Synopses & Reviews
Frances Sherwood brings to life the experience of the Jewish community during a period of oppression and rebirth. Set in seventeenth-century Prague, is an adventure-filled romance stocked with court intrigue and political tension, including the machinations of the rival Ottoman Empire, the religious controversies of Protestantism, and the constant threat of violence to the Jewish community. At the heart of the novel is Rochel, a bastard seamstress who escapes poverty through an arranged marriage to the tailor Zev, but falls in love with Yossel, the Golem created by Rabbi Loew to protect the Jewish community. Meanwhile, Emperor Rudolph II puts the safety of all Prague at risk in his mad bid for an elixir of immortality. is an epic tale reminiscent of Anita Diamant's , and a love story as unlikely as Tracy Chevalier's . Reading group guide included.
Review
A many-splendored book indeed: Frances Sherwood's historical savvy and narrative chutzpah bring to life the Prague of 1600. (John Barth)
Review
Richly textured. (Los Angeles Times)
Review
"Starred Review. A provocative, gripping novel." Booklist
Synopsis
A historical novel about the most unlikely of lovers, interwoven with the mysticism of the Jewish occult.
Synopsis
"The Book of Splendor" is a historical novel about the most unlikely of lovers, interwoven with the mysticism of the Jewish occult, and replete with the political tension and court intrigue of 17th century Prague.
About the Author
Frances Sherwood is a teacher in South Bend, Indiana, where she lives with her husband. Her previous books of fiction include Vindication and The Book of Splendor.