The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye: Five Fairy Stories

by A.S. Byatt

Book Overview

A stunning collection of fairy tales for grown-ups from the Booker Prize-winning author of Possession, a "storyteller who could keep a sultan on the edge of his throne for a thousand and one nights" (The New York Times Book Review).

Includes the story "The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye"--the basis for the George Miller film Three Thousand Years of Longing starring Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton

A.S...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0679762221
• ISBN13: 9780679762225
• Release Date: October 1998
• Publisher: Vintage
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

I was inspired to read this from seeing the film version

It does not disappoint If you like words and fantasy this is for you. My only complaint is on certain pages the printing is off and several words are hard to read pg 101 is one.

This book contains one of the finest novellas in English

If I could give this book 10 stars for the novella "The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye", I certainly would. I think it is one of the three finest short stories in the English language along with Isak Dineson's "Babette's Feast" and Paul Bowles'"Delicate Prey". Two thirds of the book are devoted to this novella. There are 4 short stories that make up the other third of the book. These stories: The Glass Coffin, Gode's Story, Tale of the Eldest Princess, and Dragon's Breath, are very well constructed adult fairy tales and well worth reading. However "The Dijinn in the Nightingale's Eye" is exceptional. In this story, Gillian, a middleaged scholar is in Istanbul for a conference of experts on myths, legends, and fairy tales. Her husband has divorced her after their two daughters had grown and left home. From here the story starts to spin story within story in rich overlays of meaning and metaphor. Gillian is an expert in wishes since she is an expert in fairy tales. The wisdom of her three wishes drives the tale. We are treated to an interpretation of one of Chaucer's tales as well as a re-telling of Gilgamesh. I am certain that rich feminist interpretations are possible, considering the images of the role of women that change throughout the book. The characters go to St. Sophia (named after the feminine aspect of the Holy Spirit) where they put their finger into a hole in a marble column that remains forever moist. The writing was very erotic for a fairy tale. The Djinn appears nude in Gillian's hotel room, he is 20 times larger than a human, as are his genitals. Byatt then tales us of the overpowering smell of masculinity coming from this handsome giant creature. The Djinn tells tales of his 1000 year existence in the courts of Arab kings. His tales of love reveal that his heart is as mature as the heart of Gillian, making them a wonderful match for the adventures they undergo. I was thoroughly entertained with the wisdom of each of Gillian's three wishes and her ability to string out these three wishes as she gained more knowledge of the Djinn. It is her final wish that reveals the ultimate power in the Universe, at least from my perspective. Maybe this is why I was so captivated by Byatt's wonderful novella. I read the novella twice over the last 5 years and it remains unforgettable for me. I can not recommend it more strongly.

Beautiful fairty tales for adults!

A.S Byatt is one of the most talented and brilliant writers today. The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye is an engaging collection of adult fairy tales that are a delight to read. Byatt has a wonderful way with the English language. Her writing is delicate and precise without being too precious. "The Story of the Eldest Princess," "The Glass Coffin," and "Dragon's Breath" are my favorites. Byatt has such incredible range and depth, and it shows in this fine short story collection. This is not a large volume, there are only five stories here, but it's a wonderful way to spend a few hours transported into other worlds by an extremely talented writer. Highly recommended...

Lush and magical

_The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye_ is a collection of five stories, or more accurately, four stories and a novella, since the title story is actually quite long; it takes up half the book.First we have "The Glass Coffin", which is excerpted from the novel _Possession_. It's a fairly standard princess-rescuing sort of fairy tale, starring a young man who chooses adventure over good sense, and is rewarded for it.Then comes "Gode's Story", also from _Possession_, which is about a man who returns from sea to find his lover deeply changed. It was great within the setting of the novel, and set the mood perfectly when Christabel traveled to Brittany, but standing alone it's a rather depressing story. It works better in context."The Tale of the Eldest Princess" is simply delightful. The princess goes out on a quest, keenly aware that the eldest child in stories always fails in his or her quest, and usually because of arrogance. This is the story of how the princess consciously tries to make the story go differently this time. In the end she finds something she didn't even know she was looking for."Dragon's Breath" is a story of bored villagers who gain a new perspective after volcanic creatures destroy most of their town; suddenly they come alive again with tales of tragedy, heroism, and dumb luck. Suddenly they see value in what they have. Seems awfully prophetic, considering this was published three years ago.Finally, we come to the title story, "The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye", which is a lush and romantic tale about a middle-aged professor who goes to a conference in Istanbul, and buys a pretty glass bottle that just happens to contain a djinn. It's a sensual and enchanting tale of a woman learning new things about herself. It is so richly written that Byatt can refer to the remote control as "the black lozenge" without sounding ridiculous. We are immersed in a world of hotels and shops, described so lushly that they feel like scenes from Arabian Nights tales of many years ago, despite their modernity. And while we know, from other tales, what the woman's third wish will be, the ending is written beautifully and doesn't feel cliched. All in all, a wonderful collection of tales.

Wonderfully compassionate storytelling

I've read most of A.S. Byatt's work, including Possession. One of the strongest feelings that book and her others engendered in me was the compassion and care for her characters. While not always gentle, she understands that life has to be lived even with the sorrow that comes from painful mistakes and lifelong regrets.While the Gillian of the title story may be a stand-in for Byatt herself, the desire to observe and record and her feelings of superfluousness because of her age, is something many of us can relate to. The beauty of the Genie's own story and his inclusion in Gillian's is tender and hopeful.I've owned this collection for a year and reread it every few months. Like those other great female voices of the 20th century, Angela Carter and Isak Dinesen, she tells modern fairy tales that still contain more than a hint of the fabulous.

Tour de Force

If you've already read the two stories in this collection that are culled from "Possession" and wonder whether it's worth buying them a second time, don't hesitate! The book is worth buying for the brilliant title story alone.The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye is, as always among Byatt's works, an elaborate celebration of a myriad of literary sources, many of which are fundamental to our culture. And in speaking of "our" culture here, she is, more than in any of her other works, showing us a world culture, with English, Turkish, Greek, Babylonian and other themes all presented and compared in the best tradition of The Golden Bough. However, rather than being an arid search after lost cultural history, the story makes all these legendary themes current and relevant in an up-to-the-minute context.Gillian Perholt is another of Byatt's low-relief semi-self-portraits. Her descriptions of decay and lost youth can be rather gloomy, but here we get a wonderfully optimistic portrait which leaves the reader, finally, with a glow of well-being, and a real sympathy with the character and the author.The book, or at least this story, although short and sweet, re-emphasises the extraordinary range and literary power of Byatt. It is full of succulant language good enough to read out loud. She must rank among the 3 or 4 best authors writing in English today.