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The Witch of Cologne
A Time of Peril
The Inquisitor, Carlos Vicente Solitario, charges a young Jewish midwife, Ruth bas Elazar Saul, with heresy. Ruth may be the daughter of the city's chief rabbi, but this is no protection against the Inquisition's accusations.
A Quest for Justice
Detlef von Tennen, nobleman and canon, cousin to the Archbishop, suspects that something other than religion drives Solitario to persecute Ruth. Determined to ensure that justice is done, Detlef joins the investigation--and finds his passions fully aroused by Ruth's impressive intelligence and darkly exotic beauty.
Two Hearts' Desires
All her life, Ruth bas Elazar Saul has thirsted for knowledge, despite the price she paid by concealing her gender and being cast out of her father's house. Her faith sustains her through all, even the attentions of the Inquisition. Then, in the very heart of danger, God blesses her with the greatest love she has ever known.
The Inquisitor, Carlos Vicente Solitario, charges a young Jewish midwife, Ruth bas Elazar Saul, with heresy. Ruth may be the daughter of the city's chief rabbi, but this is no protection against the Inquisition's accusations.
A Quest for Justice
Detlef von Tennen, nobleman and canon, cousin to the Archbishop, suspects that something other than religion drives Solitario to persecute Ruth. Determined to ensure that justice is done, Detlef joins the investigation--and finds his passions fully aroused by Ruth's impressive intelligence and darkly exotic beauty.
Two Hearts' Desires
All her life, Ruth bas Elazar Saul has thirsted for knowledge, despite the price she paid by concealing her gender and being cast out of her father's house. Her faith sustains her through all, even the attentions of the Inquisition. Then, in the very heart of danger, God blesses her with the greatest love she has ever known.
451 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 25, 2004
53 people are currently reading
1756 people want to read
About the author
Tobsha Learner
51 books87 followersAka T.S. Learner
Tobsha Learner was born and raised in England; she now divides her time between Australia, the UK and the USA. She is well known in Australia as an author and playwright.
Tobsha Learner was born and raised in England; she now divides her time between Australia, the UK and the USA. She is well known in Australia as an author and playwright.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 272 reviews
January 17, 2015
It's rare to find a book with such scope and depth, set credibly in an a period little known historically, exploring the politics, philosophies and superstitions of its time. Ruth, a young midwife, and Detlef, an aristocratic Canon of the Catholic Church, are brought together by their shared struggle against oppression and their desire for free-thought.
Against a backdrop of the harsh realities of social, religious and political revolution, Tobsha's writing style is sensuous - including and beyond her 'sex scenes'. We see chilling scenes of plague, anti-semitic mob rule and tortuous death, captured with prose precise and elegant.
The scenes featuring the cold hand of the Inquisition are disturbing, as they are intended to be: various methods of torture are elaborated, in grim detail.
The violence of these episodes serves justly to highlight the ease with which power may be abused and that the fate of many rests in the hands of a few.
While much of the story is dark, including following the hatred of Inquisitor Solitario for the Navarro family, threads of love are woven throughout - not only between Ruth and Detlef but the love of parents for their children, of a mistress for her illicit lover, the Count for his manservant, and between actor Alphonse and the young Prince Ferdinand.
Moreover, we see a woman's desire to rise beyond the expectations placed upon her and her yearning to find fulfilment not just in the arms of a man, but in her vocation.
Tobsha gives us an adept contrast between love and sacrifice for what we hold dear, and cruelty borne of hate, envy and mistrust: eternal themes.
September 28, 2014
It’s not often I fall for a fictional character and it has been a while since the last.
The Witch of Cologne is a rich, historical novel named for the adventures of the young Jewish midwife, Ruth bas Elazar Saul. In short, she is charged with heresy by the inquisition and acquitted by the canon Detlef von Tennen. Detlef is introduced slowly to the story in glimpses that in turn paint him as both noble and naïve. But as their tale becomes more tightly bound, it was his character that I fell for. His lust for the female form turns into love as he comes to know Ruth and instead of turning him from his faith, this only strengthens it. He takes all of experiences and applies them directly to his perception of religion in a way I found both brave and moving.
Tobsha Learner’s writing style is a little hard to get used to, but once immersed, it sings (or did to me) and I found different phrases repeating over in my head after I put the book down. There is, as other reviewers have noted, violence and sex in this novel. It is not set in a peaceful era, and the horror of the violence is well suited in my opinion. The sex is as strong an element of the novel and only serves to highlight the passionate nature of their love and awareness of themselves.
As my attachment to Detlef grew, so did my drive to finish the novel, which did wane during some of the more political sections. There was a point where I had to put the book aside in grief and when I finally turned the last page it was with fresh tears and a sense that this story would find a place on my shelf and so stay with me physically and mentally for a long time.
The Witch of Cologne is a rich, historical novel named for the adventures of the young Jewish midwife, Ruth bas Elazar Saul. In short, she is charged with heresy by the inquisition and acquitted by the canon Detlef von Tennen. Detlef is introduced slowly to the story in glimpses that in turn paint him as both noble and naïve. But as their tale becomes more tightly bound, it was his character that I fell for. His lust for the female form turns into love as he comes to know Ruth and instead of turning him from his faith, this only strengthens it. He takes all of experiences and applies them directly to his perception of religion in a way I found both brave and moving.
Tobsha Learner’s writing style is a little hard to get used to, but once immersed, it sings (or did to me) and I found different phrases repeating over in my head after I put the book down. There is, as other reviewers have noted, violence and sex in this novel. It is not set in a peaceful era, and the horror of the violence is well suited in my opinion. The sex is as strong an element of the novel and only serves to highlight the passionate nature of their love and awareness of themselves.
As my attachment to Detlef grew, so did my drive to finish the novel, which did wane during some of the more political sections. There was a point where I had to put the book aside in grief and when I finally turned the last page it was with fresh tears and a sense that this story would find a place on my shelf and so stay with me physically and mentally for a long time.
October 6, 2009
Tobsha Learner trained as a sculptor before turning to writing. She writes with the sculptures mind and has certainly crafted a work of art here. Her mix of fact and fictional characters of the middle ages sheds a light to the birth of knowledge acquired with great care and diligence under persecution and predjudice by the central character Ruth Saul a jewish midwife. She lives across the river where a time before a whole village of Jews were slaughtered by orders of the Catholic churches inquisition. Great read and undoubtedly will grab you and not let you go till the last page. Awesome read!
April 13, 2011
The cover of this book both intrigued me and perplexed me after reading the back cover, which described the book to be a historical fiction without the gothic pin-up type themes that the cover projected to me. The Witch of Cologne is instead an impressive historical fiction that most definitely lives up to the promise it presents in the teaser of the back cover.
I was pretty blown away by the scope and depth of this book. Not one for historical fiction, I took a chance on this because of the conflict that was addressed: a 17th century Jewish midwife who was so adept and knowledgeable with her practice that many suspected her to be a witch, who is pursued by a Spanish Inquisitor who has a perplexingly intense interest in her (due to a past that is revealed to the reader later in the story). The book spans a good twenty years of storyline, with many political themes making up the content of it. So much happens, including Ruth fleeing countries, being captured, and falling in love, that by the end of the story you feel like you've had a literary meal equivalent to a Thanksgiving dinner. Because of the time that has passed since I've read this book I can't remember a lot of the details, but I haven't forgotten how much it struck me at the time and how much it's stayed with me -- enough for me to keep it on my shelf while other books have been given away.
I was pretty blown away by the scope and depth of this book. Not one for historical fiction, I took a chance on this because of the conflict that was addressed: a 17th century Jewish midwife who was so adept and knowledgeable with her practice that many suspected her to be a witch, who is pursued by a Spanish Inquisitor who has a perplexingly intense interest in her (due to a past that is revealed to the reader later in the story). The book spans a good twenty years of storyline, with many political themes making up the content of it. So much happens, including Ruth fleeing countries, being captured, and falling in love, that by the end of the story you feel like you've had a literary meal equivalent to a Thanksgiving dinner. Because of the time that has passed since I've read this book I can't remember a lot of the details, but I haven't forgotten how much it struck me at the time and how much it's stayed with me -- enough for me to keep it on my shelf while other books have been given away.
May 24, 2007
There were elements of this story that I really liked. It managed to pique a latent interest in Kabbalah, and add further fuel to my growing interest in enlightenment history and Holland's role as a world power following the death of Queen Elizabeth I. I also like the emphasis the author placed on intellectual love and the "meeting of true minds" that then fueled the romantic love. That said, there were also rather cliched elements to the story - and I particularly disliked the conceit of telling an historical fiction while making the protagonists both "characters before their times" which to some end then becomes so anachronistic as to remove me from the story.
September 28, 2022
The Witch of Cologne by Tobsha Learner begins in 1665 in Cologne, Germany where Jewish midwife Ruth bas Elazar Saul is accused of sorcery, witchcraft and heresy. When a handsome nobleman and canon takes control of the investigation on Ruth's charges, her life is altered forever.
Amid a backdrop of many intense political and religious factions, The Witch of Cologne was incredibly good. I loved the changing perspectives and third person omniscient point of view. It reminded me of The Game of Thrones series. My favorite characters were Ruth, Detlef, Elazar and Alphonso. I also loved Lillith. The romance was also very well done, with all of the characters. This novel was so devastating and spellbinding. I really enjoyed the setting and the descriptions of the city. The Witch of Cologne is going down as one of my favorites of all time.
Amid a backdrop of many intense political and religious factions, The Witch of Cologne was incredibly good. I loved the changing perspectives and third person omniscient point of view. It reminded me of The Game of Thrones series. My favorite characters were Ruth, Detlef, Elazar and Alphonso. I also loved Lillith. The romance was also very well done, with all of the characters. This novel was so devastating and spellbinding. I really enjoyed the setting and the descriptions of the city. The Witch of Cologne is going down as one of my favorites of all time.
July 19, 2010
The book transported me back into the Cologne Cathedral and the streets of old; I could almost see the stunning architecture and the Magi at the altar. Now I want to back again and check out what's underneath the cathedral! I got caught up in the imagery and story so deep that not much got done at home. The author's meshing of history and fiction makes one believe that a spirit of herself was actually there during that time of religious turmoil. The characters are believeable and I found myself crying for them in their times of struggle and rejoicing with them when happiness finally found them. It was a bit saucy at times but that just added to your understanding of the characters. The ending could have used a bit more punch but all-in-all it was one of my top favorite books.
February 16, 2015
A very thought provoking read. Taking place in the city of Cologne in the mid to late 1600s, it pits the Catholic church clergy against the Jewish. What happens is a love story that crosses both religions. Hiding that illicit love, finding safety and happiness for a short while before tragedy happens again, the two main characters stay true to themselves. Rich in detail, this book is a small treasure.
May 19, 2011
This was one of my first True Loves, in terms of book reading. I had never, until this story came into my life, known what people meant when they expressed undying "love" for a book or Author. 'The Witch of Cologne' has a little touch of everything within the pages to keep you intrigued.
Adventure, Scandal, History, Rivalry, Love, Hate, Witt, Mystery and, for myself especially, a little bit of "Magic".
Now don't get me wrong this is no, Dungeons and Dragons, Wizardry, Hocus-Pocus book by any means and I use the term "Magic" loosely. It is simply a element to the story based around a period in which rash decisions were made and people were hung, for all of the wrong reasons.. "Catch my drift?".
Tobsha Learner, does a wonderful job at recreating, 17th Century Northern Europe - Germania and the Netherlands - approximately, 20 years after the Thirty Years' War and the scene is set around this period lovely, you know exactly where you are headed.
Sex, torture and a little bit of gore are perfectly written, to the point where they become comical...
". . . eyeballs bulge like reddened hen's eggs then burst out of his head." [p 425:] - Wonderful!
I can honestly say this book lead me into the Mystical Wonderment that is a Tobsha Learner book and I am grateful for every moment.
Adventure, Scandal, History, Rivalry, Love, Hate, Witt, Mystery and, for myself especially, a little bit of "Magic".
Now don't get me wrong this is no, Dungeons and Dragons, Wizardry, Hocus-Pocus book by any means and I use the term "Magic" loosely. It is simply a element to the story based around a period in which rash decisions were made and people were hung, for all of the wrong reasons.. "Catch my drift?".
Tobsha Learner, does a wonderful job at recreating, 17th Century Northern Europe - Germania and the Netherlands - approximately, 20 years after the Thirty Years' War and the scene is set around this period lovely, you know exactly where you are headed.
Sex, torture and a little bit of gore are perfectly written, to the point where they become comical...
". . . eyeballs bulge like reddened hen's eggs then burst out of his head." [p 425:] - Wonderful!
I can honestly say this book lead me into the Mystical Wonderment that is a Tobsha Learner book and I am grateful for every moment.
December 25, 2008
On the one hand, I appreciate a work that attempts on multiple levels to convey the historical difference between one time and another, for example, by emphasizing how much earthier a time was the 17th century than, say, now. On the other hand, I am suspicious of a novel that can't manage to get through a three-page section without talking, in detail, about pee, sudden erections, body odor, ad literal nauseam. It felt a bit as if it had been composed by a fourth-grader with a very large vocabulary and extensive knowledge of German Jews during the Reformation (and, quite frankly, in need of a serious sex talk).
September 27, 2012
While I was initially really intrigued by the setting and characters, the plot turned out to be startlingly simple. I was a little confused and waiting for the twist, until I discovered that the "twist" was that this book is essentially soft core hetero porn against a historical backdrop with occasional cameos by more interesting characters for local colour.
Rotten rotten tomatoes, this one.
Rotten rotten tomatoes, this one.
November 15, 2016
This is one of the most perfect novels I've ever read. A heart-wrenching journey through beauty, terror, love, and loss, exquisitely crafted from beginning to end. Recommended for all fans of history and historical fiction, especially women in history, the protestant reformation, and the legacy of the Spanish Inquisition.
April 12, 2020
A good solid read. Took the first 150 pages to get into it but then I got swept away in Ruth and Detlef's love story. The book even brought tears to my eyes towards the end.
May 27, 2018
Taking place in the 17th century Germania, this novel centers around Ruth bas Elazar Saul, a Jewish midwife and daughter of the chief Rabbi of Deutz, the Jewish ghetto outside of Cologne. Ruth, uncharacteristically headstrong as opposed to most women of the period, secretly studies philosophy and actually goes to Amsterdam to escape and arranged marriage, disguised as a boy to continue her studies. There, she acquires her knowledge and skill of midwifery, which she brings home. Word of her skill quickly travels and she is called upon, not only by the Jews, but by the Catholics of cologne. But, as word travels, word get to the Spanish Inquisition. Headed by Carlos Vicente Solitario, Ruth is arrested, long with several other members of Cologne and Deutz, and is accused of witchcraft. However, the reader learns that this prosecution is fueled by Solitario's obsession with Ruth's mother, Sara, who humiliated him years ago.
Through her imprisonment, her intelligence and will to survive, she makes a friend in Canon Detlef von Tennen, cousin to the Archbishop, who is helping in the investigation. The two fall passionately in love after her release, but soon learn a man full of hate and one without a heart, Solitario, should never be underestimated.
Full of religious quarrels, deceit, passion and betrayal, I found that I had a hard time putting this book down. At some points, I skipped paragraphs because Learner's attention to detail and I just wanted to know what happened, especially during the last half of the book. Some of the plot is slightly predictable, but that doesn't take away from how good it is in my opinion. Overall, I loved this book. I would give it a 4 out of 5.
Through her imprisonment, her intelligence and will to survive, she makes a friend in Canon Detlef von Tennen, cousin to the Archbishop, who is helping in the investigation. The two fall passionately in love after her release, but soon learn a man full of hate and one without a heart, Solitario, should never be underestimated.
Full of religious quarrels, deceit, passion and betrayal, I found that I had a hard time putting this book down. At some points, I skipped paragraphs because Learner's attention to detail and I just wanted to know what happened, especially during the last half of the book. Some of the plot is slightly predictable, but that doesn't take away from how good it is in my opinion. Overall, I loved this book. I would give it a 4 out of 5.
April 25, 2010
Sex.
Brutal Torture.
The aforementioned scenes are described in great detail: ". . . eyeballs bulge like reddened hen's eggs then burst out of his head." [p 425:] - Eww!
A juicy historical novel, which takes place in 17th Century Northern Europe - Germania and the Netherlands - approximately, 20 years after the Thirty Years' War. It is the early years of the Age of Enlightenment and as the book alludes, it is also a period of political exploitations, hypocrisy and superstition. The novel focuses on the lives of Detlef - an aristocratic Catholic Canon to the Cathedral in Cologne, who eventually converts to a Remonstrant (Calvinist) - and Ruth - a Jewish mid-wife, described as a woman before her time or as Benedict Spinoza refers to her as "a freak of nature: a man's intellect trapped within the form of a woman." [p. 379:], and who is accused of witchcraft. What brings them together is their common desire for a world where man is equal and where there is a freedom of beliefs and thoughts: "To be believe in a God who cannot be bribed, who can exist side by side with knowledge; to dream of other ways of civilizing a nation, to yearn for a democracy in which slave and master no longer exist -" [p. 163:]. Of different backgrounds and faiths, love has no boundaries for Ruth and Detlef.
Brutal Torture.
The aforementioned scenes are described in great detail: ". . . eyeballs bulge like reddened hen's eggs then burst out of his head." [p 425:] - Eww!
A juicy historical novel, which takes place in 17th Century Northern Europe - Germania and the Netherlands - approximately, 20 years after the Thirty Years' War. It is the early years of the Age of Enlightenment and as the book alludes, it is also a period of political exploitations, hypocrisy and superstition. The novel focuses on the lives of Detlef - an aristocratic Catholic Canon to the Cathedral in Cologne, who eventually converts to a Remonstrant (Calvinist) - and Ruth - a Jewish mid-wife, described as a woman before her time or as Benedict Spinoza refers to her as "a freak of nature: a man's intellect trapped within the form of a woman." [p. 379:], and who is accused of witchcraft. What brings them together is their common desire for a world where man is equal and where there is a freedom of beliefs and thoughts: "To be believe in a God who cannot be bribed, who can exist side by side with knowledge; to dream of other ways of civilizing a nation, to yearn for a democracy in which slave and master no longer exist -" [p. 163:]. Of different backgrounds and faiths, love has no boundaries for Ruth and Detlef.
August 3, 2007
I found this book engaging reading, but was sometimes frustrated by the anachronistic behavior of the characters. I also found the supernatural aspects a bit jarring, though I usually don't mind that, and even seek it out in other books. It just didn't work for me in this book. I found myself wishing it was just straightforward historical fiction without the bits about demonic possession, but the book is what it is.
That said, I learned something about the Enlightenment period, especially the role Holland played in it. I liked the depiction of Spinoza, a philosopher whose ideas influenced me a lot when I was young. I also appreciated that the romance between the main characters began because they were drawn to each others' intellectual qualities. Unlike another reviewer, I enjoyed the book's eroticism. Also, I'm interested in midwifery and in Judaica, and those aspects of the book were fascinating. Overall, I liked it, but am leery of recommending it because of the aspects of it that bugged me, or might not be to many people's taste.
That said, I learned something about the Enlightenment period, especially the role Holland played in it. I liked the depiction of Spinoza, a philosopher whose ideas influenced me a lot when I was young. I also appreciated that the romance between the main characters began because they were drawn to each others' intellectual qualities. Unlike another reviewer, I enjoyed the book's eroticism. Also, I'm interested in midwifery and in Judaica, and those aspects of the book were fascinating. Overall, I liked it, but am leery of recommending it because of the aspects of it that bugged me, or might not be to many people's taste.
June 24, 2017
Very few historical novels focus on this region and this time period, particularly dealing with the mess of the reformation and the slow collapse of the Hapsburg control of the continent and the continued rise of the French.
This book has a very broad stroke feel to it, it lacks the details of other stories which hinders its ability to truly resonate. For me, it is the secondary character of the actor who represents this novel's ideas the best. Alphonso represents the complexity of the transformational period of early modernity. He is a man masquerading as a woman, patronized by the Catholic Hapsburg court but is secretly a Jew. He is the heartbeat of the storyline, it's infallible undercurrent.
This book has a very broad stroke feel to it, it lacks the details of other stories which hinders its ability to truly resonate. For me, it is the secondary character of the actor who represents this novel's ideas the best. Alphonso represents the complexity of the transformational period of early modernity. He is a man masquerading as a woman, patronized by the Catholic Hapsburg court but is secretly a Jew. He is the heartbeat of the storyline, it's infallible undercurrent.
December 4, 2008
I enjoyed this book while I was reading it, but when I got done, I felt like I had just wasted two days of my reading life. I didn't really connect with the characters at all, and some of their ideas just seemed wrong for the time period. The plot was also rather disjointed. There were several points where I thought it would be a good place to wrap things up in a nice ending, but then still more events would be added.
March 29, 2008
A fascinating take on the Spanish Inquisition from a Jewish perspective. Changes the way you think about women from back then. Sometimes made me weep, sometimes laugh. Tended to get a bit steamy in parts (ladies who like that kind of stuff...wink wink). But do not underestimate it! This is no romance novel, but a nice historic based fiction with lots of plot twists.
May 3, 2011
I didn't finish this book. I might pick it up later, but I might not. There *is* a good story in the book - I know it - but it is buried under so much political crap that I just can't get through! So I put it down for now...
August 12, 2015
Need to be reviewed.
October 24, 2016
Ah yes. This feeling of disappointment is familiar.
I can't remember when I originally read this but it was long enough ago that I couldn't remember most of the plot and only vague parts felt familiar but when I finally got to the end I was struck with why I'd been so unclear on it.
It's so hard to articulate what the actual problem is with this novel but it seems to be rather, a whole myriad of things that sort of add to the lacklustre-ness of it all. It starts off strong, which might be the reason you come out so disheartened at the other end. Ruth is a woman before her time, restricted by both her religion and her gender. However she has not let this stop her, forced with her impending arranged marriage young Ruth skips off into the night disguised as a boy and heads to Amsterdam. A haven of philosophers and free thinkers that opens her mind to the possibilities of spirituality and whatever science is constantly referred to in this novel and has a great time. For some reason I've forgotten (motives are very weak in this book, another problem) Ruth has decided to return to the backwater of a town she spawned from outside of the city of Cologne and it practising as a midwife with a side of her mothers Kabbalist which is often denoted as witchcraft.
There are sort of three villains in this book. Religion is probably not considered a villain but mostly used as contrast for its confines... however we'll put it down as villain number one. The second villain is man. And by man, I mean men, not women. As Trish Walker from Jessica Jones said in the Marvel Netflix series "Men and power. It's a disease." The third and final villain whom is actually painted as a villain is some spanish inquistioner known as Carlos. Who is both a man and religious. And also suffering from the delusion that somehow women owe him something just because he deems his affections on them. *vomit*
There's also Lilith floating around, you know... the she-demon, first wife of Adam blah blah. But she actually doesn't do much besides freak people out and anticlimactically rip someone's heart out. (It's hard to rip someone's heart out anticlimactically but damn if she doesn't manage it.)
So, like I was trying to say, the first act is strong. We're discovering the characters, Ruth is going around being a midwife, Carlos is wanking off furiously at the thought of managing to kill off the daughter of the woman who spurned him and there's this other dude Detlef, a catholic cleric, who is just pretty much disillusioned with life. Anyway, Carlos comes to town, chomping at the bit to arrest some people (one of them being Ruth) and he's assigned Detlef as some sort of assistant and Detlef is very taken with the smallness and petite-ness and whatever-ness of Ruth and gets involved a bit too much and ends up out manoeuvring Carlos (there's other political motivations at foot) and Ruth is free after a little bit of fun torture times.
This is sort of where the strongest part of the book ends. It's clear that Ruth and Detlef are infatuated with each other. He stops seeing his mistress and she sort of casually thinks about him. In some of that other political manoeuvring that I was referring too, her father, estranged from her until she's arrested for witchcraft, has pulled some strings and found her another future husband and promised the Jewish community they reside in that Ruth is going to settle down and be a good Jewish wife and Ruth isn't particularly pleased about this but she's pretty happy to be back on good terms with her dad so she's stalling that marriage while Detlef (who is pretty useless at disguises) starts visiting her at night.
Anyway. This is all solved by the plague coming to town. The plague is always a good time. It kills off Ruth's future husband first which solves that problem but basically in the throws of the plague people are idiots and decide their being punished by the Jew devils and there's a riot with building burning.
Now this is where this book loses me. There's a riot. There's building burning. Ruth's father has decided to walk back into the burning temple, Detlef has come to rescue Ruth having overheard the people planning to burn the Jewish village and finds her in distress of her father walking back into the burning temple. He also finds out that their illicit love affair has fertilised Ruth with a Catholic/Jewish foetus which is some level of great sin and while hiding them both in a ditch decides this is a great time for cunnilingus. IN THE MIDDLE OF A RIOT AND BUILDING BURNING AND HER FATHER WALKING BACK INTO A BURNING BUILDING.
Like.
Come on.
Anyway. Detlef decides to hide Ruth in some family house that not many people know of but his ex-mistress who is feeling pretty spurned at Detlef's lack of attention does know of. Naturally. He's also speaking his mind more often and annoying the general powers that be that run the city and the church. So guess who guess called back in for some fun torture times and to reap revenge on the dude that stole the daughter witch out from under him? Carlos.
There's a raid on the house and hiding in the walls while giving birth. All very ridiculous.
The third act is the real let down. Ruth, Detlef and their illegal Catholic/Jew hybrid baby had escaped to Amsterdam which isn't the free thinking, philosophising haven that Ruth remembers but her and Detlef are doing well. She's back to midwifing and Detlef has converted to Lutheran and is preaching in the lowlands.
However this has made the powers that be back home pretty annoyed so there's some general threatening and blackmail thrown around and Detlef's brother is coming for a visit. Ruth is suspicious of this but humours Detlef, who believes the best of people. Anyway. Ruth, like an idiot, after railing about how she doesn't trust Detlef's brother for a good couple of pages leaves her bloody hybrid child with him and he's like great. Kidnap time.
So Detlef and Ruth go back to Cologne. Manage to get their baby back and LIKE A FUCKING IDIOT Detlef decides to stay and sort out some things so that he and Ruth don't have to go through this nonsense again convinced that he won't actually get killed because he's a descendant of some family who had some sort of relevance at some point. Guess who gets to torture Detlef? Guess who kills Detlef?
Fun torture time Carlos is the one that gets his heart ripped out by Lilith by the way. But it's totally anticlimactic and way too easy of a way to die for such a despicable character.
Ruth, for all her strength, can't find it in her to live without Detlef so gradually fades away until she dies leaving their six year old hybrid child on his own. GOOD JOB YOU USELESS IDIOTS.
Anyway. This kid grows up completely disillusioned by his parents because he can barely remember his father and his mother let herself fade away and die rather than be strong and stick around. He's talented apparently and is considered a bit of a poet. He's making his own living at seventeen when his Uncle (the one that kidnapped him, remember) finds him and makes shitty apologies for the past. Turns out his uncle is short a heir and has also converted to Lutherism to keep up with the times. He's dying and wants his heir to return home to inherit. Blah Blah Blah.
Look. It's all very disappointing and pointless in the end. Ruth's very character feels assassinated when she curls up and dies rather than fighting to live (she's established pretty heavily in the first act to be a fighter so it makes no sense at all that the son she fights so desperately to retrieve from kidnapping doesn't motivate her at all to live.) Detlef is consistently an idiot throughout the entire novel and doesn't learn from any of his mistakes, instead of being inspiring or that thing where you feel warmth from a character even though they do dumb shit, his convictions just make you want to bash your head against a wall because his naivety doesn't seem to mesh with his understand of the actual real world that he inhabits.
There is also some character who regularly appears called Groot who I could never take seriously because every time he popped up all I could hear was a sentient tree being with Vin Diesel's voice saying "I am Groot." over and over again.
Clearly I'm throughly disappointed. The strong beginning has so many promises that unfortunately failed to deliver.
I can't remember when I originally read this but it was long enough ago that I couldn't remember most of the plot and only vague parts felt familiar but when I finally got to the end I was struck with why I'd been so unclear on it.
It's so hard to articulate what the actual problem is with this novel but it seems to be rather, a whole myriad of things that sort of add to the lacklustre-ness of it all. It starts off strong, which might be the reason you come out so disheartened at the other end. Ruth is a woman before her time, restricted by both her religion and her gender. However she has not let this stop her, forced with her impending arranged marriage young Ruth skips off into the night disguised as a boy and heads to Amsterdam. A haven of philosophers and free thinkers that opens her mind to the possibilities of spirituality and whatever science is constantly referred to in this novel and has a great time. For some reason I've forgotten (motives are very weak in this book, another problem) Ruth has decided to return to the backwater of a town she spawned from outside of the city of Cologne and it practising as a midwife with a side of her mothers Kabbalist which is often denoted as witchcraft.
There are sort of three villains in this book. Religion is probably not considered a villain but mostly used as contrast for its confines... however we'll put it down as villain number one. The second villain is man. And by man, I mean men, not women. As Trish Walker from Jessica Jones said in the Marvel Netflix series "Men and power. It's a disease." The third and final villain whom is actually painted as a villain is some spanish inquistioner known as Carlos. Who is both a man and religious. And also suffering from the delusion that somehow women owe him something just because he deems his affections on them. *vomit*
There's also Lilith floating around, you know... the she-demon, first wife of Adam blah blah. But she actually doesn't do much besides freak people out and anticlimactically rip someone's heart out. (It's hard to rip someone's heart out anticlimactically but damn if she doesn't manage it.)
So, like I was trying to say, the first act is strong. We're discovering the characters, Ruth is going around being a midwife, Carlos is wanking off furiously at the thought of managing to kill off the daughter of the woman who spurned him and there's this other dude Detlef, a catholic cleric, who is just pretty much disillusioned with life. Anyway, Carlos comes to town, chomping at the bit to arrest some people (one of them being Ruth) and he's assigned Detlef as some sort of assistant and Detlef is very taken with the smallness and petite-ness and whatever-ness of Ruth and gets involved a bit too much and ends up out manoeuvring Carlos (there's other political motivations at foot) and Ruth is free after a little bit of fun torture times.
This is sort of where the strongest part of the book ends. It's clear that Ruth and Detlef are infatuated with each other. He stops seeing his mistress and she sort of casually thinks about him. In some of that other political manoeuvring that I was referring too, her father, estranged from her until she's arrested for witchcraft, has pulled some strings and found her another future husband and promised the Jewish community they reside in that Ruth is going to settle down and be a good Jewish wife and Ruth isn't particularly pleased about this but she's pretty happy to be back on good terms with her dad so she's stalling that marriage while Detlef (who is pretty useless at disguises) starts visiting her at night.
Anyway. This is all solved by the plague coming to town. The plague is always a good time. It kills off Ruth's future husband first which solves that problem but basically in the throws of the plague people are idiots and decide their being punished by the Jew devils and there's a riot with building burning.
Now this is where this book loses me. There's a riot. There's building burning. Ruth's father has decided to walk back into the burning temple, Detlef has come to rescue Ruth having overheard the people planning to burn the Jewish village and finds her in distress of her father walking back into the burning temple. He also finds out that their illicit love affair has fertilised Ruth with a Catholic/Jewish foetus which is some level of great sin and while hiding them both in a ditch decides this is a great time for cunnilingus. IN THE MIDDLE OF A RIOT AND BUILDING BURNING AND HER FATHER WALKING BACK INTO A BURNING BUILDING.
Like.
Come on.
Anyway. Detlef decides to hide Ruth in some family house that not many people know of but his ex-mistress who is feeling pretty spurned at Detlef's lack of attention does know of. Naturally. He's also speaking his mind more often and annoying the general powers that be that run the city and the church. So guess who guess called back in for some fun torture times and to reap revenge on the dude that stole the daughter witch out from under him? Carlos.
There's a raid on the house and hiding in the walls while giving birth. All very ridiculous.
The third act is the real let down. Ruth, Detlef and their illegal Catholic/Jew hybrid baby had escaped to Amsterdam which isn't the free thinking, philosophising haven that Ruth remembers but her and Detlef are doing well. She's back to midwifing and Detlef has converted to Lutheran and is preaching in the lowlands.
However this has made the powers that be back home pretty annoyed so there's some general threatening and blackmail thrown around and Detlef's brother is coming for a visit. Ruth is suspicious of this but humours Detlef, who believes the best of people. Anyway. Ruth, like an idiot, after railing about how she doesn't trust Detlef's brother for a good couple of pages leaves her bloody hybrid child with him and he's like great. Kidnap time.
So Detlef and Ruth go back to Cologne. Manage to get their baby back and LIKE A FUCKING IDIOT Detlef decides to stay and sort out some things so that he and Ruth don't have to go through this nonsense again convinced that he won't actually get killed because he's a descendant of some family who had some sort of relevance at some point. Guess who gets to torture Detlef? Guess who kills Detlef?
Fun torture time Carlos is the one that gets his heart ripped out by Lilith by the way. But it's totally anticlimactic and way too easy of a way to die for such a despicable character.
Ruth, for all her strength, can't find it in her to live without Detlef so gradually fades away until she dies leaving their six year old hybrid child on his own. GOOD JOB YOU USELESS IDIOTS.
Anyway. This kid grows up completely disillusioned by his parents because he can barely remember his father and his mother let herself fade away and die rather than be strong and stick around. He's talented apparently and is considered a bit of a poet. He's making his own living at seventeen when his Uncle (the one that kidnapped him, remember) finds him and makes shitty apologies for the past. Turns out his uncle is short a heir and has also converted to Lutherism to keep up with the times. He's dying and wants his heir to return home to inherit. Blah Blah Blah.
Look. It's all very disappointing and pointless in the end. Ruth's very character feels assassinated when she curls up and dies rather than fighting to live (she's established pretty heavily in the first act to be a fighter so it makes no sense at all that the son she fights so desperately to retrieve from kidnapping doesn't motivate her at all to live.) Detlef is consistently an idiot throughout the entire novel and doesn't learn from any of his mistakes, instead of being inspiring or that thing where you feel warmth from a character even though they do dumb shit, his convictions just make you want to bash your head against a wall because his naivety doesn't seem to mesh with his understand of the actual real world that he inhabits.
There is also some character who regularly appears called Groot who I could never take seriously because every time he popped up all I could hear was a sentient tree being with Vin Diesel's voice saying "I am Groot." over and over again.
Clearly I'm throughly disappointed. The strong beginning has so many promises that unfortunately failed to deliver.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2025
DNF bei 38%
Erstmals hat mich der Schreibstil gestört. In einem Absatz 3x die Perspektive zu wechseln fand ich sehr anstrengend.
Ganz kapiert wer, wer ist habe ich auch nicht.
Zusätzlich interessiert es mich nicht wie es ausgeht.
Erstmals hat mich der Schreibstil gestört. In einem Absatz 3x die Perspektive zu wechseln fand ich sehr anstrengend.
Ganz kapiert wer, wer ist habe ich auch nicht.
Zusätzlich interessiert es mich nicht wie es ausgeht.
January 23, 2019
Two stars because it would have been better without the gratuitous sex. But sometimes publishers want that and it added nothing to the story.
This is a tale of a midwife living in the mid-17th century and it describes the life of a Jewess in Germany at that time with all the issues she would have faced. It is a complex story that is well thought out and covers her life and her beliefs until her death 20 years later.
I will look for more from this author because she did a great job until the editors intervened.
This is a tale of a midwife living in the mid-17th century and it describes the life of a Jewess in Germany at that time with all the issues she would have faced. It is a complex story that is well thought out and covers her life and her beliefs until her death 20 years later.
I will look for more from this author because she did a great job until the editors intervened.
February 22, 2015
I read and love all kinds of historical novels and, for me, every time I pick up a new novelist in the genre I love to note the different aspects of the past that they pick out and bring to life in their books. My love of historical fiction originated with bodice rippers, so imagine my pleasure when I found this book written by erotic author Tobsha Learner.
This book centres around the persecution of the 17th century Jews in Cologne and pretty much all surrounding regions. Once you get past the start which introduces the many different characters this story's going to follow, this story is rich with history and alive with grit and realism not just of what life was like for a practicing Jewish midwife such as Ruth, but also the living conditions that separate the rich from the poor.
And, of course, therein lies the love story; a veritable Romeo and Juliet story between the Detlef the aristocrat and Ruth the Jew. Given what I'd read of her writing before, I was actually surprised by how much plot was packed in this book, with the romance taking a definite backseat, only there to contribute to the rest of the narrative. I loved the motivations and machinations of all of the different characters and, even if Carlos the inquisitor's scenes were often a little bit more graphic than I'd like, I was very satisfied with his plot.
What surprised me, though, was the end. I won't say too much about it, except to say that it happens in several distinct parts. Unlike some narratives with multiple endings--and maybe this is an advantage of book over film--each ending felt more like a piece of the narrative finishing up, rather than another ending tacked onto the end. This could also be a side product of the way that Tobsha fashioned the sections of her book: 7 separate parts with obvious themes that fall into line with the Cabalistic tree of knowledge.
Such endings gave an opportunity to really get into the characters of Detlef's brother, and Jacob, the child of both Detlef and Ruth, being separate to those two main characters for a really satisfying finish.
This book centres around the persecution of the 17th century Jews in Cologne and pretty much all surrounding regions. Once you get past the start which introduces the many different characters this story's going to follow, this story is rich with history and alive with grit and realism not just of what life was like for a practicing Jewish midwife such as Ruth, but also the living conditions that separate the rich from the poor.
And, of course, therein lies the love story; a veritable Romeo and Juliet story between the Detlef the aristocrat and Ruth the Jew. Given what I'd read of her writing before, I was actually surprised by how much plot was packed in this book, with the romance taking a definite backseat, only there to contribute to the rest of the narrative. I loved the motivations and machinations of all of the different characters and, even if Carlos the inquisitor's scenes were often a little bit more graphic than I'd like, I was very satisfied with his plot.
What surprised me, though, was the end. I won't say too much about it, except to say that it happens in several distinct parts. Unlike some narratives with multiple endings--and maybe this is an advantage of book over film--each ending felt more like a piece of the narrative finishing up, rather than another ending tacked onto the end. This could also be a side product of the way that Tobsha fashioned the sections of her book: 7 separate parts with obvious themes that fall into line with the Cabalistic tree of knowledge.
Such endings gave an opportunity to really get into the characters of Detlef's brother, and Jacob, the child of both Detlef and Ruth, being separate to those two main characters for a really satisfying finish.
July 11, 2013
In the tradition of books about strong Jewish women, which includes The Red Tent (1997)and Sarah (2004), comes this story of Ruth, a woman of the Middle Ages who fights against the prejudice that surrounds her gender and religion. The daughter of an influential rabbi in Cologne, 23-year-old Ruth is a highly skilled midwife, but she is also the obsession of Solitario, a Dominican inquisitor. Spurned by Ruth's mother, he is determined to destroy the daughter and uses Ruth's practice of kabbalah--seen as a form of Jewish magic--to launch his attack. Ruth is even more vulnerable to the inquisitor after she falls in love with Detlef von Tennan, a churchman struggling with his loyalty to Catholicism. Fans of sweeping historical dramas will be enthralled by Ruth's story; remarkably, Learner writes with equal power about the intensity of Ruth's spirituality, the passion of her forbidden love for Detlef, and the horror of the torture she suffers at Solitario's hands. This is the kind of all-consuming novel that readers hate to see end.
Grade B
My thoughts? From the moment I cracked the cover I was drawn into this amazing story. It was at times erotic, horrifying, and beautifully told. This book was written in third person, which can be somewhat confusing because the narrator changes throughout. I liked that the story is told in present tense, it made the narration fast paced and intense. I stayed up until 4 am in the morning finishing this book. I came to care about and love the main characters; Ruth and Detlef. I had to know how their story ended. It is a great love story set against the age of enlightenment, but I would hesitate to label it a romance novel. It reminds me more of The Red Tent than any true romance.
I loved it and was sorry when I reached the end of the book.
Grade B
My thoughts? From the moment I cracked the cover I was drawn into this amazing story. It was at times erotic, horrifying, and beautifully told. This book was written in third person, which can be somewhat confusing because the narrator changes throughout. I liked that the story is told in present tense, it made the narration fast paced and intense. I stayed up until 4 am in the morning finishing this book. I came to care about and love the main characters; Ruth and Detlef. I had to know how their story ended. It is a great love story set against the age of enlightenment, but I would hesitate to label it a romance novel. It reminds me more of The Red Tent than any true romance.
I loved it and was sorry when I reached the end of the book.
September 15, 2013
Set in the second half of the 17th Century in the city of Cologne Germany, this book tells the story of two people seeking rational truth in an age of religious superstition, political turmoil, and economic change. Ruth, the only child and daughter of the local rabbi, is a midwife trying to perfect her craft through scientific observation. She has returned from Amsterdam, the center of modern thinking, where, disguised as a young man, she studied under the great philosopher Benedict Spinoza. Detlef von Tennen, the younger brother of a local count, is the canon of the cathedral of Cologne. He has wealth, beauty and privilege, but he seeks truth and longs to study the forbidden books of the modern philosophers of Amsterdam. They are brought together when Ruth is accused of witchcraft by a sadistic monk of the Inquisition. While the monk sees black magic in her birthing skills, Detlef understands that her skill comes from the scientific method rather than a deal with the devil.
Although the book is about an impossible love between two people, it is more a historic thriller than a romance, Tobsha Learner has named the chapters after the ten Sefiroth of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. She includes a Historic Backdrop, Glossary, List of Characters, and Bibliography of reference books used in her research to help readers not up to date on German history. Weaving together the rich cultural, philosophic and religious differences of the times into an exciting adventure that keeps the plot changes coming, I found this an adventure and a romance that touched me deeply. Yet it provided a wealth of historic detail that satisfied my desire for historical accuracy and depth.
Although the book is about an impossible love between two people, it is more a historic thriller than a romance, Tobsha Learner has named the chapters after the ten Sefiroth of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. She includes a Historic Backdrop, Glossary, List of Characters, and Bibliography of reference books used in her research to help readers not up to date on German history. Weaving together the rich cultural, philosophic and religious differences of the times into an exciting adventure that keeps the plot changes coming, I found this an adventure and a romance that touched me deeply. Yet it provided a wealth of historic detail that satisfied my desire for historical accuracy and depth.
July 26, 2008
I read a lot of the reviews here for this book, so I was a bit skeptical, but found I couldn't put it down. I thought the topic was interesting, some of the torture scenes were hard to read, but once past them I could appreciate the story. Many commented on the sex scenes, and that doesn't usually bother me, (hey I enjoy a good love scene as much as the next gal!!), but this was a bit much. There were so many that didn't really need to be there for the sake of the story, they added nothing. I felt like she put them in just to put them in. That aside, I still gave it 4 stars. I adore historical fiction and I found this story sucked me in till the last page. I was hoping for a happier ending, but I guess they can't all end happy!
September 2, 2013
I read this book when I was in my early-mid 20's and thought the mix between sex, religion and politics was amazing. I would have given this book five stars then...but now after reading/browsing a second time, I think that I was amazed because my lack of knowledge and exposure to these ideas at the time. Now that I am a different and more worldly person...The book was somewhat bland, the characters underdeveloped and no long even in the running for a favorite. Yes, the sex scenes are pretty good (almost Anne Rice), and the torture scenes are graphic...the politics are palatable...but something is missing. So down to three stars. It's not the worst book or considered a waste of time and I would pass it along to someone...but it just lacks the luster it had the first time around.
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