A unique take on Jewish history and legend, with the prospect that it will pay off further in later books.
This debut fantasy follows two young Jews escaping the Inquisition who discover their connection to another world.
In a region resembling Renaissance-era Spain—to the extent that it includes Christians, Muslims, Jews, and the works of medieval Jewish philosopher Maimonides—the Inquisition is coming, and Jews must flee or convert. Naftaly Cresques, a bad tailor tormented by true visions and odd dreams of familiar-seeming places peopled by square-pupiled inhabitants, is among the refugees. Strong-willed fellow refugee Elena Peres soon drags Naftaly into the search for her lost granddaughter, Toba. Toba is a strangely weak and strangely gifted young woman—she cannot run or shout but can simultaneously translate a book into Latin with one hand and Arabic with the other—who has disappeared into a burst of light within a pomegranate grove. She has been transported to the realm of the square-pupiled people, the magical, long-lived race known as the Maziks, who are still suffering the effects of a brutal political coup and spiritual upheaval centuries before. As Toba explores her own mysterious connection to the Maziks and struggles for control of her newly discovered magical gifts, Naftaly faces deadly challenges both on the road and in his dreams, and both become entangled with the Maziks’ dangerous intrigues. It is perhaps a bit confusing that the mortal world of the book, which specifically names the languages, religions, and politics of our own history, is set entirely in imaginary lands. On the other hand, a great deal of Jewish-inspired fantasy tends to employ a coded version of Judaism, and some might find it refreshing to read a book with clearly identified Jewish protagonists and that directly draws on Jewish rituals and culture instead of cloaking them in author-invented terms. It is also refreshing that although the introductions of Naftaly and Toba initially suggest to the experienced reader of traditional fantasy novels that they are destined to become a couple, that expectation is shattered fairly definitively. The worldbuilding is intricate and takes up most of the plot, which unfortunately causes the pacing to drag somewhat. The climax is exciting, but it's clear that the book is mainly a setup for actions that will take place in future volumes, which makes this installment an intriguing tease but not entirely satisfying in and of itself.
A unique take on Jewish history and legend, with the prospect that it will pay off further in later books.Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9781645660576
Page Count: 576
Publisher: Erewhon
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
These letters from some important executive Down Below, to one of the junior devils here on earth, whose job is to corrupt mortals, are witty and written in a breezy style seldom found in religious literature. The author quotes Luther, who said: "The best way to drive out the devil, if he will not yield to texts of Scripture, is to jeer and flout him, for he cannot bear scorn." This the author does most successfully, for by presenting some of our modern and not-so-modern beliefs as emanating from the devil's headquarters, he succeeds in making his reader feel like an ass for ever having believed in such ideas. This kind of presentation gives the author a tremendous advantage over the reader, however, for the more timid reader may feel a sense of guilt after putting down this book. It is a clever book, and for the clever reader, rather than the too-earnest soul.
Pub Date: Jan. 1, 1942
ISBN: 0060652934
Page Count: 53
Publisher: Macmillan
Review Posted Online: Oct. 17, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 1943
Lovely historical fantasy breathes new life into an old tale.
A beautiful young peasant is selected to become a spy in an enemy king’s court in Liang’s take on an ancient Chinese legend.
Xishi is extraordinarily beautiful. Even as a lowly peasant girl in Yue, she’s been told all her life that her looks set her apart from others. But beauty doesn’t matter much to Xishi. After all, it wasn’t enough to save her beloved little sister, Susu, from being murdered by the invading Wu army. But one day, Fanli, a great military advisor to the king of Yue, comes to Xishi’s rural village and tells her she has been chosen for a special mission. She must leave home, learn the ways of aristocratic life, and be sent as a concubine to the Wu King, Fuchai, and become a spy in his court. Xishi is so beautiful, she should be able to seduce Fuchai and manipulate him to endanger his own crown. Xishi is terrified to leave for the rival court, but she wants to avenge Susu’s death more than anything. When she arrives in Fuchai’s court, her legendary beauty and skill as a seductress win her the king’s heart, and Fanli’s plan looks like it will work. But despite her hatred for the nation that killed her sister, Xishi comes to understand that the citizens of Wu, and even Fuchai, are human beings just like her, and her mission of vengeance might not leave any room for her to live her own life. Liang’s plot follows the large arcs of the legend, and she skillfully fills the pages between plot points with careful character work. What would it feel like to spend years lying to everyone around you? How do large-scale wars stop people from recognizing their common humanity? Do your ideals matter if they prevent you from forming real relationships?
Lovely historical fantasy breathes new life into an old tale.Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781250289469
Page Count: 336
Publisher: St. Martin's
Review Posted Online: Aug. 29, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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