a friend when he needs it the most. But others are out to destroy him, in ways that suit only their only lusts.

Alys is an Englishwoman forced into slavery after being captured by pirates. But when she catches the sultan’s eye, she sees her chance for the one thing she’s always dreamt of: motherhood. It comes with a price though: making an enemy out of the sultan’s chief wife. With mystical powers and a hard reputation, this is not a woman to be crossed and both Alys’ and her child’s life are in danger.

When a friendship blossoms into something more between Alys and Nus-Nus, daring and opportunities present themselves. Nus-Nus must decide how far he is willing to go to protect Alys, while she must decide if she has the strength to see it through.

Despite events happening at a slow pace, I was gripped throughout. Nus-Nus is the primary narrator, with much of the book following his story. He’s a strong and likeable protagonist, with a good heart and bravery overlooked by nearly all of those around him. You want him to win free of everything that’s holding him back. Alys is just as strong, although her sections felt more to cover gaps in the narration than truly following her story.

The Sultan’s Wife is a slow-paced, in-depth novel. It spans several years as the characters face both hardships and joys. It is a book driven by its characters, not the plot. So saying, the plot itself is full of depth and meaning. I am not familiar with this time in history, but it reads as if a great deal of research has gone into the era, the culture, and the reality of the situation back then.

The writing is full of depth and beauty. The descriptions of the environment transport you back to the hot and stifling markets, or the palaces overwhelming with opulence. I felt I saw Nus-Nus’ world.

If you’re a historical fiction fan, I’d recommend this book. It was a moving and heartfelt tale that I enjoyed from beginning to end.

My thanks to Head of Zeus for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Sultan’s Wife’ by Jane Johnson. This novel was originally published in 2012 and reissued in 2021. My apologies for the late feedback.

Morocco, 1677. In this engaging work of historical fiction Johnson primarily follows the fortunes of two characters: Nus Nus, slave to King Ismail who becomes entangled in a murder plot, and Alys Swann, who is captured during her crossing to England and sold into Ismail's harem.

Jane Johnson has once again written a sumptuous novel that captures the extravagances and dangers of Morocco during the 17th Century. When the action moves to Restoration London Nus Nus' narration provides a sense of the differences and similarities that he experiences as a stranger in a strange land.

While not a sequel to her earlier work ‘The Tenth Gift', the 17th century heroine of that novel, Catherine Tregenna, does make a cameo appearance as a fellow Englishwoman who provides advice to Alys Swann when she is first captured.

While Nus Nus and Alys are fictional characters the text is peppered with historical figures both in Morocco and London. Following the main text Johnson provides a useful historical note, a glossary of Moroccan terms and a bibliography of some of her sources.

Overall, I enjoyed ‘The Sultan’s Wife’ very much on a second reading and feel that it well deserves the 5-star rating I gave in 2013. However, I will advice that there were some disturbing scenes both during its battles and with the Sultan's tendency to lash out with deadly intent at the slightest provocation.

Set in 17 Century Morocco, the main characters are Nus-Nus the African eunuch who is the Sultan’s scribe, Mouley Ismael the Sultan, Alys Swan an English lady who is one of his many wives. She was kidnapped on the way to meet her fiancé and Zidana the Sultan’s main wife who is feared by everyone in the harem.
The book is written from Alys’ and Nus-Nus view point and is beautifully descriptive and historically correct. The novel is full of mystery, intrigue and murder.
I was gifted this novel by Netgalley in return for a honest review

This was a fascinating read full of rich historical detail. It was fill of intrigue and kept me hooked all the way through.

This book takes us to the world of Morocco in the 17th century. We meet Momo, a eunuch working for the tyrannical sultan Ismael. His world changes when he falls in love with the sultan's new Dutch wife, Alys. The book paints a fascinating portrait of life in this dangerous court, where the sultan's word is law and his every whim is catered for. Momo walks a difficult path, trying to stay alive amidst all the factions, not least of which is the sultan's chief wife Zidana, an evil character with her own agenda to keep top place and ensure her son succeeds.

I enjoyed reading about this world, ruled by the violence and capricious whims of one man.

Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Without doubt now, after my third Jane Johnson book, I can state that she is an amazing storyteller and if being transported to dark and sinister yet gripping Arabian nights of the 17th century appeals to you then I very highly recommend that you give it a go!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I read this ARC for an honest opinion
All thoughts and opinions are mine

What a wonderful book
Lots of threads, beeautifully evocative language used

Absolutely love this

I was a little bit hesitant about this book as the cover, which is actually not the one shown above, made me think that it might be a bodice-ripper, which isn’t really my thing. Happily, I took a chance and found myself transported into 17th century Morocco, during the Sultanate of Moulay Ismail, a man who managed to produce almost 1000 children during his lifetime.

For anyone interested in history, this is a fantastically observed and researched novel and a welcome change from the more familiar depictions of the European courts of the period, although we do arrive at the court of Charles II at one point. The author’s knowledge and love of Morocco shines through and it in her descriptions of life at the Sultan’s court that the book really sings.

The novel is written from the point of view of 2 very different slaves, Nus-Nus, an African eunuch and Alys Swann, a Dutch-English woman, forced to join the Sultan’s harem. Whilst there is an element of romance, it shouldn’t put off anyone as it is a small part of a book which concentrates much more on the machinations and intrigues of court life.

I am a bit surprised by the title and marketing of this in some ways, as I feel it is more Nus-Nus’s book than Alys’s and would have been a great and unusual entry as part of Black history month.

Fantastic and an added bonus getting to look up the paintings of Mohammed ben Hadou afterwards!

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Head of Zeus, for an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Although this is a work of fiction, set in the second half of the seventeenth century, some of the characters and events were real. The eponymous Sultan is Moulay Ishmael, ruler of Morocco, and his wife is Alys Swann. Whilst this is an interesting and well researched insight into a period of history and a culture unfamiliar to me, I found the frequent descriptions of the brutality of the time detracted from the plot rather than enhancing it.

This book, set in 17th Century Morocco, is full of everything a great historical novel should be. Romance, intrigue, deceit, and murder take the reader on a roller-coaster of emotions.. Beautifully descriptive and well written narrative made this book a real page turner for me. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC. Highly recommended.

This is a broad sweeping, epic historical fiction novel. It was good to read about a time in history from a different perspective, particularly as it was primarily based in Morocco. This book was beautifully written with brilliant and vibrant descriptions of the royal courts, the people and the cities.

From the cover of the book, I was expecting something more "chick lit" and romantic, but The Sultan's Wife is more interesting than that, the story coming from the perspective of Nus-Nus, a court eunuch and slave in 17th century Morocco, who walks a dangerous path every day dealing with the mercurial moods of the Sultan, who dishes out death to those who displease him with casual disregard for human life. His loyalties are forever tested as he carries out the wishes of the Sultan, the Sultan's intimidating chief wife Zidana, and the captured English woman Alys who joins his harem. I really enjoyed the different strands of the stories, and each of the characters was strongly depicted and memorable in their own way - my only gripe being the way that a three year old child is depicted as being able to talk as if he is much older than he is.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

This is historical fiction set in 1677 Morocco at the time of one of the most tyrannical rulers in history: Sultan Moulay Ishmael. I know nothing about Morocco or its history and so this was a fantastic peek into it.

The story is set in Morocco, during the reign of Sultan Moulay Ismail in the Year 1677. The novel takes you from Morocco to England and revolves around Nus-Nus (the African eunuch slave and Sultan’s scribe) and Alys Swann - an Englishwoman who was taken as a prisoner and kept as a concubine in the Sultan’s harem.

This book is full of intrigue, deceit, and murder. It has romance in it, but also heartbreak and personal tragedy. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5.

Jane Johnson’s The Sultan’s Wife is a sweeping and phenomenal tale of love in the historical era of 17th century Morocco.

Almost a year back, I read The Sea Gate by the same author and was enthralled by it so much that I jumped when offered a chance to read this wonderful book. The Sultan’s Wife is by no means an easy tale. The scale is ambitious and knowing the bio of the author, one shouldn’t expect anything less. She brings life to Morocco of the 17th century and I do mean that literally. The cacophony of sounds, the miasma of the markets, the lavish palace with its danger, a megalomaniacal emperor, the harem with its chittering females, every single detail has been narrated in a beautiful canvas. Like a movie production scaled up to gargantuan proportions, the story is a journey to be taken at leisure as is clearly evident with the intricate tapestry woven with the detailed historical facts.

The love story between Nus-Nus, a eunuch slave in the court of Sultan Moulay Ismail, and Alys, a white woman sold to slavery is honestly very subtle. In fact, I did wish for a stronger romantic flavor in the voice of Alys as their interactions are kept mild probably reminding the reader of the danger that lurks around the corner but without it, the ending seems like something out of a fairy tale with all bows tied neatly.

But the predominant element of the tale is the life of Nus-Nus, the abuse that robs him of his manhood, how each day is a war by itself with an emperor who has no qualms in severing the throat of anyone for any perceived fault, be it a loyal servant or the grand vizier himself. The kind of dual personality King Ismail exhibits is startling, as he can kick you with his boot and then wipe the dust on your clothes the very next instant so there’s no moment of respite for Nus-Nus and the reader. The stark cruelty depicted in the story; in the politics being played in the harem as well as in the court among its many members, in the tortures dished out regularly, in the poisonous drama that enfolds form the Sultan’s first wife Zidana, in the abuse of young girls, there’s so much that causes turmoil in the minds of a reader but that is how it has been, history has always been bloody.

From Sultan Ismail’s court in Morocco to King Charles’s palace in London, with plague and wars dogging their heels, with few interesting historical figures that I was glad to read about, Nus-Nus is forced to play a game filled with peril and danger to keep the light burning for the reason of his existence.

Majestic beyond words ☔☔☔☔☔

With thanks to Net Galley, Zeus Publications, and the author for a chance to read and review this book.

Reviews are not always perfect and reviewers most definitely not.
Books, I believe, depend upon the right audience and even then, reviews are affected by the reviewer's mood, and accordingly, the ratings can be varied.
Please note that all my reviews are honest and unbiased, voluntarily given, and in no way affected by any external factors.

This review is published in my blog https://rainnbooks.com/, Goodreads, Amazon India, Bookbub, Medium.com, Facebook, and Twitter.

I have previously read and enjoyed Jane’s books and once again, she has outdone herself in rich prose that through quality research, brings to life a period not as well frequented from history. Morocco 1677, where one of one of the most tyrannical rulers in history, Sultan Moulay Ishmael, was in power. Ruthless and at times gory it proved a fascinating time in history.

… in these past hours I have discovered there is a strength in me I had not expected, a hard seam that lies beneath the surface. Some might call it obstinacy. I don’t know what it is, and I don’t seem to be in control of it: I fear it may drive me to behave in a way that will threaten my own life.’

This story is told from the point of view of the eunuch Nus-Nus and an English woman Alys who has been captured, enslaved and is now a concubine in the sultan's court. While both of these characters are fictional, many others, and indeed a string of events, are in fact true and through meticulous research brought to life. This is an epic tale that takes its readers from Meknes to Tangier to London and back.

‘… most of all, I am angry with myself. Night after night I lie in the darkness questioning who I am, what I have become; what I may be.’

The best thing is of course Jane’s writing - so realistic and vividly portrayed - everything from the setting, scenery and court intrigue to the more confronting death, rape and plague.You cannot help but be drawn along on this epic journey. I would have liked a bit more from Alys' perspective and felt the brief times when she encountered Nus-Nus to really need more depth in order to feel more about their relationship. There is also a lot of detail in this tale - a lot! Some events seem really drawn out whereas others - especially the ending - came really quickly and I would have loved more detail.

‘… the doctor went into an apothecary’s shop and bought a pair of the curious bird-beaked masks that Venetian doctors had worn to go about the city in safety … he showed me how they had stuffed the beaks with herbs to cleanse the air they breathed, and then tutted. ‘I am sure, however, that the pestilence is not airborne. We’ll have to hope for another outbreak so that I can test my theories.’

Without doubt now, after my third Jane Johnson book, I can state that she is an amazing storyteller and if being transported to dark and sinister yet gripping Arabian nights of the 17th century appeals to you then I very highly recommend that you give it a go!

‘When your heart and your conscience are in chains, what freedom is there? I just shake my head. ‘I cannot go.’








This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

The Sultan's Wife, Jane Johnson

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: General Fiction, Romance, Historical fiction

Well, this came as a surprise for me. I thought it was my first Jane Johnson read, but when I began it put me in mind of a book I read years ago, pre-kindle, when my eyes were better and I could read print books. That story stayed with me for a long time, and I remembered how I loved it while reading this. Then on looking to see what else she has written (and yay, lots of KU reads, I'm going to be busy!) I discovered she was the author of that book I loved, The Tenth Gift, published back in 2008. That was around the time I read it, buying a kindle in 2010 as my eyesight was deteriorating.

So, that same lovely richness of language, of characters, of descriptions of day to day life, scenery, foods, all the things that bring a book to life for me were here. There's a shocking disregard for life looking at it from current day perspective, but for the time that was usual. No-one said anything, just kept heads down in case the rage was turned their way. I love the way we see how different times were in historical novels.
I loved Nus Nus. An educated man, yet subject to the whims of others, made into a eunuch, valued for his ability, but not for himself and yet, if the Sultan was in a rage, as we see in one part, that education and ability wouldn't save him. Then there's Alys, caught up on her way to be married and prized for her fair skin. Nus Nus helps her to survive, with advice to try to keep her alive, I can't write safe, that luxury didn't exist between the Sultans rages, the jealousies of other wives/concubines, the easy availability of poisons and just everyday illness.
I loved the day to day stuff, the couching book, the manipulative Zidana, the petty jealousies, the sharp divide between favoured and dispensable. Tomorrow the favoured too could become dispensable. The Sultan seems mad at times, a spoiled child at others and yet he was very astute, and saw more than he was credited with, choosing to allow some things to slide to see how far those he trusted would go. The real Moulay Ishmail who ruled a s monarch 55 years, must have been a similar character, clever and yet ready to show his strength by killing and ruling through fear.
There's romance her but very much a stolen glance, at a distance type, very subtle and its the barest thread in a story that's so full of more. I love romance but appreciated how this was kept very low key, really only coming out at the end. I'm looking forward to reading more from Jane.

Stars: Five, a fabulous story, rich in detail and felt so very real.

ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers

I have never previously read a book by Jane Johnson. I really enjoyed this book, so I will certainly be looking for more of her books.
This story is set in Morocco in the 17th century, in the time of Sultan Moulay Ismail Ibn Sharif. Ismail ruled Morocco longer than any other Sultan.
He was famous for fathering more children than anyone else, also being a very cruel ruler. This story is set in this time. The main character is Nus-Nus, a eunuch. He was a scribe to the Sultan and was allowed to enter the harem. Zidana, Ismail’s, first wife was also very cruel and tried to get rid of any heirs who might step in the way of her sons’ succession. The story takes a different turn when an English girl, Alys, was captured while on a boat from Holland to England to be married. She ended up in Ismail’s harem., and had a son. The son was a favourite of the Sultan’s, so Zidana was jealous and kept trying to have him killed. Later the story goes to London and comparisons between the 2 countries are made.
Finally, the story ends on a positive note.
I thank NetGalley for a Arc copy of this book. I enjoyed reading about Morocco in those days and the life of people. How nobody’s life was respected and death could come in an instant according to the whim of the Sultan or his chief wife.. I am looking forward to reading more of Jane’s books.

Set in the blistering heat of 17th Century Meknes, Morocco, this evocative story tells the harrowing tale of Nus Nus, Sultan Moulay Ismail’s eunuch slave and court scriber and Alys Swann, the captured English woman who was forced into Ismail’s harem.

Rivalled by the Palace of Versailles in Paris, Ismail will stop at nothing to see his palace be the grandest in the world. He is a very cruel and volatile man and His First Wife, a sorceress, is also not to be messed with

When Nus Nus is sent out to the Souk, he stumbles across the corpse of the herb man at the Apothecary and thus becomes entrapped in a plot to frame him for murder and his only hope of survival is to tread tepidly between Sultan Ismail, Zidana and the vindictive Grand Vizer.

Alys Swann was captured at sea by corsairs. She is a fair-skinned, blonde-haired young virgin lady who was sailing from Holland where she had been living, to London to marry. She was given two choices, die a brutal death or join Ismail’s harem. Life in the harem is a constant power struggle as Zidana becomes her main threat.

In their fight to survive, Nus Nus and Alyss find trust in each other as their desire to survive bonds them together thus keeping each other strong.

Wow! This is epic, gruesome in parts and a harrowing tale. As much as I love Morocco, having visited a few times, I was unaware of the slave trade history as Sultan Moulay Ismail used European slaves to build his palace. The men were forced to build and suffer horrendous torture and inevitable death and the women were submitted to his harem. I wouldn’t say this is an easy read, however, it is definitely one to read if you love historical fiction, especially when based on truth.

This story takes you from Morocco to England and is filled with real historical figures such as Charles I and Samuel Pepys as well as brimming with superstition and deceit.

Thank you to NetGalley, the Publishers and the Author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This was another fascinating piece of historical fiction based in a period that I haven't read much about before. The story was full of intrigue, twists and turns and the plot had a lot of high stakes moments. In some places, I couldn't put it down!

At some points, I did get confused by the dual person narrative, but this didn't detract from the novel. It was a great way to learn about another period of history, and I enjoyed reading it!

The Sultan's wife is a historical fiction novel and I would recommend it to adult audiences who love historical epics!

There are some pretty hectic themes and content to be aware of, the one that comes to mind the most is the mention of genital mutilation as well as sexual abuse.

We are transported back to Morocco in 1677. The story is narrated by Nus-Nus- a eunuch who is charged with working for Ismail- the sultan.

The writing in this book was beautiful and probably the stand out for me. I loved some of the prose and the imagery. I did feel like towards the middle there was a lot going on but we weren't actually getting anywhere in terms of plot development.

Alys' story was what drew me to this one.. I would have liked to have more of the focus be on her (considering the title of the book is 'the sultan's wife').

All round, I enjoyed but I found it difficult to read at some points just because of the pace.