Parents need to know that this book, set in the Middle East of old, presents some vastly different ideas about women's roles than readers are accustomed to. A woman is sentenced to a stoning for having a relationship with someone other than her husband; the stoning is not described, but we know when it will take place. There are also threats of violence and imprisonment, and someone is poisoned but survives.
Positive messages:There is lying, spying, and thievery throughout the book. Underhanded bargins and politics are experienced as well as customs labeled as barbaric. Some sexism related to societal expectations of the day. Examples of courage, faith, and honesty.
Violence:Some characters fear for their safety and face imprisonment in Turkish prisons, which are described as "horrific." A man is poisoned, but recovers and there is talk of a woman being stoned to death.
Sex:Budding romantic feelings between two people with hand holding. A woman will be stoned because she had a relationship with someone other than her husband. The exact type of relationship is not revealed.