“At its heart, The Healer’s Daughters by Jay Amberg is a story of the healing, necessary power of female relationships and the strength women possess alone and in groups. I was not expecting to discover this theme when I began reading but was beyond satisfied with the direction the author took the story and the sense of hope at the conclusion.”
It’s so nice when a reviewer really gets it. Many thanks to Tamara Benson at Manhattan Book Review. Read the full review here.
“Stands out amongst the thriller/terrorism genre…unlike anything else…a sensational but unique novel! Twists and turns galore genuinely had me shocked…an immersive, unforgettable reading experience!”
An energetic new review by Aimee Ann, the Red Headed Book Lover. You can read the full article here.
The Healer’s Daughters has received a very nice write-up in the Evanston RoundTable. I have lived in Evanston almost my entire life. You can read the article here; many thanks to Mary Helt Gavin (and to my daughter, Katie, for the link).
“In The Healer’s Daughters, author Jay Amberg delivers a superb, thrilling work of historical fiction with believable characters and a captivating plot. Full of Turkish traditions, Amberg invites readers to immerse themselves in the country’s culture and customs throughout the story. The Healer’s Daughters’ complex and layered plot—delicately laced with mystery—keeps readers engaged, eager to learn what happens next, and the simple black and white illustrations which appear throughout the book provide helpful glimpses into Bergama and the ancient sites central to Tuğçe’s investigation. The Healer’s Daughters is a uniquely gripping story that will appeal to everyone from history enthusiasts to fans of mysteries and political thrillers.”
Thank you to Red City Review for the excellent new review. You can read more here.
“Truly showcased Amberg’s talent of getting into the mind of his characters and creating strong empathy among his readers.… A spellbinding story that will have readers on a rollercoaster of emotion as they follow the many characters through terrorist attacks and treasure hunts. If you like suspense mixed with historical fiction and topped with some action and adventure, then I highly recommend this book.”
Great new review of The Healer’s Daughters on Windy City Reviews. Thanks to Starza Thompson for her thoughtful and thorough response.
On the final day of The Healer’s Daughters blog tour, we have a wonderful review from Betty Taylor of Reading is My Passion.
“Terrorism, antiquities, power, goddesses, brutality, corruption, revenge…survival is uncertain. I found myself holding my breath, awaiting the outcome.
Amberg created characters that, good or bad, evoke an emotion from the reader. Complicated family relationships. Anger, heartbreak…both emotions hit me time and time again. Superb writing.”
I sincerely appreciate all the reviews and hard work of the bloggers on this tour. It’s been a fun time. Remember, the giveaway is open for five more days. You can enter to win here.
The Healer’s Daughters is featured at My Reading Journeys. The reviewer is still reading; hope she enjoys the book.
Below is an interview that should be posted soon.
Q: Do you like chocolate?
A: I am a serious fan of dark chocolate. My current addiction is TCHO 70% Cacao (“with rich chocolatey notes”).
Q: Where do you write?
A: Over the years, I have gradually become able to write almost any place. I do, though, have a favorite place—Guanajuato, Mexico. Almost every year, I run away from my home in Chicago to GTO because I am able there to turn off all the clocks and to eat a lot of sunlight, neither of which I can do regularly in the American Midwest. I can write within each day.
Q: Do you write every day?
A: When I’m in writing mode, I need to write every day. If I let the work go for even one day, I run the risk of losing the story’s momentum. I used to have to write early in the morning before the normal diurnal chaos of my life intruded, but I have gradually become able to write at other times. I’m still, though, impelled to work every day.
Q: How long have you been writing?
A: I’ve been writing as long as I can remember. When I was in graduate school, I wrote a piece for The English Journal about the history of my writing from first grade through the beginning of college. The early doggerel was especially painful to revisit, but the piece did provide evidence that I was always writing.
Q: Do you experience writer’s block?
A: I’ve never experienced writer’s block for an extended period, but I have intermittently gotten stuck. I find that a long walk, a ramble, works wonders. My unconscious (and, for that matter, my conscious mind) works better on the problem if I’m outside wandering around.
Q: What advice do you have for young writers?
A: Two thoughts: 1. Write. A writer writes. That’s what a writer does. Write every day. Sit down to the task even when it’s not going well. 2. Read. Read voraciously! Not just the classics. Not trash, but everything else. You really will learn as if by osmosis.
“Following the past of the artifacts and people just trying to survive kept me engrossed with the story. There are several threads that wrap around and around until you can see that one or two threads keep them entwined.
This is a wonderful read and one I recommend to anyone that likes a great thriller with a history twist added in.”
Thanks for JBronderBookReviews for the great review (and cat). There’s also a guest post up, discussing the three female protagonists of The Healer’s Daughters.
The Healer’s Daughters is my sixth thriller. In each of the previous five, there was a central character, an American male of a certain age, who eventually figured out what was really going on—and, in the case of America’s Fool, saved the world.
In The Healer’s Daughters, I axed that male character. The story, set in Turkey, focuses on three women who are battling criminal oligarchs, corrupt officials, and ISIL terrorists. Having a male character ala Charlie with his Angels seemed both silly and superfluous. Making that character American would have been egregiously jingoistic. The story is, I hope, far more interesting because of the subtraction of that sort of male character.
In this moment in history in various places around the world, bright energetic women are pitted against old male autocrats. I can’t, of course, predict how any of these conflicts will play out, but we are, I believe, at a tipping point. The Healer’s Daughters is my attempt to explore both the characters’ reasons for stepping up and the consequences, positive and negative, of their actions. The women at the center of the story have a certain power to act, but they must still deal with the effects, intended and unintended, of their actions.
There are three additional important female characters in the novel. All of them pay an exceptionally high price for the violence wreaked upon their cities. The green-eyed wife and mother in ISIL-controlled Raqqa, Syria has little control over her life and almost no choice about what she must do. Little Mehmet’s mother, Hafize Suner, also has no say whatsoever in the events in Bergama that destroy her family. The third woman, Özlem Boroğlu’s mother, provides the perspective of an older generation. She does not act as her daughter and granddaughter do, but she understands some things that they are only starting to grasp.
“I really loved how the author had the book take place in Turkey as it gave me some insight into the country, history, and culture of a a foreign country which I enjoyed.”
Thank you to Books for Books for reviewing The Healer’s Daughters. It’s been great hearing how bloggers respond to the book. Remember to enter the giveaway for a chance to win your free copy.
Jay Amberg, Author 