By Ruth Behar
New York: Nancy Paulsen Books, 2024. Fiction. 258 pages.
Beginning in 1492, this sweeping historical fiction novel follows a Sephardic Jewish family over five centuries. Following young, female protagonists from four different generations, readers are captivated by a moving tale of a family navigating cultural and societal changes. First, we meet Benvenida, a 12-year-old girl whose family is forced to leave their home in Toledo, Spain during the Spanish Inquisition. Centuries later, the story continues with Reina in Turkey in 1923. When Reina defies her father, she is sent away to be betrothed to an older man living in Cuba. In 1961, Alegra is delighted to be part of Castro's brigadistas until political unrest causes her to flee to Miami. Now, in 2003, we finally meet Paloma whose discoveries about her family history prompts a family trip back to Toledo, Spain.
The four stories may seem a little disparate at first glance, but the narrative is so expertly woven that each story flows into the next while holding the reader's interest. Part of the success of this novel is the painstaking, period accurate details that transport readers through time and place. Certain themes are woven through each story, like an oud - a medieval stringed instrument, a Ladino folk song, and a love for music; these all come together at the end to complete a satisfying narrative. Do not be surprised when people are talking about this book at the end of the year.
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