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El Iluminado: A Graphic Novel
When young Rolando Perez falls to his death from a cliff outside Santa Fe, New Mexico, the mysteries immediately begin to accumulate. Was he pushed or did he jump? What are the documents that Rolando was willing sacrifice himself to protect from his family, the police, and the Catholic Church? And what does a colorful concha pastry have to do with any of this?
In the midst of the investigation, Professor Ilan Stavans arrives in Santa Fe to give a lecture about the area's long-buried Jewish history. He's looking forward to relaxing afterwards with an evening of opera, but his presentation on "crypto-Jews" attracts unexpected attention, and soon Ilan is drawn into a desperate race to find the long-lost documents that might hold the key to Rolando's death. Ilan's detective work leads him to taco joints, desert ranches, soaring cathedrals, and, finally, deep into the region's past, where he encounters another young man: Luis de Carvajal, aka "El Iluminado," a sixteenth-century religious dissenter. In a tale of martyrdom that eerily echoes Rolando's, Carvajal fled Spain for colonial Mexico at the height of the Spanish Inquisition, searching for his religious heritage -- a hunt for which he, like Rolando, would pay the ultimate price.
In El Iluminado , esteemed literary critic Ilan Stavans and author and illustrator Steve Sheinkin present a secret history of religion in the Americas, showing how thousands of European refugees have left a trail of ghostly footprints -- and troves of mysteries -- across the American Southwest.
In the midst of the investigation, Professor Ilan Stavans arrives in Santa Fe to give a lecture about the area's long-buried Jewish history. He's looking forward to relaxing afterwards with an evening of opera, but his presentation on "crypto-Jews" attracts unexpected attention, and soon Ilan is drawn into a desperate race to find the long-lost documents that might hold the key to Rolando's death. Ilan's detective work leads him to taco joints, desert ranches, soaring cathedrals, and, finally, deep into the region's past, where he encounters another young man: Luis de Carvajal, aka "El Iluminado," a sixteenth-century religious dissenter. In a tale of martyrdom that eerily echoes Rolando's, Carvajal fled Spain for colonial Mexico at the height of the Spanish Inquisition, searching for his religious heritage -- a hunt for which he, like Rolando, would pay the ultimate price.
In El Iluminado , esteemed literary critic Ilan Stavans and author and illustrator Steve Sheinkin present a secret history of religion in the Americas, showing how thousands of European refugees have left a trail of ghostly footprints -- and troves of mysteries -- across the American Southwest.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2012
9 people are currently reading
227 people want to read
About the author
Ilan Stavans
240 books133 followersIlan Stavans is the Lewis-Sebring Professor in Latin American and Latino Culture at Amherst College. An award-winning writer and public television host, his books include Growing Up Latino and Spanglish. A native of Mexico City, he lives in Amherst, Massachusetts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
February 25, 2014
EXCUSE ME. Why did nobody tell me about this book?!? It is exactly right up my alley in a number of ways. The most important being, Steve Sheinkin comics!! As you may know or may have conveniently forgotten, Rabbi Harvey's Yiddish tales semi-awkwardly transferred to the Wild West are some of my favorite comic books on the earth, and I thought, since he seems to be doing serious young people's non-fiction these days, no comics involved, that he was out of the comics biz altogether. I am relieved that it is not so, and this is a perfect fit for him -- a little mystery that serves as a frame for a history of crypto-Jews in the American Southwest. What are crypto-Jews? They are Jews who were forced to convert (in this case in Spain during the Inquisition) but remained Jewish in their private lives and passed traditions on through generations that didn't quite make sense and sort of took on a new spirit through that blurry transmission. It's a real, weird thing. The mystery plot is sort of a small-scale DaVinci-Code-esque thing, but not so eye-rollingly silly, and the history plot is pretty heavy stuff about religious persecution, but it's all very well and compellingly presented. I honestly did not want to put it down. And Steve's illustration efforts here are a little more precise than Rabbi Harvey (New Mexico! Actual location scouting!) but still endearingly squiggly and simple. Basically, it was fun, and moving, and educational, and even a little funny. And that is about as good as it gets. I'm sure being fascinated by the subject matter helped my opinion tremendously, but, still, it's quite surprisingly good.
July 27, 2014
It is hard to believe there would be a huge market for this book, but I liked it, nevertheless. It's a book about a Mexican-American Latin American Studies Prof (at Amherst), and he calls it a GN, but it is hard to tell if it is all true... it's about a scholarly pursuit/whodunnit. A scholar gives a lecture in Santa Fe on the Crypto-Jewish folks in the southwest and he encounters people who do and do not want him to research this there. By crypto they mean hidden; these folks lie about their Judaism, out of fear of recrimination, torture, death, historically, but there is still fear of recrimination today, it seems, and still hiding. Some are "conversos" that appear to convert to Roman Catholicism but keep their Judaic faith under the radar, as some did during Nazi Germany, but Jews in the southwest predate Hitler. Apparently there are whole hidden Jewish communities in the southwest, in Mexico, but they are hard to find, still, of course. This story takes place in New Mexico and is in part about what it means to be a scholar, that curiosity and passion to know that can become an obsession, and how that obsession may be partly grounded in your own life in many ways, your own identity, your own "issues". El Illuminado is a central character in the mystery that is part of the book's story, and others may tell you more about that, but mysteries get pursued and mysteries still remain, in this book. It's beautifully and colorfully drawn, a tale told by this scholar about his work that draws you in. A good storyteller as well as scholar, this Stavans. Did I before reading this care about the topic of Jews living hidden in plain sight in the southwest? Not really, but like Stavans, and thanks to him, I get interested in the story...and these people and their historical persecution at the hands of Roman Catholics... On a personal level, I had a friend whose (Jewish) family left Germany under Hitler to move to Mexico and renounced their faith. She lived in my building in Madison... related story, obviously!
January 6, 2016
Graphic novels are good at presenting history. Having heard the author give an outstanding lecture on Don Quiote and knowing Sheinkin’s work as an illustrator of the Rabbi Harvey graphic novels, I thought this would be an interesting book about the crypto-Jews who settled in southwestern United States. Fleeing the inquisition in Spain when Ferdinand and Isabelle took power, they immigrated to Mexico and then drifted North. The crypto-Jews were those Jews who converted to Catholicism, but retained many of their traditions such as not eating pork and lighting the menorah on Friday nights. When Stavanos goes to New Mexico to give a lecture on the history of the crypto-Jews, he finds himself embroiled in the mysterious death of a young man who had documents that he was protecting when he died. The documents have to do with Luis de Caravajal, El Iluminado, a sixteenth century religious dissenter tracing his heritage as a Jewish Catholic. There is some academic rivalry involved as various people search for the documents. Although there are flashbacks to the past and a number of dangerous encounters as Stavanas tries to elude the other searching for the documents, a great part of the book reads like a lecture without the benefit of Stavanas dynamic personality. The book is interesting in terms of shedding light on a little known group, but it is the information that takes precedence over the story telling.
April 27, 2018
A fun and informative mystery, but be warned, it has its own style
This book was a lot of fun. It follows a professor who is tracing the origins of crypto-jews, Jews whose origins were obscured during the Inquisition after their ancestors went into hiding. They passed their secret identity down through the generations, and it ends up as a mystery.
Ilan Stevens is like Dan Brown, but his tales are just a little cuter. The professor lectures more, and the edges are a little softer.
So expect long recitations of history from the main character, interspersed with an intentionally over the top plot.
If you expect that, you'll like it. If not, you might want to read it anyway, because there is some real history here.
In any case, I recommend it!
This book was a lot of fun. It follows a professor who is tracing the origins of crypto-jews, Jews whose origins were obscured during the Inquisition after their ancestors went into hiding. They passed their secret identity down through the generations, and it ends up as a mystery.
Ilan Stevens is like Dan Brown, but his tales are just a little cuter. The professor lectures more, and the edges are a little softer.
So expect long recitations of history from the main character, interspersed with an intentionally over the top plot.
If you expect that, you'll like it. If not, you might want to read it anyway, because there is some real history here.
In any case, I recommend it!
September 14, 2025
This is a remarkable graphic novel, turning a quest for the obscured history of crypto-Jews in the southwest United States into a thought-provoking mystery thriller. With academics in starring roles! This book was much more meaningful than “The Da Vinci Code, with matzo and salsa picante,” as one character derides the quest. I appreciated the sprinkling of self-referential humor. In fact, Professor Ilan Stavans is a main character, and he has a lot of fun with his semi-fictional incarnation.
I admit I started out knowing next to nothing of Jewish history in Mexico and the southwest US. The history of Carvajal the Younger - El Iluminado of the title - and the persecution of his and other families by the Inquisition in New Spain is conveyed simply but compellingly. The art is basic but sets the right tone for the story.
As is Jewish custom, the story raises more questions than it answers. The nature of identity and belonging, what is at stake in the stories we tell about ourselves, who should get to tell those stories… “Perhaps she didn’t trust you academics. This story is not a bone between dogs, but a sacred memory.” Indeed, one of the central messages I took from this book is that engaging with the history is more meaningful than trying to impose definitive answers. After all, Carvajal the Younger knew who he was, though his family had long been cut off from sources of Jewish knowledge. Highly recommended.
I admit I started out knowing next to nothing of Jewish history in Mexico and the southwest US. The history of Carvajal the Younger - El Iluminado of the title - and the persecution of his and other families by the Inquisition in New Spain is conveyed simply but compellingly. The art is basic but sets the right tone for the story.
As is Jewish custom, the story raises more questions than it answers. The nature of identity and belonging, what is at stake in the stories we tell about ourselves, who should get to tell those stories… “Perhaps she didn’t trust you academics. This story is not a bone between dogs, but a sacred memory.” Indeed, one of the central messages I took from this book is that engaging with the history is more meaningful than trying to impose definitive answers. After all, Carvajal the Younger knew who he was, though his family had long been cut off from sources of Jewish knowledge. Highly recommended.
February 26, 2013
Books that depend on historical events need to remember to cater to the present. // El Iluminado: A Graphic Novel// explores the history of the Crypto-Jews, those members of the Jewish community that were lost in history due to persecution. Professor Ilan Stavans is clued in to the existence of a major link to those Jews when he decides to talk to a woman stalking him, who needs his help finding out what her brother was hiding. Together they end up uncovering a chain of evidence of what happened to the Jews.
Although the art tends to the simplistic and exaggerated, it does ensure that characters will not be confused. The story is told mostly through exposition, with the characters in the past coming to life; early on it’s easy to care more for the characters in the past rather than the present ones. It doesn’t help that the characters lack depth, and that the present tale feels more like a framing story rather than a story on its own. As a historical tale it works rather well, but the present-day story needs a little more oomph. Otherwise it’s a fine book for those interested in a little family secret.
As originally written by Jamais Jochim for http://www.portlandbookreview.com/
Although the art tends to the simplistic and exaggerated, it does ensure that characters will not be confused. The story is told mostly through exposition, with the characters in the past coming to life; early on it’s easy to care more for the characters in the past rather than the present ones. It doesn’t help that the characters lack depth, and that the present tale feels more like a framing story rather than a story on its own. As a historical tale it works rather well, but the present-day story needs a little more oomph. Otherwise it’s a fine book for those interested in a little family secret.
As originally written by Jamais Jochim for http://www.portlandbookreview.com/
July 7, 2020
One of the best things about Mexican American Literature is how scholarship, story, genre and meta-fiction all overlap, all of which happens in El Iluminado. Stavans is a scholar and I’m a fan of his essays and his work in Spanglish/ ingléspañol (which comes up in El Iluminado).
This is a detective story steeped in the history of Mexican/Spanish Judaism and suppressed histories and identity. The Crypto-Judaic presence in New Mexico goes back to the beginning of the colony in the late 15th century. The notion of hidden history uncovered adds to the mystery of the book along with the revelation of the story of Luis de Carvajal the Younger.
Stavans isn’t from New Mexico, but he, a character in the book, places himself well in relation to the subject and area. We see how people say he doesn’t “look Mexican” as he adds “In Mexico I don’t look Jewish” all of which adds to the questions of identity suppressed histories bring to fore.
The title is El Iluminado because much is brought to light in this book—the search for Carvajal’s lost work (which has been found since publication), the uncovering of a murder, and the truth behind many nuevomexicanos ancestry.
This is a detective story steeped in the history of Mexican/Spanish Judaism and suppressed histories and identity. The Crypto-Judaic presence in New Mexico goes back to the beginning of the colony in the late 15th century. The notion of hidden history uncovered adds to the mystery of the book along with the revelation of the story of Luis de Carvajal the Younger.
Stavans isn’t from New Mexico, but he, a character in the book, places himself well in relation to the subject and area. We see how people say he doesn’t “look Mexican” as he adds “In Mexico I don’t look Jewish” all of which adds to the questions of identity suppressed histories bring to fore.
The title is El Iluminado because much is brought to light in this book—the search for Carvajal’s lost work (which has been found since publication), the uncovering of a murder, and the truth behind many nuevomexicanos ancestry.
November 3, 2025
What a niche book! The author/main character is an academic, the story is about hidden Jews (or conversos) in New Mexico, there's a murder mystery, and some nasty academics... Overall, interesting, but super niche! Lucky for me, it's my niche, lol, but still.
What about now? What about Jews in the West? We quest on weekends. And yet history tells us that we too are visitors, that the journey must someday resume. Pg. 192
Some random fun facts I learned from this book, that weren't really plot-related:
*Columbus did indeed expect to find Hebrew-speaking traders in the East Indies because he mistakenly believed he had reached Asia! He brought Luis de Torres, who spoke Hebrew and Arabic (Stavans says he was possibly a crypto-Jew), as an interpreter on his first voyage, thinking these languages would be useful for communicating with the people he expected to meet in the "Orient."
*I didn't know that people in the middle of a Jewish conversion cannot be buried in a Jewish cemetery because they are not yet considered Jewish. Traditionally, Jewish cemeteries are reserved for those who are already Jewish. (Though Google says, options may exist in some cemeteries for interfaith couples, such as separate burial sections.)
*There was (is?) a Sephardi custom of sweeping dirt towards the center of a room, and not out the front door, as not to profane the mezuzah on the doorpost.
*I had no idea "marrano" was a derogatory term! I knew it as just the word to describe a Jew who had converted to Christianity under duress, but it literally means "pig" and is used as a pejorative term for a dirty person!!
Ok, now about the actual book.
Sad to say, I really didn't get the whole tension of the book around the Carvajal documents. Irina said they would only cause pain if people found out the truth, and, like, so what? Are we all pretending we don't know that people were forcibly converted to Catholicism on pain of death? Duh. How would learning that cause pain? I don't get it.
And, this is super subjective, but I really didn't care for the art. (Sorry!)
So, in all. A solid, 3 stars for being super novel.
P.s. I wish they hadn't written out the name of God (pg 37 & 194), even if it is a real-life representation of the front door of Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis (which, it is), as wild as it is, because now this book should be considered geniza.
P.p.s. Since this book was written, "over the counter" DNA tests have become so much more advanced, and Jewish genetic markers can be traced in both men and women (not just through men/Cohanim -the Priestly line). (pg 87)
P.p.s. I literally LOLed when Irina told Ilan to climb over the gate to molest the statue of Mary because "you're Jewish. You're going to hell anyway." (pg 149)
What about now? What about Jews in the West? We quest on weekends. And yet history tells us that we too are visitors, that the journey must someday resume. Pg. 192
Some random fun facts I learned from this book, that weren't really plot-related:
*Columbus did indeed expect to find Hebrew-speaking traders in the East Indies because he mistakenly believed he had reached Asia! He brought Luis de Torres, who spoke Hebrew and Arabic (Stavans says he was possibly a crypto-Jew), as an interpreter on his first voyage, thinking these languages would be useful for communicating with the people he expected to meet in the "Orient."
*I didn't know that people in the middle of a Jewish conversion cannot be buried in a Jewish cemetery because they are not yet considered Jewish. Traditionally, Jewish cemeteries are reserved for those who are already Jewish. (Though Google says, options may exist in some cemeteries for interfaith couples, such as separate burial sections.)
*There was (is?) a Sephardi custom of sweeping dirt towards the center of a room, and not out the front door, as not to profane the mezuzah on the doorpost.
*I had no idea "marrano" was a derogatory term! I knew it as just the word to describe a Jew who had converted to Christianity under duress, but it literally means "pig" and is used as a pejorative term for a dirty person!!
Ok, now about the actual book.
Sad to say, I really didn't get the whole tension of the book around the Carvajal documents. Irina said they would only cause pain if people found out the truth, and, like, so what? Are we all pretending we don't know that people were forcibly converted to Catholicism on pain of death? Duh. How would learning that cause pain? I don't get it.
And, this is super subjective, but I really didn't care for the art. (Sorry!)
So, in all. A solid, 3 stars for being super novel.
P.s. I wish they hadn't written out the name of God (pg 37 & 194), even if it is a real-life representation of the front door of Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis (which, it is), as wild as it is, because now this book should be considered geniza.
P.p.s. Since this book was written, "over the counter" DNA tests have become so much more advanced, and Jewish genetic markers can be traced in both men and women (not just through men/Cohanim -the Priestly line). (pg 87)
P.p.s. I literally LOLed when Irina told Ilan to climb over the gate to molest the statue of Mary because "you're Jewish. You're going to hell anyway." (pg 149)
September 12, 2017
I got this book from Ilan to read before one of his lectures and when he first introduced the book as a sort of "detective story" with himself being the detective I admit I did not expect that the book would be about crypto jews, nor did I expect to finish it in one night but it was so good I had to keep reading until the end. It is clear that he is VERY passionate about the authenticity of the identities we keep, and if there are indeed non-arbitrary boundaries that can define one's identify, also, of course, the constant search for truth in our lives. As Ilan always asks soo many questions, at the end of one lecture, he asked us "What makes a book great?" For me, a great book has to make me think, feel and question. This book has made me do all three throughout Ilan's (the character's) journey to find the truth, sometimes with just an obscure and brief notion was is posed. I also love the character Ilan who is pretty much identical in terms of personality and of course humour (the appearance was pretty similar too up to the Tintin hairstyle!) This book provided me with a fairly objective view on crypto jews and it was a great read!
April 1, 2022
cw: abuse, death, religious tension, sexual organs, torture & Spanish with no translations
This book follows the story of Ilan and Irina as the try to uncover what happened to Rolando. This comic is heavy on the story and you can definitely get a little lost if you zone out. There is a ton of history and information here about crypto-Jews (which prior to reading this, I had never heard that term before). I really appreciated that the end of the book had a list of references used and some notes about the references. The heavy subject matter felt a bit strange in the comic format and so much of the book was an “information dump.” It was an interesting read, but took me a while to get into it, and as someone who doesn’t regularly read and memorize religious texts, it was a bit of a struggle to get through.
Also this book includes tons of Spanish and Spanglish and no translations. I could get through it fine but if you don’t have prior knowledge of Spanish and don’t want to use a translator repeatedly, this may annoy you.
This book follows the story of Ilan and Irina as the try to uncover what happened to Rolando. This comic is heavy on the story and you can definitely get a little lost if you zone out. There is a ton of history and information here about crypto-Jews (which prior to reading this, I had never heard that term before). I really appreciated that the end of the book had a list of references used and some notes about the references. The heavy subject matter felt a bit strange in the comic format and so much of the book was an “information dump.” It was an interesting read, but took me a while to get into it, and as someone who doesn’t regularly read and memorize religious texts, it was a bit of a struggle to get through.
Also this book includes tons of Spanish and Spanglish and no translations. I could get through it fine but if you don’t have prior knowledge of Spanish and don’t want to use a translator repeatedly, this may annoy you.
March 20, 2021
Well told and very well illustrated. The author's own character Professor Stavans is giving a lecture when the story begins and he keeps lecturing in cars and restaurants as it progresses. He manages to convey a lot of information about the Spanish Inquisition forcing Muslims and Jews underground and how a significant population of descendants of some of those Jews carried on Jewish traditions in the New World without understanding their meaning. I assume the history regarding Luis Carvajal the Elder and Younger is documented while the modern day story of Rolando and his shocking documents is made up as a story-telling device. The book raises interesting issues about identity and belief while entertaining the reader with fun detective stuff and Rolando's cousin Irina Rodriguez who is a really unique and interesting character.
April 19, 2018
I heard about El Illuminado: A Graphic Novel at the 2016 Southwest Popular/American Culture Association Conference, during a panel about local graphic novels.
There I learned the term crypto-Jews and the concept fascinated me.
While this book didn't really give me any answers (that's kind of the point), it tells a compelling story weaving history into modern Santa Fe. It was an enjoyable read and has prompted me to read more about the repeated expulsion and migration of Jewish people, and their resilience.
There I learned the term crypto-Jews and the concept fascinated me.
While this book didn't really give me any answers (that's kind of the point), it tells a compelling story weaving history into modern Santa Fe. It was an enjoyable read and has prompted me to read more about the repeated expulsion and migration of Jewish people, and their resilience.
November 12, 2019
Having just returned from Santa Fe where I spent time with many people interested in the concept and history of Crypto-Judaism, this book was a perfect choice! In fact, I would recommend this graphic novel to readers who are looking for a first introduction to the topic. It covers the bases clearly and entertainingly. I didn't love the illustration style, as the two main female characters were drawn so similarly (even wearing the same color shirt and glasses) that I really had to work to stay clear on who was who. Still, I enjoyed it. Santa Fe itself is recognizably depicted. I wish I had read this before I'd gone, as it would have been cool to know about (and visit) the cemetery on Guadalupe Street.
July 3, 2017
I love reading about Crypto-Jews, as I believe our family is one of them. This story is very interesting, as it flips from the past to the present, telling both the stories of Luis Carvajal and the modern Perez family. There is some mild swearing, in both Spanish and English, but Middle Grade and up should be fine with it. I'm adding it to my bibliography of B'nai Anousim studies.
May 4, 2018
I was matched with this book by a "Blind Date with a Book" by my university's library. As a lover of graphic novels, I, of course, selected the book described as "Southwest historical graphic novel." I was even more delighted by the topic: crypto-Jews. Ilan Stavans' book was absolutely captivating, and it taught me about a topic I had not know anything about before. Love, love, love this book.
May 29, 2018
This is a great book that combines a Da Vinci Code type mystery with an interesting look at Spanish Jews and their struggles amid Catholic persecution (Especially during the Inquisition). It reminds us of how history shapes the present and encourages the desire to search even when it is impossible to know everything.
May 6, 2019
It’s Cinco de Mayo and this is a great read for it. No, it has nothing to do with Mexican Independence Day...not exactly. The main character, Stavans, is a real person who goes to Santa Fe to give a lecture on Crypto-Jews. From there he is thrown into a centuries old quest that would make Dan Brown proud. Very entertaining!
December 21, 2019
It takes a while to get going and build intrigue, but takes off adequately well after a point. There's a significant amount of Spanglish in the dialogues which would make it a good read for those dabbling in both languages (Spanish and English).
May 31, 2021
Absolutely hilarious and amusing book. It's very special when a piece of literature manages to feel educational as well as thoroughly entertaining. The art style and humor only add to the experience, I'll definitely be returning to this one. Amazing!
October 23, 2017
seems appropriate for middle school and up as a supplement or intro to learning about crypto Jews in the Southwest.
December 31, 2017
Worth reading, especially because the main character is a professor. The story is compelling, the illustrations adequate-to-good.
November 27, 2018
New Mexico crypto Jew story.
November 23, 2019
Not a huge fan of the art in this one, but I am a fan of southwestern history and this is one story I had never heard of before
June 23, 2020
The story is interesting, but the artwork is some of the worst I've ever seen.
July 27, 2020
DNF... But I do think this is an important story and want to boost it. I plan to research the subject but this wasn't for me.
May 23, 2021
A fascinating exploration of the history of conversos in the southwest. I'm more familiar with Stavans from his work on language, and enjoyed Sheinkin's "Rabbi Harvey" graphic novels; this was a surprise pairing for me.
The story was interesting and kept me reading. I thought the afterward was helpful. I'd love to see more graphic novels about Jewish history and identity!
The story was interesting and kept me reading. I thought the afterward was helpful. I'd love to see more graphic novels about Jewish history and identity!
June 11, 2022
"A Jewish soul is a Jewish soul. When you have it, you know."
October 8, 2019
A graphic historical novel that kept my interest. I know that both crypto-Jews and conversos came to New World. I did not know about a particular group in New Mexico. Interesting, enjoyable, but not particularly rememberable.
August 18, 2013
I read this book for my Multicultural Resources for Diverse Communities class.
Stavans, I. & Sheinkin, S. (2012). El iluminado: A graphic novel. New York: Basic Books.
Hardcover | $24.99 | ISBN-13: 978-0-465-03257-0 | 208 pages | Grades 10+ - Graphic Novel
What happens when you grow up thinking you’re Catholic only to find out that your ancestors were Jews? El Iluminado is the story of a family and a town who must answer exactly this question.
El Iluminado is a historical mystery not because it’s set in the past—which it isn’t—but because the present-day mystery hinges on historical events. The story begins with Rolando Perez, a boy who is pushed off a cliff by a mysterious woman who is trying to lay claim to documents he has found which link his family to Luis de Carvajal the Younger, a crypto-Jew who immigrated to Mexico from Spain in the sixteenth century to escape the Spanish Inquisition. When Professor Stavans visits Santa Fe, New Mexico to give a lecture on crypto-Jews, he ends up assisting Rolando’s sister in the quest to find the mysterious documents and the killer who wanted to capture them.
El Iluminado is a book about identity. At the heart of the murder mystery lies the question of whether the Rodriguez family is descended from crypto-Jews, or Jews who converted to Christianity to escape expulsion from Spain during the Inquisition only to continue to practice Judaism in secret. Rolando embraces this idea as an explanation for the odd customs he grew up with, but it threatens both his priest brother and Santa Fe at large. The peculiarities of identity are also seen in Professor Stavans, a Mexican Jewish immigrant who discusses both how other people identify him based on his appearance and how he identifies based on where he lives.
One interesting aspect of the book is its use of “Spanglish,” or sentences that combine both English and Spanish. The prevalence of this serves as a reminder of the shared Latino roots of the characters, even though Professor Stavans looks more like an Ashkenazi Jew than a man who grew up in Mexico. Unfortunately, there is no translation or glossary of Spanish terms in the book, which can make it hard for those who don’t speak Spanish to understand the text without a dictionary or translation website.
El Iluminado is a good pick for a public library or high school that serves a population which includes Spanish-speakers. This book will be particularly useful for Spanish-speakers who are learning English, as the large amounts of Spanish in the text could make such readers feel a bit more comfortable reading a majority English text. El Iluminado would also make an interesting addition to a class learning about the Spanish Inquisition, due to its treatment of crypto-Jews and the lasting effects of the Inquisition.
Stavans, I. & Sheinkin, S. (2012). El iluminado: A graphic novel. New York: Basic Books.
Hardcover | $24.99 | ISBN-13: 978-0-465-03257-0 | 208 pages | Grades 10+ - Graphic Novel
What happens when you grow up thinking you’re Catholic only to find out that your ancestors were Jews? El Iluminado is the story of a family and a town who must answer exactly this question.
El Iluminado is a historical mystery not because it’s set in the past—which it isn’t—but because the present-day mystery hinges on historical events. The story begins with Rolando Perez, a boy who is pushed off a cliff by a mysterious woman who is trying to lay claim to documents he has found which link his family to Luis de Carvajal the Younger, a crypto-Jew who immigrated to Mexico from Spain in the sixteenth century to escape the Spanish Inquisition. When Professor Stavans visits Santa Fe, New Mexico to give a lecture on crypto-Jews, he ends up assisting Rolando’s sister in the quest to find the mysterious documents and the killer who wanted to capture them.
El Iluminado is a book about identity. At the heart of the murder mystery lies the question of whether the Rodriguez family is descended from crypto-Jews, or Jews who converted to Christianity to escape expulsion from Spain during the Inquisition only to continue to practice Judaism in secret. Rolando embraces this idea as an explanation for the odd customs he grew up with, but it threatens both his priest brother and Santa Fe at large. The peculiarities of identity are also seen in Professor Stavans, a Mexican Jewish immigrant who discusses both how other people identify him based on his appearance and how he identifies based on where he lives.
One interesting aspect of the book is its use of “Spanglish,” or sentences that combine both English and Spanish. The prevalence of this serves as a reminder of the shared Latino roots of the characters, even though Professor Stavans looks more like an Ashkenazi Jew than a man who grew up in Mexico. Unfortunately, there is no translation or glossary of Spanish terms in the book, which can make it hard for those who don’t speak Spanish to understand the text without a dictionary or translation website.
El Iluminado is a good pick for a public library or high school that serves a population which includes Spanish-speakers. This book will be particularly useful for Spanish-speakers who are learning English, as the large amounts of Spanish in the text could make such readers feel a bit more comfortable reading a majority English text. El Iluminado would also make an interesting addition to a class learning about the Spanish Inquisition, due to its treatment of crypto-Jews and the lasting effects of the Inquisition.
April 3, 2014
Here are the questions we discussed at the Reading the Western Landscape Book Club at the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden.
• How is the story enhanced or changed by the graphic novel form?
• What’s did you think about the academic rivalry?
• Why is it so dramatic or forbidden to learn the history? Why didn’t Irina give Ilan the evidence?
• Why is the graduate assistant carrying a gun?
• Did you perceive truth in the story? Why/Why not?
• Do the illustrations add to your understanding of the landscape?
• Were you able to understand the religious references? Why? Why not?
• What was your reaction to the broader philosophizing such as the questions about what is a home?
• Why did the author use this medium to tell the story?
• What reaction did you have to all of the hidden lives?
• How is the story enhanced or changed by the graphic novel form?
• What’s did you think about the academic rivalry?
• Why is it so dramatic or forbidden to learn the history? Why didn’t Irina give Ilan the evidence?
• Why is the graduate assistant carrying a gun?
• Did you perceive truth in the story? Why/Why not?
• Do the illustrations add to your understanding of the landscape?
• Were you able to understand the religious references? Why? Why not?
• What was your reaction to the broader philosophizing such as the questions about what is a home?
• Why did the author use this medium to tell the story?
• What reaction did you have to all of the hidden lives?
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