Cybele’s Secret by Juliet Marillier
A few weeks ago I overheard a couple of students recommending books to each other with the comment, ‘You have to read this, it is so good.’ At about the same time it surfaced at the top of my reading list. A happy coincidence.
Cybele’s Secret is set in medieval Istanbul. Paula, a merchant’s daughter, has travelled with her father to the east to try to purchase an ancient statue for a buyer in Europe. Once there, Paula is determined to experience this foreign culture, in spite of the fact that as a woman she is not allowed to leave her ‘home’. But with the protection of her bodyguard, Paula befriends an older Greek woman, Irene, also strongly independent and unwilling to be restricted by the Muslim laws. Paula takes advantage of the Irene’s library of ancient writings to investigate the history of the statue of Cybele that is the whole purpose of her father’s trip.
But then those interested in purchasing the statue start dying. Some beaten to death, others killed in the street. And a Portuguese pirate is showing a great deal of interest in both Paula and the statue. When Paula’s father is found alive, but beaten, Paula assumes her pirate friend is at fault and she thoughtlessly rushes off to confront him. From there the story launches into the most fantastic adventure.
I will admit that it took me ages to get started in this book. The early passages about life in Istanbul were nicely historical, but slow going. But once the adventure started the book took off. I was up until the early hours of the morning finishing, simply because I could not put it down.
A little investigation has shown me that this is the second book in a series. It certainly stood very well by itself, but maybe someday I will find the time to read book one.
