★ 03/30/2020
This sweeping historical novel illuminates the plight of a Jewish family in Spain during the late 15th century. Precocious narrator Loma is just seven when her facility with numbers endears her to her influential financier abuelo after his wife, her beloved abuela,dies in a plague outbreak. Her status as his favorite proves a mixed blessing and one of the narrative’s essential tensions. Loma becomes increasingly indispensable to her grandfather as he travels across Spain collecting taxes for the country’s monarchs. As she grows older, however, his requirements of her mean that she must postpone her desire to marry and have children. Infusing her title with historical details about costume, food, and customs, Newbery Honoree Levine (Ella Enchanted ) deftly conveys the obstacles facing the Jewish community under King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, among them the Inquisition, pressure to convert to Christianity, and eventually expulsion from Spain. Though the narrative unspools slowly, pacing builds considerably in the final chapters as 16-year-old Loma memorably navigates tumult and danger, bravely taking control of her destiny. Ages 8–12. Agent: Ginger Knowlton, Curtis Brown. (May)
"Loma is a girl very much of her time and place in valuing family and faith above all, and her honest voice, transparent frustrations, and growing agency make for a satisfying character arc against a dark yet intriguing slice of history."
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"Rich descriptions in Paloma’s first-person narration make for an immersive experience of her palpably precarious situation."
★ 05/01/2020
Gr 5–8— Readers first meet Loma, a young Jewish girl living in late 15th-century Spain, when she is seven years old. Readers watch as she navigates life as the granddaughter of a powerful Jewish leader. As the title of Levine's new novel suggests, Spain in the late 1400s was a perilous place for Jewish people. This was the time of the Spanish Inquisition, during which the Jewish community was persecuted and ultimately exiled from Spain. Loma's grandfather is one of the wealthy Jewish figures who uses his connections, money, and skills to help Jewish people and tries to prevent forced conversions to Christianity. As her grandfather's traveling companion across Spain, Loma gets a firsthand look at the superstitions, ceremonies, and sacrifices that governed daily life during a cataclysmic and dangerous time. Loma witnesses, up close, King Ferdinand's and Queen Isabella's efforts to "defeat the infidel," meaning Spain's Muslim people. She also observes her grandfather's efforts to keep her people temporarily safe from harm. Although she loves and respects her grandfather, Loma is also devoted to her parents and siblings and looks forward to being married and starting her own family. She is loyal to her beloved grandmother's memory and is a loving aunt to the "littles," as she refers to her growing number of nieces and nephews. Levine skillfully juxtaposes the larger religious battles taking place in Spain with Loma's dreams for her future. VERDICT This story of adventure and bravery under unstable circumstances will appeal to mature readers who enjoy historical fiction and tales of courage.—Shelley Sommer, Inly School, Scituate, MA
★ 2020-02-09
Paloma is sensitive, inquisitive, and highly intelligent, attributes that will both cause her intense pain and keep her alive. Her grandfather is an important figure in Spain’s Jewish community, using his wealth and political acumen to deal with the powerful Christians, including Ferdinand and Isabella, who rule the country, all in the service of keeping Jews from harm. Loma becomes his constant companion and aide, traveling with him across Spain on his missions. As she grows to maturity she is denied the opportunity to marry, though it is her dearest wish to have her own children. Levine seamlessly weaves historical facts with day-to-day life concerning food, clothing, prayers, rituals, superstitions, and the social orders both within the locked judería and without, among Christian and Moorish Spaniards. Jews must always be wary, for bizarre accusations are made that incite mob violence against them. They face kidnapping, forced conversion, torture and execution at the hands of the Inquisition, and, finally, expulsion from Spain. Loma tells all her fears and worries, how she finds solace in counting, her plans and dreams, and her deep love for her family as well as her hurt and anger as she faces grave dangers and loss.
Heart pounding and heart wrenching in equal measure. (author’s note, recipe, glossary) (Historical fiction. 10-14)
"Heart pounding and heart wrenching in equal measure." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Infusing her title with historical details about costume, food, and customs, Newbery Honoree Levine (Ella Enchanted ) deftly conveys the obstacles facing the Jewish community under King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella.... Loma memorably navigates tumult and danger, bravely taking control of her destiny." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Inspired by family history, Levine’s latest novel offers a fascinating portrayal of Loma as a shy, conciliatory, intelligent child whose unusual upbringing leads to broad understanding and insights into power. The first-person narrative uses details of daily life to bring the period more sharply into focus for readers, while the appended author’s note offers further information. A well-researched historical novel from an accomplished storyteller." — Booklist
"Levine skillfully juxtaposes the larger religious battles taking place in Spain with Loma’s dreams for her future. This story of adventure and bravery under unstable circumstances will appeal to mature readers who enjoy historical fiction and tales of courage." — School Library Journal (starred review)
"Loma is a girl very much of her time and place in valuing family and faith above all, and her honest voice, transparent frustrations, and growing agency make for a satisfying character arc against a dark yet intriguing slice of history." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"Rich descriptions in Paloma’s first-person narration make for an immersive experience of her palpably precarious situation." — Horn Book Magazine
"Inspired by family history, Levine’s latest novel offers a fascinating portrayal of Loma as a shy, conciliatory, intelligent child whose unusual upbringing leads to broad understanding and insights into power. The first-person narrative uses details of daily life to bring the period more sharply into focus for readers, while the appended author’s note offers further information. A well-researched historical novel from an accomplished storyteller."
"Loma is a girl very much of her time and place in valuing family and faith above all, and her honest voice, transparent frustrations, and growing agency make for a satisfying character arc against a dark yet intriguing slice of history."
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Inspired by family history, Levine’s latest novel offers a fascinating portrayal of Loma as a shy, conciliatory, intelligent child whose unusual upbringing leads to broad understanding and insights into power. The first-person narrative uses details of daily life to bring the period more sharply into focus for readers, while the appended author’s note offers further information. A well-researched historical novel from an accomplished storyteller."
"Loma is a girl very much of her time and place in valuing family and faith above all, and her honest voice, transparent frustrations, and growing agency make for a satisfying character arc against a dark yet intriguing slice of history."
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
With deliberate pacing and a clear-toned Castilian accent, narrator Carlotta Brentan transports listeners to fifteenth-century Spain during the Inquisition. Seven-year-old Paloma is the granddaughter of a powerful Jewish leader. But even for wealthy Jews, life is as precarious as a “ceiling made of eggshells.” As she gets older, Loma longs to get married and have her own family even as she watches her community suffer persecution, mob violence, exile, imprisonment, and forced conversion to Christianity. The audiobook shines a light on Loma’s day-to-day life as Brentan voices her multigenerational family, including her stern, harsh mother; her hypocritical older brother; her meek, dutiful sister-in-law; and her wizened grandfather. Loma’s own voice reflects the youthful hope and heartrending injustice of her time. S.C. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine
SEPTEMBER 2020 - AudioFile
With deliberate pacing and a clear-toned Castilian accent, narrator Carlotta Brentan transports listeners to fifteenth-century Spain during the Inquisition. Seven-year-old Paloma is the granddaughter of a powerful Jewish leader. But even for wealthy Jews, life is as precarious as a “ceiling made of eggshells.” As she gets older, Loma longs to get married and have her own family even as she watches her community suffer persecution, mob violence, exile, imprisonment, and forced conversion to Christianity. The audiobook shines a light on Loma’s day-to-day life as Brentan voices her multigenerational family, including her stern, harsh mother; her hypocritical older brother; her meek, dutiful sister-in-law; and her wizened grandfather. Loma’s own voice reflects the youthful hope and heartrending injustice of her time. S.C. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine
SEPTEMBER 2020 - AudioFile
