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The Enchantress of Florence | 
 enlarge | Author: Salman Rushdie
Publisher: Jonathan Cape
Category: Book
List Price: £18.99
Buy New: £7.93
You Save: £11.06 (58%)
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Rating:  6 reviews
Sales Rank: 876
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 368
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 6.4 x 1.4
ISBN: 0224061631
EAN: 9780224061636
ASIN: 0224061631
Publication Date: April 3, 2008
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews: Read 1 more reviews...
 a must read June 19, 2008
tregatt (Portland, Oregon)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Years ago (more than I'd like to think about), one of my tutors recommended that I read Salman Rushdie's "Haroun and the Sea of Stories." I tried to finish the novel but have to confess that I didn't. I probably lacked the sophistication back then to appreciate the exquisite prose style and painstaking craftsmanship that went into creating that award winning novel. And truthfully speaking I rather thought that Salman Rushdie was going to be one of the many winning authours that would never make to my reading pile. But something about "The Enchantress of Florence" beckoned, and I decided to give it a go. And I'm truly glad that I did. What an exceptionally enthralling and compelling read "The Enchantress of Florence" turned out to be.
The Mughal Emperor, Akbar, is ready for a diversion away from the woes of family and ruling a vast nation, when a mysterious yellow-haired stranger arrives at his court in Fatepur Sikri, claiming to be an ambassador from England. The stranger has many tales to tell about the distant European city of Florence, and the enchantress from the East that enraptured the people of Florence with her beauty and grace, and soon everyone in Sikri is enthralled by the young storyteller's tales. But will these stories prove the undoing of the court, and will Akbar's growing affection for the storyteller cause even more strife amongst his family?
When I was a child, my mother used to subscribe to an Indian magazine for women that had recipes, articles, sewing tips and vignettes about Akbar and his wise advisor Birbal. Reading "The Enchantress of Florence" transported me back to those wonderful carefree days. Constructed somewhat like "The Arabian Nights," with the mysterious stranger playing the part of Scherazade, "The Enchantress of Florence" is a series of short stories that follows the supposed adventures of Qara Koz, a grandaunt of Akbar's, and that of her greatest love, the mercenary general, Argalia. Many of the stories are based on some historical fact, but are told with elements of the fantastical, so that the mood and atmosphere of the novel is really quite fairy-tale like and dazzling. Also adding to this magical tone is Rushdie's powerfully lyrical and vivid prose style and brilliantly rendered scenes. All in all, this was a very, very fascinating and beguiling read that enraptures, dazzles and seduces. Not a book to be missed -- and I think I may be finally grown-up enough to appreciate the authour's other novels
 350 pages of bewilderment June 16, 2008
J. L. Wells (Spain)
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
I came to Amazon to read other people's reviews and see what they had made of this novel, as when I started The Enchantress of Florence, I thought it was a fable and expected to find out of what later on, our modern times, perhaps. But I didn't.
I do not think the Enchantress is an ode to love or eroticism; other novels and writers would spring to mind much before this one. It isn't an ode to anything in particular, to boredom and perplexity, would be my guess. I can only explain this novel thinking that writers are like all of us; they have good and bad moments and would class this one with Fury, in the not-so-good Rushdie category. I will still buy his next novel the minute I hear it is out; some loves are helpless and irremediable.
Salman Rushdie - Sorcerer for The Enchantress of Florence June 2, 2008
V. Oscarsson (Vienna, Austria)
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
Who breathes life into whom in Salmon Rushdie's latest book, The Enchantress of Florence, the women or the men?
Who believes whom regarding passion, incest, protocol, deceit and corruptionin the sixteenth century?
The Indian princess known as Qara Kos is a descendent of Ghengis Kahn, Timor the Lame and then a few generations later is aunt to Akbar, great military emperor of peace. Her companion is known as the Mirror and both are called Angelica. Through travels and men in the late 1500's, they bring together two far away cities, Florence and Akbar's creation of Fathepur Sikri, capital of India , an hour from Agra, both sharing debauchery, controversial power, philosophy, consciousness of reason, loss, secrets embracing a world of courtesans, wives or fictitious lovers.
Rushdie casts a spell with highly inventive fiction based on carefully documented historical data to combine fact and fable. This reader wonders if he might have been inspired by the tradition of ancient Persian tales such as Alladin's Lamp from Tales of One Thousand Nights - such storytelling perhaps part of Rushdie's heritage to make him a sorcerer like some of his characters.
Florence is the backdrop for the youthful relationship of three male friends each who embark on different lives, which leads to the arrival of Qara Kos in Florence and later supposed offspring who then seeks out his relationship with his distant relative, Akbar, Shelter of the World, Elephant King. Fatehpur Sikri comes alive during its short fifteen-year existence. Time plays a curious role in the unfolding of events.
Where lies the mystery, magic and witchcraft when Akbar, a leader without knowledge to read, searches for answers by bringing to his court some of the greatest minds around the world? Water was crucial to the existence of Sikri fortress in the desert. Sophisticated systems for reservoirs and canals were devised -even today incomprehensible, how. Then the plug was pulled, water gone and the kingdom fell to its ruin. Akbar felt deceived though was it his visitor/distant relation whom he had deceived that broke him?
Unlike Rushdie's controversial Satanic Verses - a dense labyrinth of intellectualized ideas, not so easy to follow though an example a great mind at work - this narrative feels more resolved. Sensitivity and curiosity makes one think that the writer's own fascination with the story has conjured the magic of telling it.
Renaissance Florence is around every corner, all walks of life through much political unrest. For those that have visited the magnificent ruins of Fathepur Sikri or have not, the trials of Akbar's vision for tolerance and love soar beyond conventional barriers of poetic prose, one of Rushdie's signature feats.
Not without challenge to keep wanderings of the tale centered, a full circle intrigue of dynasties unfold with a terrific pace until the final sentence....... maintaining Rushdie as among the highly respected, multi-cultural writers of our time.
 Too dazzling for me May 1, 2008
Brida (Worcs)
22 out of 30 found this review helpful
This is the first novel by Rushdie that I have read, and I doubt I shall now go off to look for others by him. Now let me try to explain why. . .
As another reviewer has stated, Rushdie's prose is challanging. He very rarely creates a simple sentence; instead they are often long in length and in meaning. What this means is that Rushdie is able to create dazzling descriptions which bring his world to life, right there on the page for you. But what this also means is that, unless you are paying the utmost attention, you can be left lagging behind. So, even though I revelled in his imagery and ability to bring things to life, there were many times when the story just washed over me. I was not able to give THE ENCHANTRESS OF FLORENCE the attention and the time that it really needs.
Having said that, what I have taken away from the novel is the beauty of storytelling. There is a recurring theme looking at if something exists in the imagination of another, does it have a life independent from this?
Also there is the exploration that stories have a danger of being spoken wrongly or even being lost altogether.
Although I would not say this is a light read, if you like to completely immerse yourself in another world, and have the time to dedicate to properly doing this, THE ENCHANTRESS OF FLORENCE would probably satisfy you. If you are looking for an 'easier' read, look elsewhere.
Back on form April 30, 2008
PB (London, UK)
27 out of 32 found this review helpful
As an avid Rushdie fan, I was deeply disappointed with "The Ground Beneath Her Feet" - a jarring mis-step - and was not totally enthralled by "Shalimar the Clown". However, Enchantress is a return to form for an author I genuinely regard as without peer amongst his generation.
What makes Rushdie so great? His use of language is simply staggering. He can construct the most dizzying, dense and multi-dimensional sentences. His prose is certainly convoluted, but it is not at the expense of the story. Far from that, the narrator is often as beguiling a character as any of the main protagonists. If you love the English language, history, theology, philosophy, etymology, art... in fact, anything which might pique a curious mind, Rushdie offers a cocktail of wonderment for the senses.
I see no reason to explain the premise or the storyline - you can read that in Amazon's description, and equally, it is only half the reason to read this novel and is, as always with Rushdie's work, an allegory for deeper philosophical and geo-political theses.
Rushdie's books are something of a challenge to read - his prose is not light and economical - but the challenge is well-worth taking. Nothing good ever comes easy. This is such an enjoyable book - I hope it's a lasting return to form.
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