The Shadow of God Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

1. In 1492, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain expelled the Jews from their country, as did the King of Portugal four years later. Many of the Jews migrated to North Africa and made their way east, ultimately seeking refuge in Turkey under the rule of the Ottoman Sultan, Selim—Suleiman’s father. Do you see any similarities between Suleiman’s era and today’s Middle East situation? How do you think the political climate of the sixteenth century differed from the current Middle Eastern turmoil, and what were the specific similarities and differences between then and now?
   


2. Why would Selim and Suleiman offer refuge to the Jews? Consider the role of Dr. Hamon in particular. What was Suleiman’s relationship with Dr. Hamon? What did Hamon hope to achieve for his people using his daily contact with the Sultan?
   


3. Considering the different personalities of Mehmet, Selim and Suleiman. Can you see interesting familial traits and differences? How did Suleiman differ from his father? From his great-grandfather? How do you think these differences affected the lives of the Turkish people?
   

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Sourcebooks. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.