The gorgeous city of Granada is the backdrop of COURT OF LIONS, a new dual storyline novel by Jane Johnson. Kate Fordham has come to Granada under an assumed name to escape a painful past in England and has found some sense of normalcy and peace working in a restaurant in the bustling Spanish city. When her twin sister sends her a coded message suggesting Kate's safety is threatened, Kate readies herself to run again... and yet, a seemingly insignificant slip of scrap paper, itself also in a code, intrigues Kate to figure out the history behind its message, and it may end up keeping her safer than she'll ever know.

Blessings is a servant to the sultan's son, Abu Abdullah Mohammed, affectionately called Momo. They share a deep bond, nearly inseparable and sharing each other's deepest secrets. The 15th century was a tumultuous time for the Moorish rulers of Granada, and with King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella looming to invade and force Muslims out of Spain, Blessings and Momo are never totally sure of their futures in Granada.

Told in alternating storylines, Kate and Blessings are thrust into situations that will test the strength and resilience they didn't know they had.

COURT OF LIONS is an intriguing, well-written historical fiction novel! Things got off to a slow start, and while more and more compelling events did take place within the story, I wouldn't describe this book as a page-turner. The parallel storylines were sometimes at war with each other, and moving between the two time periods could be a bit jarring. That being said, I did find that I cared about the two main characters, Kate from the present day and Blessings in the past. They both showed courage when it mattered most. Even though their lives were so different, they both have to overcome major obstacles during trying times. The backdrop of Granada and specifically the Alhambra are breathtaking; the city truly comes to life throughout this book. Johnson's meticulous research is on full display and never comes across as information overload. While this novel didn't completely work for me on every level, it was an enjoyable read, and I'm definitely going to be on the lookout for more books by Jane Johnson.

Book Summary

Kate Fordham, escaping terrible personal trauma, has fled to the beautiful sunlit city of Granada, the ancient capital of the Moors in Spain. There she is scraping by with an unfulfilling job in a busy bar. One day, in the glorious gardens of the Alhambra—once home to Sultan Abu Abdullah Mohammed—Kate finds a scrap of paper hidden in one of the ancient walls. Upon it, in strange symbols, has been inscribed a message from another era. The message has lain undiscovered since before the Fall of Granada in 1492, when the city was surrendered to Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand.

Born of love, in a time of danger and desperation, the fragment will be the catalyst that changes Kate's life forever. An epic saga of romance and redemption, Court of Lions brings one of the great turning-points in human history to life, telling the dual stories of a modern woman and the last Moorish sultan of Granada, as they both move towards their cataclysmic destinies.