By Fire, By Water: A Novel

Review: Santangel is the chancellor to the court of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand in a time when it is dangerous to be a converso, (convert from Judaism to Christianity specifically Catholicism) he is a third generation convert to Christianity through the Catholic church in a time when the Catholic Church still holds great sway in the population's everyday lives, homes, and personal convictions. Santangel must take desperate measures to try to protect those he holds most dear from the prying eyes of the new inquisition in Spain.While researching the the truth about his past one of Santangel's intimate friend's learns the cost of being on the wrong side of religion in Catholic ruled Spain. Santangel mixes his family up in a plot that brings the head of the new inquisition to his door specifically Torquemada, who is a inquisitor investigating the murder of a high ranking official; this causes tragedies and inquiries to unfold that will change multiple families lives forever in numerous ways.Judith a young Jewish woman living in Ferdinand and Isabella's kingdom find's the courage to help raise her nephew and take care of his grandfather, after tragedy strikes. Judith also learns how to do metal work and thus keeps the family business going in a time when women were expected to stay behind the scenes and shows remarkable courage in stepping forward in a country where there was prejudice against both her sex, and her religious beliefs. The twist and turns in her story alone could have made a book themselves.Christopher Colon (Columbus would be the more well known name) is also interwoven throughout the story as a sailor and at one point asks the royals for a grant to go to the new world. He is also involved with some of the plotting / mapping that related to the Hebrew writing (on a map and scrolls) that was connected to Santangel's family being accused of heresy because of their converso background.The entire novel fit together like a beautiful manuscript. I read it in a day, and could not put it down. I usually read books that have more female characters then male, however this book is easy to relate to, well put together and VERY easy to recommend. I love it.

The scholarship behind this book is extensive. I had never heard of Luis de Santángel, I didn’t know anything about Christopher Columbus (as we call him), and I didn’t know about the war to expel the Muslims from Granada. It’s rewarding to read about heretofore unknown-to-me historical events in such depth. The author has crafted these facts into a fascinating and informative tale.I thought the two separate storylines - Santángel in the court of Zaragoza and Judith in the Jewish community in Granada - were equally worthy of being told at great length but I felt the romantic element was weak and didn’t do either justice. I can see why the author wanted to entwine the two but I think that should’ve been stronger.As such, the Jewish / conversos parts reminded me of Geraldine Brooks’ The People of the Book and Richard Zimler’s The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon, both of which are more compelling. This is still an excellent book - but it needed more cohesion between the two stories.

Set in the 15th century Spain, during the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella: the time of the New Inquisition, the reconquest of Granada from Moors, the expulsion of all Jews from Spain, and Christopher Columbus’s so-called discovery of the Western Hemisphere. The story touches upon the dilemma of Jewish conversos – forced to convert or leave; viewed suspiciously by Catholics and questioningly by Jews. It’s a story of Luis de Santangel, a man “caught between competing faiths, social classes, and loyalties…”Luis de Santangel, chancellor to the court of King Ferdinand, is from a family of Jewish conversos. His ancestry gets revealed by a Jewish scribe, whom he befriends. When Santangel receives documents from a sailor by the name of Christopher Columbus, which don’t make sense to him, he passes them to the Jewish scribe. While the meaning of documents gets revealed, a deeper friendship develops between two men.The story of Santangel from Zaragoza, N Spain, is intertwined with the story of a Jewish woman, Judith, from Granada, S Spain. Her brother, a silversmith, and his wife try to escape to Malaga, but die. She is left with an old man and a young boy to support. She sees no other way as to learn the craft of silversmith to support her family. The paths of Santangel and Judith cross. A friendship develops, which has a lasting impact on both of them.Interestingly woven story, providing a good sense of place and time with characters you care for.

I'm not one for sugar-coating the atrocities committed throughout history in the name of God and country but for a book this short to be packed with page after page of the tortures that characterized the Inquisition was more than I thought necessary. There was enough political intrigue during that time for the focus to have been on that, not the intimate details of the Inquisitor's prison. Will I read the next book by Mr. Kaplan? Hard to say...at this point I'd have to say "no."