Stephen: handsome Syrian boy, wizard's apprentice, palace eunuch. And Secretary to the Empress. How does this unlikely pair become such allies that one day Empress Theodora asks Stephen to write her biography?
From a very young age, Theodora, daughter of a circus bearkeeper in Constantinople, sets her sights well above her station in life. Her exquisite beauty sets her apart on stages and in the eyes of men.
Stephen, a Syrian lad of striking good looks, is sold by his parents to a Persian wizard, who teaches him a skill in languages that will serve him well.
By the time Destiny brings them together in Antioch, Theodora has undergone heart-rending trials and a transformation, while Stephen has been sold again . . . and castrated.
Discover the enduring bond that, however imperfect, prompts Theodora—as Empress—to request palace eunuch Stephen to write her biography.
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Book One in the story of Empress Theodora by James Conroyd Martin. And one funnily enough that I thought that I had read before as I was familiar with both set-up and narrative style.
Anyway, this is a wonderful retelling of Theodora's life up to the point that she became Empress. We have the narrative of Theodora telling her story to her biographer and friend,the eunuch Stephen, whom she had only recently released for a 5 year stint in prison. As Stephen reflects upon his release "... scruples can be elusive when freedom is the prize ...." - and so he accepted the commission.
Palace politics and the fate of women in general are seen through Theodora's eyes as well as Stephen's - both found a connection due to the lives they led or had forced upon them. Both strove for something more - and their drive to succeed is a common trait.
Stephen's story is told in the first person narrative, whilst Theodora's is told in the third person. Both individual stories converge in Antioch and the journey to Constantinople - then two become one.
As historical fiction goes, this is rather good. It is well researched, whilst not being subjected to a dry history lesson. Both Stephen and Theodora elicit empathy from the reader, whilst all the while the reader cannot but hope that Theodora achieves her goals.
Looking forward to reading book two.
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