A delightful surprise is in store for readers who love being in touch with history in a visceral way through its most vibrant, sometimes outlandish personalities. Moon Queen, Katharine Branning’s latest, is set in Turkey, as was her earlier Yes, I Would Love Another Glass of Tea, though during an entirely different time period. This time, we are introduced to Mahperi, wife and mother of sultans in the 13th Century, a woman whose accomplishments would remain unknown to most of us without Ms. Branning’s deep research into unusual sources. The novel treats us to intrigues worthy of the Borgias and plunges us into a historical moment that fascinates, while also allowing us to feel that we are relating to flesh and blood persons. Don’t try for aesthetic distance while reading this novel. Just immerse yourself in its lusciousness. A book such as Moon Queen does much to dispel oversimplifications by introducing us to a deep and vast old culture, thereby increasing our understanding of that culture in the present. Though Branning does not make a claim to total historical accuracy, she contributes immeasurably to our own pleasure in experiencing this exquisite moment in time and space. Branning made me want to eat those meals, touch those fabrics, see those old stones, be present in 13th Century Turkey.

– Dr. Joanna Dezio, Montclair State University

13th century Turkey: The Sultana Mahperi was born Maryam, during her lifetime as wife and mother to sultans, she built mosques and caravan stops to develop important trade routes. Those sites' fabulous architecture inspired this novel...

– Richard Bourgeois, Historical Novel Society