When Isabella and Ferdinant conquer Granada, they sign an edict ordering all Jews to either convert to Catholicism or leave Spain under penalty of death. Vidal and his family have a difficult choice to make, A physician, Vidal feels connected to his patients and worries about abandoning them. At the same time, he believes it is his religious duty to leave Spain with his congregation. Vidal’s oldest daughter converted to Catholicism years before in order to marry a Catholic man. Will she be safe? Will her conversion protect her in light of the inquisition?

This was a well written and engaging novel. The characters were well developed and I enjoyed reading about a people and time period that I know little about. I would love to read more from this author and look forward to seeing what he writes next. 5 out of 5 stars. ( )

As a long time fan of historical fiction, it was nice to finally see something centered on such a pivotal moment in Jewish history, and I felt he did a good job fleshing out the contours of the context and impact of the Alhambra decree on the Jews of the time. That said, in terms of the fictional component, I struggled to relate to the central characters and understand their development and choices in their situation. Definitely an eye-opening read regardless!

I knew something about the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in the 1400s but this fictional depiction really brought it home. The primary character, Vidal, is a physician in Granada, and obviously cares about his patients, enough to keep providing care until he must leave the city, sometimes without pay. The story of his family is quite relatable and helps illustrate what the Jews went through during the expulsion. ( )

This story centers around the patriarch of a Jewish family in Granda, Spain, where the Jewish community is expulsed, (unless they convert to Catholicism, or face death). I had to look up “Sepharad”, which per wiki is “the Hebrew-language name for the Iberian Peninsula, consisting of both modern-time Western Europe's Spain and Portugal, especially in reference to the local Jews before their forced expulsion from 1492 onwards.” In the book, we follow some of Granada’s Jewish community as they travel by caravan “South of Sepharad” to Morocco. It is a tragic story, but I didn’t really get sucked into it. It was a little slow to start, and then I found myself skimming a lot towards the end. The characters were a little 2-dimensional, and I had a hard time picturing anything described.
On the plus side, the author sets up the mood well, such that the story has an Old World feel to it, (like Yentil or Fiddler on the Roof). Reading a personalized, fictional account of an event is an easy and interesting way to learn about history, which I appreciated. The knowledge will enhance a trip for those aiming to travel to this area.
I was provided with an ARC (thanks to the author & publisher!) and I am voluntarily posting my honest review. ( )

Wonderful historical fiction! So immersive and such a gripping story.