About the book: 2013 / Michael David Lucas's debut novel takes the reader into the magical world of old Istanbul, where fairy tales and true stories are intertwined like the pattern of an oriental carpet. The magical story of little Eleanor unfolds against the backdrop of the collapse of the once powerful Ottoman Empire. Political intrigue, secret societies and double agents - this is the world of which a lonely orphan girl finds herself a part. Eleanor faces difficult trials, because she bears the stamp of being chosen, and therefore the exorbitant burden of responsibility that she bears in fulfilling an ancient prophecy. But even when providence leaves Eleanor no choice, it turns out that everything is possible in Istanbul. A bright, bewitching book, the pages of which are filled with the salty air of Istanbul embankments and the delicate aroma of Topkapi gardens.