"Exile after exile has taught us to love things that are small. Things that can be concealed or carried, and to love words and stories most of all."
Spain, 1492, The Reconquest, the journey of Columbus, the Inquisition. Esther and her daughters Chava and Sarah are part of a prominent family with close ties to the royal court. But then the Inquisition gains force, the Edict of Expulsion is made law and Spain’s Jewish community.is ordered to convert or face exile. There is only a short time to decide whether to relinquish their home and all they have known or stay and forsake everything they believe.
Chava and Sarah, accompanied by a family friend Isaac, undertake the journey to Portugal to seek safety at their Uncle's home. Their mother remains behind to try and preserve the legacy and writings of Toledo's Jewish community with the hope of being reunited before time runs out.
Five Stars
This compelling story is beautifully written. It is hard to put down and there will be tears. Filled with historical and ambient detail, it evokes the era (leading up to the Spanish Inquisition) and brings us along on a courageous journey. The characters are relatable to a modern reader, yet appropriately representative of their time and place. It also successfully binds them to the age-old struggles and resilience of Jews in the diaspora, which are sometimes subtle, yet often dramatic
5.0 out of 5 stars
Poetic!
August 11, 2019
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
A thought provoking book which transported me to 15c Spain. I had a seat at the table with Chava, Sarah and Esther as they prepared to leave and left Spain because of an edict from the King ordering Jews to convert to Christianity or leave.
Lovely prose, poetic descriptions, vivid details. It is quite a sad story and left me curious about what happened to all the Jewish settlements and culture in Spain.
The author does a great job at putting the reader right there in that place and that time. It felt very real. Well researched!
