I found this book depressing. the mother is abused by her mother and basically sold into slavery with an abusive husband. she then does the same to her daughter in the name of a better life by selling her into the harem of the sultan. no happiness is found by any party, they use other people to further their own goals. poor character development, I found myself not caring one way or the other what happened next. this book i finished, but would not even lend to another to read--tossed it in the trash.