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Gateway to the Moon
From award-winning novelist and memoirist Mary Morris comes the story of a sleepy New Mexican community that must come to grips with a religious and political inheritance they never expected.
Entrada de la Luna is the sort of town that ambitious children try to leave behind them. Poor health, broken marriages, and poverty are the norm, and luck is unusual. So when Miguel Torres notices an advertisement for a position looking after two small boys a few towns over, he jumps at the opportunity.
Rachel Rothstein is not the sort of parent Miguel expected to be working for, though. A frustrated artist, Rachel moved her family away from New York looking for a fresh start, but so far New Mexico has not solved any of the problems they brought with them. But Miguel genuinely loves the work and he finds many of the Rothstein family's customs similar to ones he sees in his own community.
Studded throughout this present-day narrative are historical vignettes following the ancestors of Entrada's residents, beginning in fifteenth-century Spain and moving forward to the discovery of America, highlighting the torture, pursuit, and resistance of the Jewish people throughout history, leading to the founding of the enclave that Miguel now calls home. A beautiful novel of shared history, Gateway to the Moon is a moving and memorable portrait of home and community.
Entrada de la Luna is the sort of town that ambitious children try to leave behind them. Poor health, broken marriages, and poverty are the norm, and luck is unusual. So when Miguel Torres notices an advertisement for a position looking after two small boys a few towns over, he jumps at the opportunity.
Rachel Rothstein is not the sort of parent Miguel expected to be working for, though. A frustrated artist, Rachel moved her family away from New York looking for a fresh start, but so far New Mexico has not solved any of the problems they brought with them. But Miguel genuinely loves the work and he finds many of the Rothstein family's customs similar to ones he sees in his own community.
Studded throughout this present-day narrative are historical vignettes following the ancestors of Entrada's residents, beginning in fifteenth-century Spain and moving forward to the discovery of America, highlighting the torture, pursuit, and resistance of the Jewish people throughout history, leading to the founding of the enclave that Miguel now calls home. A beautiful novel of shared history, Gateway to the Moon is a moving and memorable portrait of home and community.
316 pages, Hardcover
First published April 10, 2018
467 people are currently reading
3503 people want to read
About the author
Mary Morris
103 books359 followersI was born in Chicago and, though I have lived in New York for many years, my roots are still in the Midwest and many of my stories are set there. As a writer my closest influences are Willa Cather and F. Scott Fitzgerald. I travel as much as I can and travel fuels everything I do. When I travel, I keep extensive journals which are handwritten and include watercolors, collage as well as text. All my writing begins in these journals. I tend to move between fiction and nonfiction. I spent seventeen years working on my last novel, The Jazz Palace. I think I learned a lot writing that book because the next one only took three years., Gateway to the Moon. Gateway which will be out in March 2018 is historical fiction about the secret Jews of New Mexico. I am also working on my fifth travel memoir about my travels alone. This one is about looking for tigers.
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November 2, 2018
4.5 rounded up
I’m adding this note in the beginning of this review because I noted at the end of this when I originally wrote it, some information that I had received from AncestryDNA. The database has been expanded and revised and they have informed me that the Jewish roots they originally told me were mine are not there based on their expanded data. I’m not Jewish after all but that doesn’t change how much I loved this book.
*****************************
My original review with original note:
The novel opens in 1992 New Mexico where we meet Miguel Torres, a fourteen year old boy with a passion for the stars and a desire to leave this dead end place where he lives. We are then taken back in time to 1492 and we meet Luis de Torres. This “is not his real name. It is Yosef Ben Ha Levi Halvri — Joseph, Son of Levi, the Hebrew. But he became Luis de Torres earlier that year when the Alhambra Decree called for expulsion or conversion of all the Muslims and Jews. “ As a Jew you convert or be executed or escape if you could. Luis decides to escape, setting sail with Columbus for the new world . Thus we are presented with the link between these two characters, across continents and centuries, as well as an explanation of some rituals of the Catholic people of Entrada de la Luna such as the lighting of the candles on Friday evening. Rituals that they can’t explain, other than it is their custom.
These alternate with other narratives in between - Rachel Rothstein, a sad troubled woman with a failing marriage who hires Miguel to babysit her two sons, Elena, Miguel’s aunt who has left the town and with whom Miguel feels a connection through the post cards she sends from her journeys. We follow several other characters from the past as well. These stories were skillfully brought together by lovely prose and a captivating telling. I have read only one other book by Morris, The Jazz Palace and she easily carried me to these times and places as she did in that novel . In reading the acknowledgments, it’s clear that the book is well researched and even a brief internet search will illustrate this. While this in so many way is about the Spanish Inquisition, it is about connecting characters across centuries, about beliefs, religious persecution, finding one’s identity, the pains of hiding one’s identity in order to survive, about one’s heritage, about how much of the past is present through who one’s ancestors are. This is a well written story with wonderful characters from both the past and present and I highly recommended it.
(As an aside : Up until a week ago, I thought I knew all there was to know about my roots because I knew that all of my grandparents were born in Italy . I recently did an AncestryDNA test out of curiosity since my husband has been working on his genealogy and has found some interesting things about where his ancestors were from. I mention this here, because I found out I was a lot more than Italian and that made this a meaningful story for me in some ways . I am 43% Italian, 15% Mideast, 14% Caucasus, 11% Iberian Peninsula, 11% European Jewish and a smattering of other countries with lower %’s. I find this so fascinating and moving and I felt connected to this story .)
I received an advanced copy of this book from Nan Talese /Doubleday through Netgalley.
I’m adding this note in the beginning of this review because I noted at the end of this when I originally wrote it, some information that I had received from AncestryDNA. The database has been expanded and revised and they have informed me that the Jewish roots they originally told me were mine are not there based on their expanded data. I’m not Jewish after all but that doesn’t change how much I loved this book.
*****************************
My original review with original note:
The novel opens in 1992 New Mexico where we meet Miguel Torres, a fourteen year old boy with a passion for the stars and a desire to leave this dead end place where he lives. We are then taken back in time to 1492 and we meet Luis de Torres. This “is not his real name. It is Yosef Ben Ha Levi Halvri — Joseph, Son of Levi, the Hebrew. But he became Luis de Torres earlier that year when the Alhambra Decree called for expulsion or conversion of all the Muslims and Jews. “ As a Jew you convert or be executed or escape if you could. Luis decides to escape, setting sail with Columbus for the new world . Thus we are presented with the link between these two characters, across continents and centuries, as well as an explanation of some rituals of the Catholic people of Entrada de la Luna such as the lighting of the candles on Friday evening. Rituals that they can’t explain, other than it is their custom.
These alternate with other narratives in between - Rachel Rothstein, a sad troubled woman with a failing marriage who hires Miguel to babysit her two sons, Elena, Miguel’s aunt who has left the town and with whom Miguel feels a connection through the post cards she sends from her journeys. We follow several other characters from the past as well. These stories were skillfully brought together by lovely prose and a captivating telling. I have read only one other book by Morris, The Jazz Palace and she easily carried me to these times and places as she did in that novel . In reading the acknowledgments, it’s clear that the book is well researched and even a brief internet search will illustrate this. While this in so many way is about the Spanish Inquisition, it is about connecting characters across centuries, about beliefs, religious persecution, finding one’s identity, the pains of hiding one’s identity in order to survive, about one’s heritage, about how much of the past is present through who one’s ancestors are. This is a well written story with wonderful characters from both the past and present and I highly recommended it.
(As an aside : Up until a week ago, I thought I knew all there was to know about my roots because I knew that all of my grandparents were born in Italy . I recently did an AncestryDNA test out of curiosity since my husband has been working on his genealogy and has found some interesting things about where his ancestors were from. I mention this here, because I found out I was a lot more than Italian and that made this a meaningful story for me in some ways . I am 43% Italian, 15% Mideast, 14% Caucasus, 11% Iberian Peninsula, 11% European Jewish and a smattering of other countries with lower %’s. I find this so fascinating and moving and I felt connected to this story .)
I received an advanced copy of this book from Nan Talese /Doubleday through Netgalley.
June 7, 2018
Gateway to the Moon is a 2018 Doubleday publication.
A dark, but rich and fascinating family history-
This novel spans continents and centuries in time to tell the story of Entrada de la Luna, a four-hundred -year old town located in New Mexico. The residents often perform rituals handed down through the generations, but do not understand their origins. The author adeptly connects the past with the present in an incredible family saga, as wrenching as it is fascinating and poignant- almost bittersweet.
In 1492, Luis de Torres, who was forced to convert from Judaism to Catholicism during the Spanish Inquisition, leaves his family to set sail with Christopher Columbus. His travels are the beginning of a journey, we will follow along with, as he and his future offspring settles into this new land.
The time line alternates between ancient history, and 1992, where we meet fourteen-year-old Miguel, a young man who has keen interest in astronomy, and could have a bright future, but feels trapped by a lack of opportunity and poverty. His aunt Elena is a former ballerina who got out of Entrada de la Luna, and has a very good reason to stay out, but she also has a deep-seated need to return to her family and this small community.
I’m ashamed to admit, I don’t know much about the Spanish Inquisition. I hear it referenced from time to time without really stopping to reflect on it, and I studied it some in school, of course, but that was a long, long, long time ago. So, reading this book was quite a learning experience for me. I was unaware of the ‘Conversos’ or ‘Crypto’ Jews, or that they continued to practice the rituals, traditions, and customs of the Jewish faith, without understanding the signficance of them. It was just something they had always done, passed down through the generations. The author explains how and why this happened, in striking and vivid details, some of which are very uncomfortable to read, but necessary all the same.
The family connections linked to the historical parts of this story is so fascinating, as Miguel’s lineage is eventually traced to him and his small hometown, in present day, 1992. The various character studies will take the reader into a deeper dimension and contrasts well with chapters detailing the ancient history leading us through various good and bad times for the Jewish people.
Although Rachel’s relationship with Miguel is significant, especially in light of what was revealed to him, the exploration into her marriage and personal foibles was mostly off topic and distracting.
Other than that, this is very eye-opening, enlightening novel, with a few stunning revelations that leave the door open for Miguel to view his life from an entirely different perspective. The writing is beautiful and exceptional. This is a novel that will certainly have a lasting and haunting effect on me.
4 stars
A dark, but rich and fascinating family history-
This novel spans continents and centuries in time to tell the story of Entrada de la Luna, a four-hundred -year old town located in New Mexico. The residents often perform rituals handed down through the generations, but do not understand their origins. The author adeptly connects the past with the present in an incredible family saga, as wrenching as it is fascinating and poignant- almost bittersweet.
In 1492, Luis de Torres, who was forced to convert from Judaism to Catholicism during the Spanish Inquisition, leaves his family to set sail with Christopher Columbus. His travels are the beginning of a journey, we will follow along with, as he and his future offspring settles into this new land.
The time line alternates between ancient history, and 1992, where we meet fourteen-year-old Miguel, a young man who has keen interest in astronomy, and could have a bright future, but feels trapped by a lack of opportunity and poverty. His aunt Elena is a former ballerina who got out of Entrada de la Luna, and has a very good reason to stay out, but she also has a deep-seated need to return to her family and this small community.
I’m ashamed to admit, I don’t know much about the Spanish Inquisition. I hear it referenced from time to time without really stopping to reflect on it, and I studied it some in school, of course, but that was a long, long, long time ago. So, reading this book was quite a learning experience for me. I was unaware of the ‘Conversos’ or ‘Crypto’ Jews, or that they continued to practice the rituals, traditions, and customs of the Jewish faith, without understanding the signficance of them. It was just something they had always done, passed down through the generations. The author explains how and why this happened, in striking and vivid details, some of which are very uncomfortable to read, but necessary all the same.
The family connections linked to the historical parts of this story is so fascinating, as Miguel’s lineage is eventually traced to him and his small hometown, in present day, 1992. The various character studies will take the reader into a deeper dimension and contrasts well with chapters detailing the ancient history leading us through various good and bad times for the Jewish people.
Although Rachel’s relationship with Miguel is significant, especially in light of what was revealed to him, the exploration into her marriage and personal foibles was mostly off topic and distracting.
Other than that, this is very eye-opening, enlightening novel, with a few stunning revelations that leave the door open for Miguel to view his life from an entirely different perspective. The writing is beautiful and exceptional. This is a novel that will certainly have a lasting and haunting effect on me.
4 stars
December 7, 2024
Mary Morris has taken me on an unforgettable journey with her latest novel “Gateway to the Moon.” The journey stretches from Spain during the times of Columbus and the horrors and consequences of the Inquisition to recent times in Northern New Mexico. Prior to this, I was sadly lacking in knowledge about the Inquisition, but Morris’s extensive research brought that time period and the real and fictional characters vividly to life. As a lifelong resident of the Southwest, I had some awareness of the existence of crypto-Jews, and Morris greatly enhanced my knowledge and understanding of a situation which seems almost too unbelievable to be true, particularly if you’ve witnessed the strong Catholic presence and influence in towns like Chimayo and Espanola. (For readers interested in learning more about crypto-Jews, Morris references “To The End of the Earth: Crypto-Jews of Northern New Mexico” by Stanley Hordes.)
I learned a lot of fascinating history from this book, but the greatest pleasures were Morris’s brilliant writing and a well-told and absorbing story. I was particularly affected by the searches the characters undertook to find their place in their families and the world, and the recurrent theme of stars and celestial navigation. The last paragraph of the book is one of the most perfect endings I’ve read and a wonderful form of benediction for new beginnings.
Settle back in a comfy chair with some hot cocoa and embark on this remarkable journey. It’s an experience and book not to be missed.
I learned a lot of fascinating history from this book, but the greatest pleasures were Morris’s brilliant writing and a well-told and absorbing story. I was particularly affected by the searches the characters undertook to find their place in their families and the world, and the recurrent theme of stars and celestial navigation. The last paragraph of the book is one of the most perfect endings I’ve read and a wonderful form of benediction for new beginnings.
Settle back in a comfy chair with some hot cocoa and embark on this remarkable journey. It’s an experience and book not to be missed.
May 28, 2018
I experienced the fears, exhaustion, and betrayal from those who chose exile - the horrors of the days... during the 15th -16th century, in Spain and Portugal...( without graphic details, thank you), ....
The contemporary storyline in New Mexico in the late 20th century engages characters and their backstories:
Miguel, for example...( a young boy wants desperately to buy a telescope- calls himself Captain Kirk)- discovered he was a descendent of conversos...Jews who converted during the Inquisition.
We get a tapestry of ‘very’ interesting characters - with their illusions and chaos- from different eras allowing us to feel what life was like during the Spanish Inquisition.
Fleeting was like living on the moon!!!
This lovely Historical novel would make a great discussion book.
The contemporary storyline in New Mexico in the late 20th century engages characters and their backstories:
Miguel, for example...( a young boy wants desperately to buy a telescope- calls himself Captain Kirk)- discovered he was a descendent of conversos...Jews who converted during the Inquisition.
We get a tapestry of ‘very’ interesting characters - with their illusions and chaos- from different eras allowing us to feel what life was like during the Spanish Inquisition.
Fleeting was like living on the moon!!!
This lovely Historical novel would make a great discussion book.
April 8, 2018
All the stars AND the moon to Gateway to the Moon! 🌟 🌝 🌟 🌙 🌟
Where to begin with this fascinating and alluring novel? Gateway to the Moon begins during the time of Christopher Columbus, the Spanish Inquisition, all the way through the present day, where there is a community of “Crypto Jews” living in New Mexico who are Catholic but continuing many Jewish traditions (and not knowing why).
Entrada de la Luna is the town at the center of this novel. It’s a place where people want to leave for a better life, better opportunities, if they can. Miguel Torres, a main character, sees some similarities between his community’s culture in Entrada de la Luna and the Jewish artist for whom he works.
Mary Morris’ writing is stunning, and through the unique narrative style of traveling in time via historical “vignettes,” exploring the ancestors of Entrada’s residents, a portrait is painted of a community with a new understanding of its fascinating roots.
This story is a gradual-builder. It takes time to put all these beautiful puzzle pieces together. If you don’t mind being patient, you will be taken on a profound and breathtaking historical journey.
Thank you to Mary Morris for writing this outstanding book, as well as Doubleday/Nan A. Tales, and Netgalley for the ARC. Gateway to the Moon will be released on April 10, 2018!
Where to begin with this fascinating and alluring novel? Gateway to the Moon begins during the time of Christopher Columbus, the Spanish Inquisition, all the way through the present day, where there is a community of “Crypto Jews” living in New Mexico who are Catholic but continuing many Jewish traditions (and not knowing why).
Entrada de la Luna is the town at the center of this novel. It’s a place where people want to leave for a better life, better opportunities, if they can. Miguel Torres, a main character, sees some similarities between his community’s culture in Entrada de la Luna and the Jewish artist for whom he works.
Mary Morris’ writing is stunning, and through the unique narrative style of traveling in time via historical “vignettes,” exploring the ancestors of Entrada’s residents, a portrait is painted of a community with a new understanding of its fascinating roots.
This story is a gradual-builder. It takes time to put all these beautiful puzzle pieces together. If you don’t mind being patient, you will be taken on a profound and breathtaking historical journey.
Thank you to Mary Morris for writing this outstanding book, as well as Doubleday/Nan A. Tales, and Netgalley for the ARC. Gateway to the Moon will be released on April 10, 2018!
May 28, 2018
4.5 Stars
"Somewhere out there beneath the pale moonlight
Someone's thinking of me and loving me tonight
Somewhere out there someone's saying a prayer
That we'll find one another in that dream somewhere out there
And even though I know how very far apart we are
It helps to think we might be wishin' on the same bright star
And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby
It helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky"
-- Somewhere Out There, Songwriters: James Horner / Cynthia Weil / Barry Mann
From the present time, we travel back in time to the days of the Spanish Inquisition, and Christopher Columbus, where families practicing the Jewish faith were all banished from Spain, and then back again to the present day and to this land in New Mexico. A unique culture where many traditions of the religion of their birth continue to be kept, without reasons or knowledge of the reasons behind the generations of their family in between keeping these traditions.
”Luis de Torres is not his real name. It is Yosef ben Ha Levi Halvri – Joseph, Son of Levi, the Hebrew. But he became Luis de Torres earlier that year when the Alhambra Decree called for the expulsion or conversion of all the Muslims and Jews. He converted, as did Catalina. She has become a devout Catholic, but in secret he remains a Jew. He says his prayers, keeps the Sabbath. He will never eat pork. He cannot stay in Murcia long. He is certain that he will be discovered as have others like him.”
Luis has had hopes of using his knowledge of five languages to assist a young explorer named Columbus on a voyage to the Far East. How different life would be away from this place, free of the persecution they’ve endured.
Entrada de la Luna, a town whose name even sounds lovely, and while this town is the type of place that most people who are living there dream of leaving, for bigger and better things, a few others have moved there looking for a place away from cities. A place where artists move to, seeking inspiration perhaps, or maybe seeking the quiet, the endless skies, or the vision of the night skies, that moon.
Rachel, an artist, and her husband, a doctor, moved there from New York City with their two young sons, but life here is not what she had imagined it would be. She looks for someone to help with the boys, imagining more uninterrupted time for herself, for her art will provide the inspiration she needs.
Miguel, a young man, is drawn to the moon, to space and our relationship to the universe. How very small we are. He wonders how the universe manages to continue working as it does. He hopes for a way to make more of his life than here. He makes his own telescope and spends his time watching the sky at night, usually up by the old cemetery. One day, Miguel finds the ‘help wanted’ note that Rachel left, looking for someone to help with her boys, and he ends up working for Rachel.
Generations of family have lived in the same places, same homes, Vincent Roybal’s family has operated the same rundown store. Vincent has been trying to piece together the names and any facts he can gather about his ancestors, he knows his ancestors came over from Spain, one of the first explorers of the New World, but he can’t understand why, out of all places, they settled here.
”While he spends his time in dusty archives and writes letters to the records offices in Spain and studies documents whose yellowed pages crumble in his hands, none of it has explained why four hundred years ago his ancestors decided to settle on this dried-up and distant parcel of land. And yet he knows he will never move to Orlando or San Diego or anywhere else because for as far back as anyone can remember Entrada de la Luna is the only place that his people have ever called home, and that upon the hillside in the old cemetery under the oak tree all of their bones and all of their stories are buried.”
I loved this story, loved all the glimpses at other lives in other times, and other places. I loved the linking of people to people, the genealogy of this place and these people. I loved the writing, which was lovely, such a visual connection it created for me with these people and this place that seemed so lovely, and all these people who made me feel every emotion, as well.
Many thanks to my friend Angela for her review, which prompted me to add my name to my library wait-list, which was, luckily, very short. Angela’s review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Recommended
"Somewhere out there beneath the pale moonlight
Someone's thinking of me and loving me tonight
Somewhere out there someone's saying a prayer
That we'll find one another in that dream somewhere out there
And even though I know how very far apart we are
It helps to think we might be wishin' on the same bright star
And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby
It helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky"
-- Somewhere Out There, Songwriters: James Horner / Cynthia Weil / Barry Mann
From the present time, we travel back in time to the days of the Spanish Inquisition, and Christopher Columbus, where families practicing the Jewish faith were all banished from Spain, and then back again to the present day and to this land in New Mexico. A unique culture where many traditions of the religion of their birth continue to be kept, without reasons or knowledge of the reasons behind the generations of their family in between keeping these traditions.
”Luis de Torres is not his real name. It is Yosef ben Ha Levi Halvri – Joseph, Son of Levi, the Hebrew. But he became Luis de Torres earlier that year when the Alhambra Decree called for the expulsion or conversion of all the Muslims and Jews. He converted, as did Catalina. She has become a devout Catholic, but in secret he remains a Jew. He says his prayers, keeps the Sabbath. He will never eat pork. He cannot stay in Murcia long. He is certain that he will be discovered as have others like him.”
Luis has had hopes of using his knowledge of five languages to assist a young explorer named Columbus on a voyage to the Far East. How different life would be away from this place, free of the persecution they’ve endured.
Entrada de la Luna, a town whose name even sounds lovely, and while this town is the type of place that most people who are living there dream of leaving, for bigger and better things, a few others have moved there looking for a place away from cities. A place where artists move to, seeking inspiration perhaps, or maybe seeking the quiet, the endless skies, or the vision of the night skies, that moon.
Rachel, an artist, and her husband, a doctor, moved there from New York City with their two young sons, but life here is not what she had imagined it would be. She looks for someone to help with the boys, imagining more uninterrupted time for herself, for her art will provide the inspiration she needs.
Miguel, a young man, is drawn to the moon, to space and our relationship to the universe. How very small we are. He wonders how the universe manages to continue working as it does. He hopes for a way to make more of his life than here. He makes his own telescope and spends his time watching the sky at night, usually up by the old cemetery. One day, Miguel finds the ‘help wanted’ note that Rachel left, looking for someone to help with her boys, and he ends up working for Rachel.
Generations of family have lived in the same places, same homes, Vincent Roybal’s family has operated the same rundown store. Vincent has been trying to piece together the names and any facts he can gather about his ancestors, he knows his ancestors came over from Spain, one of the first explorers of the New World, but he can’t understand why, out of all places, they settled here.
”While he spends his time in dusty archives and writes letters to the records offices in Spain and studies documents whose yellowed pages crumble in his hands, none of it has explained why four hundred years ago his ancestors decided to settle on this dried-up and distant parcel of land. And yet he knows he will never move to Orlando or San Diego or anywhere else because for as far back as anyone can remember Entrada de la Luna is the only place that his people have ever called home, and that upon the hillside in the old cemetery under the oak tree all of their bones and all of their stories are buried.”
I loved this story, loved all the glimpses at other lives in other times, and other places. I loved the linking of people to people, the genealogy of this place and these people. I loved the writing, which was lovely, such a visual connection it created for me with these people and this place that seemed so lovely, and all these people who made me feel every emotion, as well.
Many thanks to my friend Angela for her review, which prompted me to add my name to my library wait-list, which was, luckily, very short. Angela’s review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Recommended
April 22, 2018
An enthusiastic 4 stars.
Mary Morris has put together such an interesting novel. Mostly it takes place in New Mexico, focusing on Miguel and his family. But it also goes back in time to 15th to 17th century Spain, Portugal and Mexico. Miguel and his family are the descendants of Jews who fled and survived the Inquisition. In their very small community, they still practice many of the rituals of Judaism — for example, they light candles on Friday and they don’t eat pork — but they don’t know about their Jewish ancestry. That’s the fascinating historical context, and in her acknowledgements Morris explains that it is based on a fair amount of research.
But Morris has also created interesting and original characters. There is a lot of love in Miguel’s family, but there’s a lot of hurt too, which leaves Miguel somewhat unmoored. Besides his family, he becomes attached to a family that has newly moved to New Mexico from New York, for who he babysits. Rachel — the mother — is also a bit lost but a good soul.
Morris tells the story through disparate strands, shifting points of view between a few characters, and at times going back to characters several hundred years back. You won’t like this if you like straightforward stories. But I loved the characters, the history and the meandering narrative that came together quite nicely at the end.
On a personal note, I recently traveled to Spain on vacation. The trip included an area where part of the story takes place. I had never thought much about the Inquisition or Spanish history until a few weeks ago. Stumbling onto Gateway to the Moon felt like perfect synchronicity.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
Mary Morris has put together such an interesting novel. Mostly it takes place in New Mexico, focusing on Miguel and his family. But it also goes back in time to 15th to 17th century Spain, Portugal and Mexico. Miguel and his family are the descendants of Jews who fled and survived the Inquisition. In their very small community, they still practice many of the rituals of Judaism — for example, they light candles on Friday and they don’t eat pork — but they don’t know about their Jewish ancestry. That’s the fascinating historical context, and in her acknowledgements Morris explains that it is based on a fair amount of research.
But Morris has also created interesting and original characters. There is a lot of love in Miguel’s family, but there’s a lot of hurt too, which leaves Miguel somewhat unmoored. Besides his family, he becomes attached to a family that has newly moved to New Mexico from New York, for who he babysits. Rachel — the mother — is also a bit lost but a good soul.
Morris tells the story through disparate strands, shifting points of view between a few characters, and at times going back to characters several hundred years back. You won’t like this if you like straightforward stories. But I loved the characters, the history and the meandering narrative that came together quite nicely at the end.
On a personal note, I recently traveled to Spain on vacation. The trip included an area where part of the story takes place. I had never thought much about the Inquisition or Spanish history until a few weeks ago. Stumbling onto Gateway to the Moon felt like perfect synchronicity.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
April 17, 2018
5 extremely impressive stars
Ever wonder what makes you...you? Ever think about the DNA that you have within you and the things that you do that might have come to you from your ancestors? Why do you have brown, blue or green or even grey eyes? Did your parents give that to you and who gave that to them and to their parents and so on and so on. Are there customs your family does, like lighting candles on Friday night or having an aversion to certain foods so much so that they are never served in any of you family's homes or ever have been? Why is it that at times you momentarily have fleeting feelings that you have been somewhere, met someone, heard something that you knew you had never experienced before?
In the fifteenth century Jews and Muslims were pursued with an intense vigor by the barbaric Inquisition in Spain which eventually traveled to Portugal and even further. Jews and Muslims escaped their country of origin and in this powerful novel we are introduced to Luis de Torres, a Spanish Jew, who accompanies Christopher Columbus as his interpreter on his journey to find a route to the Indies. His journey is the first one related and across many generations we read of the journeys of others both the hardship, the pain, landing many of the descendants in far flung places. Jews having been forced to accept Catholicism in order to survive. They traveled to the new world, Mexico, South America, and then to New Mexico. They are Catholics in name only but they are Jews in their heart and soul.
As the book continues, many centuries later, there are many people who live in the hills of New Mexico who carry on traditions that they really can't understand the why of. Why is it they light candles on Friday night? Why is it that they don't eat pork? We meet a young would be astronomer, Miguel Torres, searching for a sense of self, searching the sky's mysteries and vastness trying to understand what he is. He lives in Entrada de la Luna, a place where dreams die, a place where poverty and ruin often rear its ugly head, a place where the atmosphere is as dry as the desert sands.
Miguel finds himself a babysitting job for a woman, Rachel who has two sons. She herself is aimless drifting. Her family is Jewish and Miguel starts to see that many of Rachel's customs are those done where he lives. What does this all mean?They are Catholic right, or are they?
Throughout the story we learn of the awful nature of the Catholic faith to those who followed the teachings of the god of Abraham. We learn of how the people down through the centuries were pursued, murdered, tortured and yet so many resisted what was being fostered upon them. They held their faith in secret masked among their supposed belief in the faith of Christ. This is a journey through life, a life that has come down through centuries. It was indeed a powerful story to tell, a telling of what is often hidden makes us what we often are.
Thank you to Mary Morris for a book that engages both the heart and mind, to Doubleday Books and to Netgalley for making this book available to this reader.
Ever wonder what makes you...you? Ever think about the DNA that you have within you and the things that you do that might have come to you from your ancestors? Why do you have brown, blue or green or even grey eyes? Did your parents give that to you and who gave that to them and to their parents and so on and so on. Are there customs your family does, like lighting candles on Friday night or having an aversion to certain foods so much so that they are never served in any of you family's homes or ever have been? Why is it that at times you momentarily have fleeting feelings that you have been somewhere, met someone, heard something that you knew you had never experienced before?
In the fifteenth century Jews and Muslims were pursued with an intense vigor by the barbaric Inquisition in Spain which eventually traveled to Portugal and even further. Jews and Muslims escaped their country of origin and in this powerful novel we are introduced to Luis de Torres, a Spanish Jew, who accompanies Christopher Columbus as his interpreter on his journey to find a route to the Indies. His journey is the first one related and across many generations we read of the journeys of others both the hardship, the pain, landing many of the descendants in far flung places. Jews having been forced to accept Catholicism in order to survive. They traveled to the new world, Mexico, South America, and then to New Mexico. They are Catholics in name only but they are Jews in their heart and soul.
As the book continues, many centuries later, there are many people who live in the hills of New Mexico who carry on traditions that they really can't understand the why of. Why is it they light candles on Friday night? Why is it that they don't eat pork? We meet a young would be astronomer, Miguel Torres, searching for a sense of self, searching the sky's mysteries and vastness trying to understand what he is. He lives in Entrada de la Luna, a place where dreams die, a place where poverty and ruin often rear its ugly head, a place where the atmosphere is as dry as the desert sands.
Miguel finds himself a babysitting job for a woman, Rachel who has two sons. She herself is aimless drifting. Her family is Jewish and Miguel starts to see that many of Rachel's customs are those done where he lives. What does this all mean?They are Catholic right, or are they?
Throughout the story we learn of the awful nature of the Catholic faith to those who followed the teachings of the god of Abraham. We learn of how the people down through the centuries were pursued, murdered, tortured and yet so many resisted what was being fostered upon them. They held their faith in secret masked among their supposed belief in the faith of Christ. This is a journey through life, a life that has come down through centuries. It was indeed a powerful story to tell, a telling of what is often hidden makes us what we often are.
Thank you to Mary Morris for a book that engages both the heart and mind, to Doubleday Books and to Netgalley for making this book available to this reader.
January 29, 2023
In another life I wanted to get a PhD in Latin American history from the University of New Mexico. By the time I graduated college, I had studied Spanish for a good ten years of my life and Portuguese for much of my undergraduate career. Why New Mexico, a state well out of my comfort zone, one might ask? New Mexico, as well as other states that used to be part of Mexico, is home to hundreds if not thousands of descendants of converso Jews, those who were forced to emigrate from Spain and Portugal following the 1492 inquisition. There is a theory that even Columbus himself was Jewish although that has never been proven. Fast forward twenty years later, I never studied for a PhD in history although I read the subject in earnest, but I am married to the descendant of converso Jews, which could probably be made into a PhD thesis. Some things are just divinely ordained.
I had heard of Mary Morris’ Gateway to the Moon for awhile, but was on the fence about reading it because I was less than satisfied with her Jazz Palace and lately for historical events, I’d rather read nonfiction, especially about a subject that is near and dear to me. Both of my parents did recommend this to me so I was swayed enough to try, if only for the stunning cover and the heated discussion that is sure to follow, which is what usually happens when all three of us read the same book.
Miguel Torres’ family has lived in Entrada, New Mexico for over four hundred years. He doesn’t understand why because as a budding astronomer, fifteen year old Miguel knows that there is no future in Entrada. The town is named as such because when night falls on the Sangre del Cristo mountains, now known as the Sierra Nevada, the scenery is breathtaking. That is about all the town has going for it. Miguel hasn’t questioned his lineage before although it is a curiosity as to why his family hasn’t left in over four hundred years, no one eats pork, and women light candles on Friday evenings and serve fancier meals than what most can afford. Most people in Entrada are descended from a Torres or Roybal or both, yet no one can figure the answer as to why there is no pork or that women light candles. They just do because the family always has. General store proprietor Vincente Roybal has attempted to piece together a family tree of these last four hundred years, and perhaps, in his search, he will discover the answers to Miguel’s questions.
Although I am not usually a fan of duel timeline books, only because they have been overdone in recent years, I did appreciate the first half of the novel when Morris goes back and forth between 1992 Entrada and 1492 Spain. During the first days of the inquisition, readers meet the early generations of Torres family, starting with Luis de Torres. Luis has chosen to stay a secret Jew at great risk to his family, and has decided to find shelter in Portugal for the time being, as the neighboring country did not enforce the inquisition laws for another twenty years; however, it remained dangerous for Jews to stay in Iberia, and Luis found employment as a scribe on Columbus’ first journey because he was fluent in six languages. Luis’ goal was to send for his family later after he established himself in the new world. He met Rodrigo the navigator, a Moor also running away, and the two decided to create a safe haven community for converso Jews and Moors once they arrived. That is why today there are still minuscule communities of Jews in the Caribbean, which I once discovered while watching a movie entitled El Ultimo Sefardí. The rest of the book proceeds in switching between Miguel in present day with his ancestors to find out how they came to be in Entrada.
In many cases with converso Jews they do not discover that they are Jewish on their own. Vincente Roybal had been doing his research, but Miguel needed a spark. His aunt Elena is a traveler- it is in the family’s DNA after all. On a journey to Morocco, she ate a lamb tagine that her grandmother had made and must have been in the family for centuries. Why would she taste the same dish half a world away? The most likely answer is that following the inquisition, Jews ended up in Morocco and began preparing their dishes in a similar climate; eventually these same foods made their way to the new world as well. Miguel doesn’t know that his family might have been Jewish, only that the old cemetery has gravestones with a strange language on it (Hebrew) and that is where his family used to be buried. In another story line, he is employed as a babysitter by one of the few Jewish families in southern New Mexico, the Rothsteins. It must have been divine providence that Mrs Rothstein took to Miguel and identified him as a bright young man who exerted a positive influence on her two boys. Perhaps, she, an Ashkenazic Jew, is the spark Miguel needed to identify his own origins.
Morris spent three years in researching this book. She got the idea years ago when a teenager in New Mexico told her that he might have been descended from Jews. When her publisher told Morris to write about something big, she thought about this boy and his story. I might not have liked how she crammed three hundred years of history into the last seventy five pages, leaving a huge gap in the family’s origins. How did the Torres/Roybal mishpacha continue for over three hundred years without eating pork and lighting candles on Friday nights. This question will have to be left to the readers’ imaginations as well as various studies on converso Jews of the regions. Other people have probably beaten me to that PhD thesis at this point. I’ve met many Hispano-Jews who know that they are descended from converso culture and have chosen to reestablish their families as bona fide members of Jewry. Perhaps I will research a potential thesis out of interest and submit it to publishers. How did my husband’s family stay in Spain until the 1870s and still manage to light candles and know that they came from Jews. By that point, Jews had been out of Spain for nearly 400 years. Morris lit a spark for me to rekindle my lifelong pursuit of this topic. I appreciate the research she put into this book, even though she chose to write it as a fictional account. It left me with much to think about.
✨ 4 stars ✨
I had heard of Mary Morris’ Gateway to the Moon for awhile, but was on the fence about reading it because I was less than satisfied with her Jazz Palace and lately for historical events, I’d rather read nonfiction, especially about a subject that is near and dear to me. Both of my parents did recommend this to me so I was swayed enough to try, if only for the stunning cover and the heated discussion that is sure to follow, which is what usually happens when all three of us read the same book.
Miguel Torres’ family has lived in Entrada, New Mexico for over four hundred years. He doesn’t understand why because as a budding astronomer, fifteen year old Miguel knows that there is no future in Entrada. The town is named as such because when night falls on the Sangre del Cristo mountains, now known as the Sierra Nevada, the scenery is breathtaking. That is about all the town has going for it. Miguel hasn’t questioned his lineage before although it is a curiosity as to why his family hasn’t left in over four hundred years, no one eats pork, and women light candles on Friday evenings and serve fancier meals than what most can afford. Most people in Entrada are descended from a Torres or Roybal or both, yet no one can figure the answer as to why there is no pork or that women light candles. They just do because the family always has. General store proprietor Vincente Roybal has attempted to piece together a family tree of these last four hundred years, and perhaps, in his search, he will discover the answers to Miguel’s questions.
Although I am not usually a fan of duel timeline books, only because they have been overdone in recent years, I did appreciate the first half of the novel when Morris goes back and forth between 1992 Entrada and 1492 Spain. During the first days of the inquisition, readers meet the early generations of Torres family, starting with Luis de Torres. Luis has chosen to stay a secret Jew at great risk to his family, and has decided to find shelter in Portugal for the time being, as the neighboring country did not enforce the inquisition laws for another twenty years; however, it remained dangerous for Jews to stay in Iberia, and Luis found employment as a scribe on Columbus’ first journey because he was fluent in six languages. Luis’ goal was to send for his family later after he established himself in the new world. He met Rodrigo the navigator, a Moor also running away, and the two decided to create a safe haven community for converso Jews and Moors once they arrived. That is why today there are still minuscule communities of Jews in the Caribbean, which I once discovered while watching a movie entitled El Ultimo Sefardí. The rest of the book proceeds in switching between Miguel in present day with his ancestors to find out how they came to be in Entrada.
In many cases with converso Jews they do not discover that they are Jewish on their own. Vincente Roybal had been doing his research, but Miguel needed a spark. His aunt Elena is a traveler- it is in the family’s DNA after all. On a journey to Morocco, she ate a lamb tagine that her grandmother had made and must have been in the family for centuries. Why would she taste the same dish half a world away? The most likely answer is that following the inquisition, Jews ended up in Morocco and began preparing their dishes in a similar climate; eventually these same foods made their way to the new world as well. Miguel doesn’t know that his family might have been Jewish, only that the old cemetery has gravestones with a strange language on it (Hebrew) and that is where his family used to be buried. In another story line, he is employed as a babysitter by one of the few Jewish families in southern New Mexico, the Rothsteins. It must have been divine providence that Mrs Rothstein took to Miguel and identified him as a bright young man who exerted a positive influence on her two boys. Perhaps, she, an Ashkenazic Jew, is the spark Miguel needed to identify his own origins.
Morris spent three years in researching this book. She got the idea years ago when a teenager in New Mexico told her that he might have been descended from Jews. When her publisher told Morris to write about something big, she thought about this boy and his story. I might not have liked how she crammed three hundred years of history into the last seventy five pages, leaving a huge gap in the family’s origins. How did the Torres/Roybal mishpacha continue for over three hundred years without eating pork and lighting candles on Friday nights. This question will have to be left to the readers’ imaginations as well as various studies on converso Jews of the regions. Other people have probably beaten me to that PhD thesis at this point. I’ve met many Hispano-Jews who know that they are descended from converso culture and have chosen to reestablish their families as bona fide members of Jewry. Perhaps I will research a potential thesis out of interest and submit it to publishers. How did my husband’s family stay in Spain until the 1870s and still manage to light candles and know that they came from Jews. By that point, Jews had been out of Spain for nearly 400 years. Morris lit a spark for me to rekindle my lifelong pursuit of this topic. I appreciate the research she put into this book, even though she chose to write it as a fictional account. It left me with much to think about.
✨ 4 stars ✨
July 8, 2025
Gateway to the Moon is a beautiful historical fiction novel beginning across the world in Spain at the time of the Spanish Inquisition. In 1492 King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella ordered all Jews and Muslims to convert to Christianity or to leave Spain resulting in many conversions, but often in name only as they secretly continued their religious rites, identities and traditions. But the magic of this book is the weaving of the narrative between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries and the twentieth century where we first meet Luis de Torres, an interpreter for Christopher Columbus. However de Torres is Yosef ben Ha Levi Halvri--Joseph, Son of Levi the Hebrew, and although he converted, he remains a Jew in private. In the late twentieth century we meet teenager Miguel Torres in the fictional New Mexico town of Entrada de la Luna north of Santa Fe in the Sangre de Cristo mountains. Miguel, in addition to his love of astronomy to the point of making his own telescope to better view the galaxy from the old cemetery, has long been interested in the genealogy tracked by the old storekeeper, Vincent Roybal, for the residents of Entrada. We learn of the migration of the de Torres family from Spain to Portugal to northern New Mexico over the centuries. This is story of family, traditions and spiritual beliefs all beautifully woven throughout the book using the metaphor of the celestial galaxy.
"Before it became the 'Blood of Christ' range, these mountains were known as the Sierra Nevada or the Sierra Madre or just the Sierra. No one remembers when or why they became the Sangre de Cristo. Some say that it is because of the color of blood that the mountains take on at sunset after a snow. Others think that it is because it's hard to live here and everyday is a sacrifice."
"Before it became the 'Blood of Christ' range, these mountains were known as the Sierra Nevada or the Sierra Madre or just the Sierra. No one remembers when or why they became the Sangre de Cristo. Some say that it is because of the color of blood that the mountains take on at sunset after a snow. Others think that it is because it's hard to live here and everyday is a sacrifice."
March 26, 2018
In 1478 the Spanish Inquisition was established. The year that Columbus went on his first voyage of discovery, 1492, was also the year that all Jews and Muslims were expelled from Spain. Unless they converted to Christianity--or preferred to be burned at the stake.
The Christian Jews outwardly lived like Christians, attending mass, but secretly clung to their way of life, lighting candles on Friday, avoiding pork, and circumcising their sons.
So, the Conversos were targeted, massacred, imprisoned, tortured, and burned. The Jews fled to the New World, but the Inquisition followed to Mexico and the Jews moved into New Mexico.
Gateway to the Moon by Mary Morris imagines the story of one Jewish/Converso family whose ancestor, Luis de Torres, came to the New World with Columbus, following the Torres family through the 15th and 16th centuries and into the 20th century.
Living in Entada de la Luna, the Torres are good Catholics who traditionally light candles on Friday night, disdain to eat pork, and circumcise their sons. The cemetery holds generations of their ancestors. The townsfolk know that their ancestors came from Spain but no longer remember what brought them there.
The story is told in two timelines, telling the contemporary story of Miguel Torres, a teenager with a passion for astronomy, and that of his ancestors beginning with Luis de Torres, a secret Jew born Leni Halvri before the Alhambra Decree.
The horrific history of the Inquisition is revealed through the lives of the Torres family, providing drama and intrigue to the slower, more introspective story of Miguel. Miguel's world has also has its violence and sorrow.
Morris's beautiful writing is a pleasure to read. Miguel is a wonderful, memorable character. And it was interesting to learn about this part of history. I very much enjoyed this novel, a combination of historical fiction, contemporary fiction, and family history.
I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
The Christian Jews outwardly lived like Christians, attending mass, but secretly clung to their way of life, lighting candles on Friday, avoiding pork, and circumcising their sons.
So, the Conversos were targeted, massacred, imprisoned, tortured, and burned. The Jews fled to the New World, but the Inquisition followed to Mexico and the Jews moved into New Mexico.
Gateway to the Moon by Mary Morris imagines the story of one Jewish/Converso family whose ancestor, Luis de Torres, came to the New World with Columbus, following the Torres family through the 15th and 16th centuries and into the 20th century.
Living in Entada de la Luna, the Torres are good Catholics who traditionally light candles on Friday night, disdain to eat pork, and circumcise their sons. The cemetery holds generations of their ancestors. The townsfolk know that their ancestors came from Spain but no longer remember what brought them there.
The story is told in two timelines, telling the contemporary story of Miguel Torres, a teenager with a passion for astronomy, and that of his ancestors beginning with Luis de Torres, a secret Jew born Leni Halvri before the Alhambra Decree.
The horrific history of the Inquisition is revealed through the lives of the Torres family, providing drama and intrigue to the slower, more introspective story of Miguel. Miguel's world has also has its violence and sorrow.
Morris's beautiful writing is a pleasure to read. Miguel is a wonderful, memorable character. And it was interesting to learn about this part of history. I very much enjoyed this novel, a combination of historical fiction, contemporary fiction, and family history.
I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
August 6, 2018
*4.5 stars rounded up. This is the August, 2018 read for the Doubleday Keep Turning Pages Group. I was fortunate enough to win a hardcover copy in their giveaway--many thanks!
In her Historical Note that begins the novel, author Mary Morris states that "in 1492 with the Alhambra Decree, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella orders all Jews and Muslims to convert to Christianity or be expelled from Spain." Perhaps around 100,000 Jews do convert but many of those are suspected of doing so in name only and come to be known as 'crypto-Jews.' And supposedly for such secret practices, they continue to be persecuted.
Among these is Luis de Torres who sails away with Columbus that same year, employed as the ship's interpreter. When they reach an island, a fort is built there from the remains of the Santa Maria, and Luis and a handful of others stay behind when Columbus returns to Spain. Years later when Columbus and crew return to the island, they find the fort in ruins and no trace of the settlers, except for one small, blue-eyed boy, believed to be Luis's son, whom they bring back to Spain.
Mary Morris imagines this family's story as they come to settle first in New Spain and then in what would become the state of New Mexico--again to escape the Inquisition which has spread to the New World--and weaves an interesting story that spans two timelines from 1492 onward and then leaping forward to 1992. Over the years, the practice of religion might have changed, but some old traditions remain--such as lighting a candle on Friday and not eating pork.
Astronomy is a great thread that runs through the story beginning with Christopher Columbus using the stars to navigate their journey, then later, Luis's descendants name their village in the desert Entrada de la Luna, Gateway to the Moon, and finally 500 years after that first journey of discovery, one of his descendants will become fascinated with the stars.
Thank goodness for the family tree that Morris includes--it would be impossible to keep track of the family relationships without it!
I found this book to be very interesting and learned so much that I didn't know about the Spanish Inquisition and how it was carried on even in the New World. Mary Morris is a fine writer and I look forward to reading more of her novels. Thanks again to Doubleday for the opportunity to read this fascinating work of historical fiction.
PS: I love to cook and grew very curious about the lamb stew with Moroccan spices, apricots and garbanzo beans that was made by this family for generations so I did an online search and found this recipe that sounds very much like theirs: https://www.themediterraneandish.com/...
Can't wait to try it!
In her Historical Note that begins the novel, author Mary Morris states that "in 1492 with the Alhambra Decree, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella orders all Jews and Muslims to convert to Christianity or be expelled from Spain." Perhaps around 100,000 Jews do convert but many of those are suspected of doing so in name only and come to be known as 'crypto-Jews.' And supposedly for such secret practices, they continue to be persecuted.
Among these is Luis de Torres who sails away with Columbus that same year, employed as the ship's interpreter. When they reach an island, a fort is built there from the remains of the Santa Maria, and Luis and a handful of others stay behind when Columbus returns to Spain. Years later when Columbus and crew return to the island, they find the fort in ruins and no trace of the settlers, except for one small, blue-eyed boy, believed to be Luis's son, whom they bring back to Spain.
Mary Morris imagines this family's story as they come to settle first in New Spain and then in what would become the state of New Mexico--again to escape the Inquisition which has spread to the New World--and weaves an interesting story that spans two timelines from 1492 onward and then leaping forward to 1992. Over the years, the practice of religion might have changed, but some old traditions remain--such as lighting a candle on Friday and not eating pork.
Astronomy is a great thread that runs through the story beginning with Christopher Columbus using the stars to navigate their journey, then later, Luis's descendants name their village in the desert Entrada de la Luna, Gateway to the Moon, and finally 500 years after that first journey of discovery, one of his descendants will become fascinated with the stars.
Thank goodness for the family tree that Morris includes--it would be impossible to keep track of the family relationships without it!
I found this book to be very interesting and learned so much that I didn't know about the Spanish Inquisition and how it was carried on even in the New World. Mary Morris is a fine writer and I look forward to reading more of her novels. Thanks again to Doubleday for the opportunity to read this fascinating work of historical fiction.
PS: I love to cook and grew very curious about the lamb stew with Moroccan spices, apricots and garbanzo beans that was made by this family for generations so I did an online search and found this recipe that sounds very much like theirs: https://www.themediterraneandish.com/...
Can't wait to try it!
July 27, 2019
Gateway to the Moon is set during the Spanish Inquisition in Spain and Mexico and in 1990s New Mexico. Although the story lines converge very slowly, the structure works well and kept my interest throughout - plus it was very educational! I particularly cared about Miguel, the star-gazing young man struggling to find his way in small town New Mexico. This novel achieves what I love in fiction - a gateway to a new world.
June 3, 2018
Entrada de la Luna (Gateway to the Moon) is a small town near the canyons of northern New Mexico. Teenager Miguel Torres, an amateur astronomer, takes a job providing childcare to Rachel Rothstein's two sons after school. He notices the similarities between her Jewish traditions and those of the Christian families of Entrada.
Chapters set in 1992 are interwoven with historical chapters going back five centuries to the Inquisition in Spain. Jewish Luis de Torres had converted to Christianity to save his life, but the Inquisition is now rounding up the conversos. Fluent in many languages, Luis takes a job as an interpreter on one of Christopher Columbus' ships sailing west in search of gold in 1492. One wonders how people can be so unfeeling when reading about the brutal tortures of the Inquisition and the explorers' treatment of the native Americans. The book later follows members of the family to Lisbon and Mexico where they are also persecuted. Taking few belongings, these immigrants are on the move in the New World, hiding their Jewish heritage and looking for a place where they will be safe. After five centuries the only remnants of their prior life are in the Hebrew inscriptions etched on the tombstones in the Old Cemetery of Entrada. The dark cemetery is Miguel's favorite location to view the stars through his telescope.
The characters and story lines in both the modern and historical chapters were fascinating. Author Mary Morris has written travel memoirs, and this novel also shows a journey. It's a journey of the crypto-Jews from Europe to the New World looking for a safe place to raise their families. Miguel is also on a journey as he reaches back to understand his past and stretches to the stars where his future lies. This beautifully written saga is one of my favorite books this year. 4.5 stars.
Thank you to Goodreads, Doubleday Books, and Mary Morris for a copy of the book to review.
Chapters set in 1992 are interwoven with historical chapters going back five centuries to the Inquisition in Spain. Jewish Luis de Torres had converted to Christianity to save his life, but the Inquisition is now rounding up the conversos. Fluent in many languages, Luis takes a job as an interpreter on one of Christopher Columbus' ships sailing west in search of gold in 1492. One wonders how people can be so unfeeling when reading about the brutal tortures of the Inquisition and the explorers' treatment of the native Americans. The book later follows members of the family to Lisbon and Mexico where they are also persecuted. Taking few belongings, these immigrants are on the move in the New World, hiding their Jewish heritage and looking for a place where they will be safe. After five centuries the only remnants of their prior life are in the Hebrew inscriptions etched on the tombstones in the Old Cemetery of Entrada. The dark cemetery is Miguel's favorite location to view the stars through his telescope.
The characters and story lines in both the modern and historical chapters were fascinating. Author Mary Morris has written travel memoirs, and this novel also shows a journey. It's a journey of the crypto-Jews from Europe to the New World looking for a safe place to raise their families. Miguel is also on a journey as he reaches back to understand his past and stretches to the stars where his future lies. This beautifully written saga is one of my favorite books this year. 4.5 stars.
Thank you to Goodreads, Doubleday Books, and Mary Morris for a copy of the book to review.
February 23, 2019
This is one of the best books I've ever read. I won this book and was pleasantly surprised to find out it was so good. It is a historical novel and I love historical novels but sometimes they turn out to be just a book of facts that a history book you're studying in school. And this one was a story where I learned so many things that I never knew before. The characters were as wonderful as the story. In 1492 King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain ordered all Jews and Muslims to convert to Christianity. This was when the Inquisition took place and many Jews were killed. Some of the Jews said they had converted, then even went to Catholic church but they still practiced the Jewish traditions. I did study about the Inquisition when I was in school but never realized that many Jews were tortured and killed just like in Germany during World War II. This is how it happened that a "converted" Jew ended up on one of Columbus' ships when he went looking for China and the gold. I won't go into all the story because I've said enough. But eventually some of these "converted" Jews ended up in New Mexico and it took them many years to figure out their heritage. Like I said, I can't say enough good things about this book and I applaud Mary Morris for taking the time to write it.
June 8, 2023
“The people of Entrada are descended from Spanish Jews who fled the Inquisition. They settled here four hundred years ago and after generations they forgot that they were Jews. But they did not forget their rituals.“
Dual timeline story that tells the story of the Jewish past of the mostly Catholic town of Entrada de la Luna in New Mexico. The contemporary story is set in 1992 and follows Miguel Torres, a fifteen-year-old with a passion for astronomy, looking through his telescope at the stars from an old cemetery. He takes a job as a babysitter for a Jewish family. He is surprised to find that they follow customs and rituals his own family observes.
The historic story begins in 1492 with Columbus’s voyage to the new world, accompanied by Luis de Torres, who serves as translator. Luis is from a Jewish family forced to convert to Catholicism during the Inquisition. 1492 was also the year that the Jews and Muslims were expelled from Spain if they refused conversion. The conversos lived outwardly as Christians but maintained their Jewish customs in the privacy of their homes. The older storyline follows the family history through hundreds of years, merging ultimately with the modern timeline.
The modern timeline is a more reflective story, whereas the older timeline contains explorers in the new world and persecutions of the Inquisition. This is a beautifully crafted story, covering hundreds of years in a relatively compact number of pages. Miguel is a likeable and memorable character. The author provides in her Notes that this novel is based on a real town that exists today in New Mexico. Recommended to those who enjoy well-written historical fiction or family sagas.
Dual timeline story that tells the story of the Jewish past of the mostly Catholic town of Entrada de la Luna in New Mexico. The contemporary story is set in 1992 and follows Miguel Torres, a fifteen-year-old with a passion for astronomy, looking through his telescope at the stars from an old cemetery. He takes a job as a babysitter for a Jewish family. He is surprised to find that they follow customs and rituals his own family observes.
The historic story begins in 1492 with Columbus’s voyage to the new world, accompanied by Luis de Torres, who serves as translator. Luis is from a Jewish family forced to convert to Catholicism during the Inquisition. 1492 was also the year that the Jews and Muslims were expelled from Spain if they refused conversion. The conversos lived outwardly as Christians but maintained their Jewish customs in the privacy of their homes. The older storyline follows the family history through hundreds of years, merging ultimately with the modern timeline.
The modern timeline is a more reflective story, whereas the older timeline contains explorers in the new world and persecutions of the Inquisition. This is a beautifully crafted story, covering hundreds of years in a relatively compact number of pages. Miguel is a likeable and memorable character. The author provides in her Notes that this novel is based on a real town that exists today in New Mexico. Recommended to those who enjoy well-written historical fiction or family sagas.
October 8, 2017
One of the best things about Netgalley is that it not only allows to discover interesting debuts, but also shines the light on the previously published authors by sort of narrowing down the focus. Apparently Mary Morris has been around for a while and accumulated quite a body of work and only now have I come across her with this terrific story as a most auspicious of introductions. I love all things historical, fiction and nonfiction, and though I have read much about Columbus' voyages, I've never learned about crypto Jews until now. I knew about the Spanish inquisition and expulsion of Jews and, of course, it's certainly within the reasonable possibility that a tribe so wildly prosecuted throughout so many eras and places has found themselves migrating wildly across the globe, not much is written or known about the fate of the ones that came to the New World during the early years of its discovery, some even along with the Columbus' expeditions. And having come here, still persecuted and isolated from all they knew before, eventually assimilating into forgetting their very ancestry and believes, though, interestingly enough, not the customs. Thus Entrada de la Luna (Gateway to the Moon) came to be, an impoverish small town in New Mexico with 4 centuries of lineage traceable, but the source obscured by time. This is where a novel takes place in the recent past narrative of 1992, the rest is set back in the past starting with 1492 and on. Both accounts are stunningly compelling in their own right. The book starts with a timeline and dramatis personae, because awesomely enough many of the story's main players existed in real life. The book's main accomplishment, though, is making both factual and fictional characters seem so very real. The writing here is absolutely exceptional, not overwritten at all, despite being very descriptive and emotionally intelligent, there's vividness and clarity to the narration and the characters are immensely charismatic and completely engaging. A real book lover's book, a pleasure to read, a perfectly transporting sort of experience. Not only to learn something new, but also to be entertained, amazed and delighted. Much like Miguel, the book's protagonist, a young stargazer, you might experience something like awe at the world's randomness and interconnectedness and a grand mystery of it all. Loved this book. So glad to have discovered this author. Enthusiastically recommended. Thanks Netgalley.
June 24, 2018
A book of stereotypes and inconsistencies
It could have made a good book, this story of the descendants of the crypto-Jews in New Mexico. Not knowing much about this specific subject, I can’t say if this a fake or a real story, the author herself says p.319 that it is debated; while she relied on the work of Stanley M. Hordes, the former New Mexico State Historian, academic scholars of higher renown than Mr. Hordes have denounced it as a mere reconstruction of a mythical past without much grounding. On the other hand, since I have done quite a bit of research on the Inquisition, and since one of my ancestors was a Portuguese Jew who moved to Bordeaux, I felt very interested when I heard about this book, and read the praise about it in various newspapers, the more so because I had already read a couple of good books by Mary Morris.
To say I was disappointed is an understatement. Not that it is not well written, as is usually the case with her, not that the plot is uninteresting, although the trick of alternating chapters between the 15/16th centuries and the 20th century is just that, a trick, somewhat banal and overdone. But it is a book full of stereotypes. Historical stereotypes, first and foremost. There is no attempt to try to understand the history of those years in Spain and Portugal, to replace the Inquisition in its historical, social and economic context. The chapter on the House of Mendes (ch.23) could have mentioned why the Mendes had a privileged status, why they were protected by the Pope and by the King of Portugal, why some of the Portuguese and Spanish Jews were key members of the power elite of these countries, why the Portuguese court was ambivalent and even resisted the Inquisition. But Ms. Morris has a binary view of history: the good guys and the bad guys. The Jews are good guys, the Christians are bad guys, period. There is not a single positive non-Jew character in this book; Bernadine could have been one, but in the end, she betrays her mistress. This is not an historical book, it is a tale for children. Not a word (except a few lines in ch.3) about the persecution of the Muslims and the crypto-Muslims, which was worse than the persecution of the Jews: they were more numerous, less useful, and perceived as more threatening. But this is not Ms. Morris’ story, and probably not the story that the readers she targets want to hear. When she mentions (p.320) that Richard Zimler’s The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon (not a bad mystery novel, but certainly not an accurate historical book) was one of her main sources, one can immediately understand that her research was not very serious. There is no denying that the Inquisition killed many Jews, but this is not a reason for bending history for whatever purpose.
In addition to these historical stereotypes, the modern characters are also stereotypes. Why is it necessary for Rachel's mother to be a Holocaust survivor or Miguel to drive a low-rider? Why did Miguel's mother have to be a rape victim? The connection with astronomy is strained and does not make much sense. The description of Morocco (ch.10 & p.141) is right out of a tourist guide, with all the typical orientalist clichés. Although I know that country fairly well, I have no idea who the ”Berber dancers of Fes” are (p.77), except maybe a show in a touristy restaurant, and I am shocked to read that Tangiers, which was founded by the Phoenicians, is a city of “desert nomads” (p.83), another (American?) stereotype.
After these shocking stereotypes, the numerous inconsistencies in the book appear almost minor: a disease that affects only Jews (p.238), really? the hoax about DNA identification of Iberian Jews (p.313)? Dr. Eduardo Torres is from Cordoba (p.238) or from Girona (p.262)/Gerona (p.15), two cities 1000kms apart? Why is Federico de Torres named Federico Cordero de Torres (p.15), bearing the name of Inez? On p.219, Sofia did not make love with Alejandro, but on p.239 she is not a virgin anymore: how come? Sofia’s sons saw her and their father taken away by the Inquisition as crypto-Jews (p.265/266), but Sofia decided not to tell them that they were of Jewish descent (p.282): were they stupid?
The story of Elena is full of inconsistencies. When Elena gave birth to Miguel, MG, Roberto’s wife, was also close to delivery (p. 308), but Roberto got MG pregnant and married her only when Elena was already away in New York (p.56) dancing with the New York City Ballet (or is it The American Ballet Theater p.308?): does it make sense? Elena went to New York when she was 17 (p.144) for one year and stayed: it was on the scholarship from the School of American Ballet (p.229) (elsewhere named American Ballet Extension School, p.56), right? But six weeks after giving birth to Miguel, she was already dancing with the American Ballet Theatre itself (p.308): a quick promotion? Or did she go to NYC just after being raped (p.229)? But, wait, she spent a summer in New York when she was 14 (P.144): wasn’t it already on a dancing scholarship? This is all very confusing.
And, by the way, it’s pain au chocolat, not pan (p.188).
Obviously, the writer, her editor and her reviewers don’t care much about details. And they love stereotypes. What a pity! It could have been a good book…
It could have made a good book, this story of the descendants of the crypto-Jews in New Mexico. Not knowing much about this specific subject, I can’t say if this a fake or a real story, the author herself says p.319 that it is debated; while she relied on the work of Stanley M. Hordes, the former New Mexico State Historian, academic scholars of higher renown than Mr. Hordes have denounced it as a mere reconstruction of a mythical past without much grounding. On the other hand, since I have done quite a bit of research on the Inquisition, and since one of my ancestors was a Portuguese Jew who moved to Bordeaux, I felt very interested when I heard about this book, and read the praise about it in various newspapers, the more so because I had already read a couple of good books by Mary Morris.
To say I was disappointed is an understatement. Not that it is not well written, as is usually the case with her, not that the plot is uninteresting, although the trick of alternating chapters between the 15/16th centuries and the 20th century is just that, a trick, somewhat banal and overdone. But it is a book full of stereotypes. Historical stereotypes, first and foremost. There is no attempt to try to understand the history of those years in Spain and Portugal, to replace the Inquisition in its historical, social and economic context. The chapter on the House of Mendes (ch.23) could have mentioned why the Mendes had a privileged status, why they were protected by the Pope and by the King of Portugal, why some of the Portuguese and Spanish Jews were key members of the power elite of these countries, why the Portuguese court was ambivalent and even resisted the Inquisition. But Ms. Morris has a binary view of history: the good guys and the bad guys. The Jews are good guys, the Christians are bad guys, period. There is not a single positive non-Jew character in this book; Bernadine could have been one, but in the end, she betrays her mistress. This is not an historical book, it is a tale for children. Not a word (except a few lines in ch.3) about the persecution of the Muslims and the crypto-Muslims, which was worse than the persecution of the Jews: they were more numerous, less useful, and perceived as more threatening. But this is not Ms. Morris’ story, and probably not the story that the readers she targets want to hear. When she mentions (p.320) that Richard Zimler’s The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon (not a bad mystery novel, but certainly not an accurate historical book) was one of her main sources, one can immediately understand that her research was not very serious. There is no denying that the Inquisition killed many Jews, but this is not a reason for bending history for whatever purpose.
In addition to these historical stereotypes, the modern characters are also stereotypes. Why is it necessary for Rachel's mother to be a Holocaust survivor or Miguel to drive a low-rider? Why did Miguel's mother have to be a rape victim? The connection with astronomy is strained and does not make much sense. The description of Morocco (ch.10 & p.141) is right out of a tourist guide, with all the typical orientalist clichés. Although I know that country fairly well, I have no idea who the ”Berber dancers of Fes” are (p.77), except maybe a show in a touristy restaurant, and I am shocked to read that Tangiers, which was founded by the Phoenicians, is a city of “desert nomads” (p.83), another (American?) stereotype.
After these shocking stereotypes, the numerous inconsistencies in the book appear almost minor: a disease that affects only Jews (p.238), really? the hoax about DNA identification of Iberian Jews (p.313)? Dr. Eduardo Torres is from Cordoba (p.238) or from Girona (p.262)/Gerona (p.15), two cities 1000kms apart? Why is Federico de Torres named Federico Cordero de Torres (p.15), bearing the name of Inez? On p.219, Sofia did not make love with Alejandro, but on p.239 she is not a virgin anymore: how come? Sofia’s sons saw her and their father taken away by the Inquisition as crypto-Jews (p.265/266), but Sofia decided not to tell them that they were of Jewish descent (p.282): were they stupid?
The story of Elena is full of inconsistencies. When Elena gave birth to Miguel, MG, Roberto’s wife, was also close to delivery (p. 308), but Roberto got MG pregnant and married her only when Elena was already away in New York (p.56) dancing with the New York City Ballet (or is it The American Ballet Theater p.308?): does it make sense? Elena went to New York when she was 17 (p.144) for one year and stayed: it was on the scholarship from the School of American Ballet (p.229) (elsewhere named American Ballet Extension School, p.56), right? But six weeks after giving birth to Miguel, she was already dancing with the American Ballet Theatre itself (p.308): a quick promotion? Or did she go to NYC just after being raped (p.229)? But, wait, she spent a summer in New York when she was 14 (P.144): wasn’t it already on a dancing scholarship? This is all very confusing.
And, by the way, it’s pain au chocolat, not pan (p.188).
Obviously, the writer, her editor and her reviewers don’t care much about details. And they love stereotypes. What a pity! It could have been a good book…
September 25, 2018
Really a truly beautiful work! Slow building. The subject matter in the current lens of time is a small town in New Mexico called Entrada - where a community has been living that can be traced back over 400 years. Arguably 500 years. This is no ordinary hispanic community. This is a community of crypto Jews, who no longer knew or remembered. Who knew their community had certain rituals, but couldn't explain why. At the novel's center is young Miguel Torres, a 16 year old astronomer, who goes to work for a newly transplanted Jewish Family.
The novel floats between numerous time periods, including the crypto Jew Luis de Torres, who worked as an interpreter for Christopher Columbus. It also floats through Spain and Lisbon at the time of the Inquisition, follows families who had tried to convert, and the ancestors of the current hispanic town of Estrada. Its beautifully and masterfully done. Its slow, but it pulls you in.
4.4 stars? The ending raised it for me exponentially. I even shed a tear.
The novel floats between numerous time periods, including the crypto Jew Luis de Torres, who worked as an interpreter for Christopher Columbus. It also floats through Spain and Lisbon at the time of the Inquisition, follows families who had tried to convert, and the ancestors of the current hispanic town of Estrada. Its beautifully and masterfully done. Its slow, but it pulls you in.
4.4 stars? The ending raised it for me exponentially. I even shed a tear.
March 12, 2018
The premise behind Gateway to the Moon really intrigued me. The idea that there are people who follow Jewish tradition without openly considering themselves Jewish was totally new to me and I really wanted to love this book. Unfortunately, I feel that the writing and narrative in general were choppy, which made the story very difficult to follow. There were a lot of characters mentioned, particularly in the flashbacks, so I struggled to keep track of everyone. I finally figured out towards the end of the book that the majority of the characters were related. The weird tangents about sex did not fit with the tone of story; parts of the book actually read like historical erotic fiction.
Overall, I don't think this book delivered. I read an ARC, so hopefully the final version has been edited and will be less disjointed. Gateway to the Moon is definitely not the worst book I've ever read, but it certainly wasn't very good and I would not recommend this book to anyone I know.
Overall, I don't think this book delivered. I read an ARC, so hopefully the final version has been edited and will be less disjointed. Gateway to the Moon is definitely not the worst book I've ever read, but it certainly wasn't very good and I would not recommend this book to anyone I know.
December 31, 2017
Wow. I think I just finished reading my new favorite book! This quality, well written and thoroughly researched novel, was truly wonderful. Loved the span of generations- the ventures from escaping the Spanish Inquisition, to the travels of Christopher Columbus, to Mexico and New Mexico, up until Current times. The evolution of converted Jews was incredible. Thought provoking and beautiful. Tying together humanity on earth with the moon and the stars was brilliant. I wish this book never ended. Gateway to the Moon, by Mary Morris is a highly recommended masterpiece! Thank you NetGalley and Doubleday Books for this early edition copy.
April 18, 2018
Mary Morris’ latest novel, Gateway to the Moon, combines a coming of age story with historical fiction to explore ideas of identity and how history echoes across time. The remote New Mexico community of Entrada de la Luna is rooted in the history of the Spanish inquisition and converesos, or crypto-Jews, who fled from persecution. But the residents have lost touch with their past and don’t remember why they maintain certain rituals, such as shunning pork and lighting candles on Friday.
Gateway to the Moon (Doubleday Books, digital galley) primarily follows Miguel, a poor high school student who discovers some unexpected similarities between his own life and that of the transplanted Jewish family for whom he babysits. The novel alternates between Miguel and his forebearers, who made their way to Entrada along with Spanish explorers.
This unique novel works hard to wed the contemporary with the historical and for the most part succeeds. But the story of Miguel and his relationship with those around him is most captivating. The interludes into the past are brief, fill in the backstory and tie in nicely with a personal discovery Miguel makes at the end of the book.
Gateway to the Moon (Doubleday Books, digital galley) primarily follows Miguel, a poor high school student who discovers some unexpected similarities between his own life and that of the transplanted Jewish family for whom he babysits. The novel alternates between Miguel and his forebearers, who made their way to Entrada along with Spanish explorers.
This unique novel works hard to wed the contemporary with the historical and for the most part succeeds. But the story of Miguel and his relationship with those around him is most captivating. The interludes into the past are brief, fill in the backstory and tie in nicely with a personal discovery Miguel makes at the end of the book.
June 18, 2019
A well written engaging story with a strong historical background. From the Spanish Inquisition to searching for an undiscovered moon through a homemade telescope it’s a story about travelling to discover new worlds, to escape religious persecution, and to find your true place on this planet.
January 11, 2018
This is a fantastic book. I didn't want it to end. So much remarkable information in this book that I did not know. Pretty much won't ever think nice things about Columbus again. Will enjoy my cup of hot cocoa more often. And I now know what a crypto-Jew means. I enjoyed all of the historical fiction and the characters are wonderful. This is such a great read, I was hooked in the first few pages. Thank you Goodreads Giveaways and Mary Morris for this one of a kind story. Read it, it is a great read.
August 28, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This novel really floated my boat. (No pun intended, there is a boat floating on water on the cover!) The book begins on two timelines: 1992 and 1492.
Miguel is a 14 year old living in a mountainous area of New Mexico in a tiny town called Estrada de la Luna (Gateway to the Moon). It’s an impoverished area, the population is mostly of mixed Mexican/indigenous descent. Miguel has a teacher who has really inspired him and he is enthralled by the night sky: the moon, the constellations he can recognize and the Milky Way. He even built his own telescope because he certainly cannot afford to buy one.
Now switch to 1492. Columbus is getting ready to set sail, going East to get to the West Indies. Something, I never put together was the timeline of Columbus’ expedition and the Spanish Inquisition. They both occurred at the same time. Spain was expelling all the Muslims and Jews, unless they converted and gave up their former religious beliefs. Many converted in public and practiced in private. (Crypto-Jews, a term with which I was not familiar.) It wasn’t long before many of these people accused of still practicing their old religion were hauled off to prison where they waited for months for a trial which they lost - sentenced to excruciating deaths by burning.
One of these Crypto-Jews sailed with Columbus. Others sailed later with Coronado. Well, the Spanish Inquisition happened in Mexico City as well. Another little piece of history of which I was unaware. In an effort to get as far away as possible from this religious persecution, some people traveled north to New Spain (now the state of New Mexico.)
To tie this together, Miguel is a practicing Catholic. But his family still lights candles on Friday night and nobody in Entrada eats pork.
There is a lot more to this tale, and several very engaging characters besides Miguel. A very satisfying reading experience, chosen from my overly expansive WTR list, based solely on a book with water on the cover that I picked up for a $1.99 five and a half years ago. My best surprise so far this year.
2025 ATY Summer Reading Challenge
Prompt 1b - A book with water on the cover
This novel really floated my boat. (No pun intended, there is a boat floating on water on the cover!) The book begins on two timelines: 1992 and 1492.
Miguel is a 14 year old living in a mountainous area of New Mexico in a tiny town called Estrada de la Luna (Gateway to the Moon). It’s an impoverished area, the population is mostly of mixed Mexican/indigenous descent. Miguel has a teacher who has really inspired him and he is enthralled by the night sky: the moon, the constellations he can recognize and the Milky Way. He even built his own telescope because he certainly cannot afford to buy one.
Now switch to 1492. Columbus is getting ready to set sail, going East to get to the West Indies. Something, I never put together was the timeline of Columbus’ expedition and the Spanish Inquisition. They both occurred at the same time. Spain was expelling all the Muslims and Jews, unless they converted and gave up their former religious beliefs. Many converted in public and practiced in private. (Crypto-Jews, a term with which I was not familiar.) It wasn’t long before many of these people accused of still practicing their old religion were hauled off to prison where they waited for months for a trial which they lost - sentenced to excruciating deaths by burning.
One of these Crypto-Jews sailed with Columbus. Others sailed later with Coronado. Well, the Spanish Inquisition happened in Mexico City as well. Another little piece of history of which I was unaware. In an effort to get as far away as possible from this religious persecution, some people traveled north to New Spain (now the state of New Mexico.)
To tie this together, Miguel is a practicing Catholic. But his family still lights candles on Friday night and nobody in Entrada eats pork.
There is a lot more to this tale, and several very engaging characters besides Miguel. A very satisfying reading experience, chosen from my overly expansive WTR list, based solely on a book with water on the cover that I picked up for a $1.99 five and a half years ago. My best surprise so far this year.
2025 ATY Summer Reading Challenge
Prompt 1b - A book with water on the cover
July 27, 2021
Family saga of conversos [Jews who forcibly converted to Catholicism in Medieval Spain], expelled from that country. The novel starts with a translator who sailed with Columbus on his first voyage reaching down through the centuries to a present-day teenager living in the small town, Entrada. New Mexico. The inhabitants still follow Jewish customs only they don't know why. Fascinating. Apparently there is such a place, according to the author in her Notes.
November 18, 2017
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I honestly thought this book was terrific. 4.5 but not rounding up mostly because I wanted more closure/more of the earlier story. To commend it: a well-written interesting story of history and historical fiction.
Setting: "In 1492, the Jewish and Muslim populations of Spain were expelled, and Columbus set sail for America. Luis de Torres, a Spanish Jew, accompanies Columbus as his interpreter. His journey is only the beginning of a long migration, across many generations. Over the centuries, de Torres’ descendants travel from Spain and Portugal to Mexico, finally settling in the hills of New Mexico. Five hundred years later, it is in these same hills that Miguel Torres, a young [teenage] amateur astronomer, finds himself trying to understand the mystery that surrounds him and the town he grew up in. "
The moon has an integral part of the narrative. It is used in navigation [early story]. Miguel is fascinated with it. And it even plays a role in menstrual cycles and impregnation. They all are tied together in this entrancing narrative. And the setting in New Mexico is a small town called Entrada de la Luna--Gateway to the Moon.
Columbus and his translator [Luis de Torres] are the genesis of the story. Some of the crossovers/mysteries [noted later in the novel]: why were some of the traditions observed in New Mexico so simlar to those of the Jews of the 15th century? For example, not eating pork, and lighting candles on Friday nites. Certain dishes that resonated across centuries and continents [i.e., Elena's visit to Morocco].
The earlier story was both heartbreaking and enchanting. Each time another piece was revealed I was more fascinated. The families that had to hide their Jewishness under the pretense of being conversos/New Christians.
Many of the characters in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries were real people [there is a list in the front of principal characters and they are duly noted as historical figures]. Some of the more interesting storylines: the love stories, the Inquisition, the history of cacao, the desire to die as a Jew (before the priests can give a Christian burial). The story of the crypto-Jews--in Spain and Portugal--and how they came to be in New Mexico was extremely engaging. I knew about the latter, but not the former.
The novel is populated with many characters past and present. But I liked the older story better. There were so many characters I loved--but they were primarily from the older story: including Inez Cordero, Beatrice, Francisco, Alejandro, Sofia, and Federico.
The later story (1992), also quite interesting in terms of the various characters [New Mexico]. Introduced here to Miguel, Roberto, MG, Vincent Roybal, the Rothsteins, Elena. And how they were interwoven--with each other and the earlier story--masterful.
And I learned the avocado was earlier called an alligator pear!
I am so fortunate to have read this book before its expected publication in April 2018. Put it on your to read lists.
Setting: "In 1492, the Jewish and Muslim populations of Spain were expelled, and Columbus set sail for America. Luis de Torres, a Spanish Jew, accompanies Columbus as his interpreter. His journey is only the beginning of a long migration, across many generations. Over the centuries, de Torres’ descendants travel from Spain and Portugal to Mexico, finally settling in the hills of New Mexico. Five hundred years later, it is in these same hills that Miguel Torres, a young [teenage] amateur astronomer, finds himself trying to understand the mystery that surrounds him and the town he grew up in. "
The moon has an integral part of the narrative. It is used in navigation [early story]. Miguel is fascinated with it. And it even plays a role in menstrual cycles and impregnation. They all are tied together in this entrancing narrative. And the setting in New Mexico is a small town called Entrada de la Luna--Gateway to the Moon.
Columbus and his translator [Luis de Torres] are the genesis of the story. Some of the crossovers/mysteries [noted later in the novel]: why were some of the traditions observed in New Mexico so simlar to those of the Jews of the 15th century? For example, not eating pork, and lighting candles on Friday nites. Certain dishes that resonated across centuries and continents [i.e., Elena's visit to Morocco].
The earlier story was both heartbreaking and enchanting. Each time another piece was revealed I was more fascinated. The families that had to hide their Jewishness under the pretense of being conversos/New Christians.
Many of the characters in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries were real people [there is a list in the front of principal characters and they are duly noted as historical figures]. Some of the more interesting storylines: the love stories, the Inquisition, the history of cacao, the desire to die as a Jew (before the priests can give a Christian burial). The story of the crypto-Jews--in Spain and Portugal--and how they came to be in New Mexico was extremely engaging. I knew about the latter, but not the former.
The novel is populated with many characters past and present. But I liked the older story better. There were so many characters I loved--but they were primarily from the older story: including Inez Cordero, Beatrice, Francisco, Alejandro, Sofia, and Federico.
The later story (1992), also quite interesting in terms of the various characters [New Mexico]. Introduced here to Miguel, Roberto, MG, Vincent Roybal, the Rothsteins, Elena. And how they were interwoven--with each other and the earlier story--masterful.
And I learned the avocado was earlier called an alligator pear!
I am so fortunate to have read this book before its expected publication in April 2018. Put it on your to read lists.
April 9, 2023
"Gateway to the Moon" by Mary Morris traces the journey and lives of Luis de Torres and his descendents during the time of the Spanish Inquisition and Christopher Columbus' sea voyages through the centuries until 1992 in New Mexico. Chapters alternate between past centuries and the present day (1992).
During the Inquisition, Jews were forced to convert to Catholicism or face death and torture. Many became conversos, but practiced Jewish customs and prayers in secret. Luis de Torres was a secret Jew who left his beloved family behind in order to escape the Inquisition. He became an interpretor for Columbus. The book has a lot of well-researched history in it.
I was drawn however, to the story line and characters of the present day, who were living in an impoverished town in New Mexico. My favorite characters were teen-aged Miguel Torres and his employer, Rachel Rothstein. Miguel babysits for Rachel's boys and sees, for the first time, that some of his mother's (unspoken about) customs are similar to Rachel's Jewish customs. The plot is more complex than this, looking at many other issues as well. Miguel and Rachel are appealing characters, although different from each other. Their lives intersect in interesting ways. I appreciated how the author ended the book with a satisfying explanation of Miguel's future. I was so taken with him! An added, delightful dimension for me was Miguel's all-consuming interest in the stars and constellations, which figured prominently in the story.
3.5 stars
During the Inquisition, Jews were forced to convert to Catholicism or face death and torture. Many became conversos, but practiced Jewish customs and prayers in secret. Luis de Torres was a secret Jew who left his beloved family behind in order to escape the Inquisition. He became an interpretor for Columbus. The book has a lot of well-researched history in it.
I was drawn however, to the story line and characters of the present day, who were living in an impoverished town in New Mexico. My favorite characters were teen-aged Miguel Torres and his employer, Rachel Rothstein. Miguel babysits for Rachel's boys and sees, for the first time, that some of his mother's (unspoken about) customs are similar to Rachel's Jewish customs. The plot is more complex than this, looking at many other issues as well. Miguel and Rachel are appealing characters, although different from each other. Their lives intersect in interesting ways. I appreciated how the author ended the book with a satisfying explanation of Miguel's future. I was so taken with him! An added, delightful dimension for me was Miguel's all-consuming interest in the stars and constellations, which figured prominently in the story.
3.5 stars
January 16, 2018
I just adore this book, a beautifully-written and compelling novel that sweeps across landscape and time. Set in present day New Mexico and 1492 Spain (when Jewish and Muslim populations were being expelled), the story unfolds in a dazzling, brilliant way. Another plus? Seeing my West from a new perspective--I wasn't aware that some Jewish communities had settled in the hills of New Mexico. Love this book, highly recommend.
August 19, 2019
My unenthusiastic reaction to this book marks me as an outlier.
To give some context: this book was selected by my reading group. And I agreed to facilitate the discussion. (Everyone has to be the facilitator at least once during the year’s reading.) I usually like to be the facilitator, but I found this novel completely uninspiring. Still, I pushed on with it, wondering how I would manage to facilitate a discussion with a dozen or so sharp-witted women who, I was afraid, would perceive my lack of enthusiasm.
Fortunately, when the book club leader sent out her final list of the year’s assignments, she somehow had not included me as the facilitator. Cosmic justice! I negotiated a different book with her, and I’m now relieved of the onerous duty towards this book I thought I had.
So, why did I find the book so uninspiring? Well, the concept is fascinating: people in New Mexico who call themselves Catholics but follow customs that are typically Jewish. It’s just that the evidence for these people being the descendants of conversos is sketchy. In fact, there is counter evidence that these supposed conversos are actually descendents of an obscure Christian sect that follows some customs (such as observing Saturday sabbath) that are similar to Jewish customs (see https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.thea...).
So, I am not too happy with Mary Morris for perpetuating a romantic belief that has only a sketchy factual basis.
But more to the point, I just don’t enjoy Mary Morris’s story. She is a wonderful prose stylist. But she can’t plot her way out of a barn door. We are introduced to Miguel, we are introduced to Rachel and her dysfunctional family, and then, what? The story goes back in time to Columbus‘s voyage and then back to Miguel who is nearly killed in a rain storm, and then back to the 16th century again with a new set of characters…
Her handling of the Miguel in the storm subplot was manipulative. We learned that Miguel, who is only 14, drives his car into an arroyo just before a major rainstorm turns the arroyo into a turbulent river that could drown him. Then it’s several chapters of early Spanish history before we get back to Miguel. And then we don’t really learn what happened to him. He continues in his role as a major character, so we conclude, without knowing any of the details, that he somehow survived the arroyo.
Mary Morris also get some details just plain wrong. For example she has a Taino Indian offer a mango to one of the European explorers on Columbus’s ship. But the mango is an Asian fruit, introduced to the new world by Europeans. A Taino would not have had one.
Well, I have vented my spleen in this review. During the discussion, I am going to be as quiet as I can manage. I’ll tell about the counter narrative that offers a different explanation of the supposed converso descendants. Other than that, I’ll try not to disturb the enjoyment other book group members may have derived.
To give some context: this book was selected by my reading group. And I agreed to facilitate the discussion. (Everyone has to be the facilitator at least once during the year’s reading.) I usually like to be the facilitator, but I found this novel completely uninspiring. Still, I pushed on with it, wondering how I would manage to facilitate a discussion with a dozen or so sharp-witted women who, I was afraid, would perceive my lack of enthusiasm.
Fortunately, when the book club leader sent out her final list of the year’s assignments, she somehow had not included me as the facilitator. Cosmic justice! I negotiated a different book with her, and I’m now relieved of the onerous duty towards this book I thought I had.
So, why did I find the book so uninspiring? Well, the concept is fascinating: people in New Mexico who call themselves Catholics but follow customs that are typically Jewish. It’s just that the evidence for these people being the descendants of conversos is sketchy. In fact, there is counter evidence that these supposed conversos are actually descendents of an obscure Christian sect that follows some customs (such as observing Saturday sabbath) that are similar to Jewish customs (see https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.thea...).
So, I am not too happy with Mary Morris for perpetuating a romantic belief that has only a sketchy factual basis.
But more to the point, I just don’t enjoy Mary Morris’s story. She is a wonderful prose stylist. But she can’t plot her way out of a barn door. We are introduced to Miguel, we are introduced to Rachel and her dysfunctional family, and then, what? The story goes back in time to Columbus‘s voyage and then back to Miguel who is nearly killed in a rain storm, and then back to the 16th century again with a new set of characters…
Her handling of the Miguel in the storm subplot was manipulative. We learned that Miguel, who is only 14, drives his car into an arroyo just before a major rainstorm turns the arroyo into a turbulent river that could drown him. Then it’s several chapters of early Spanish history before we get back to Miguel. And then we don’t really learn what happened to him. He continues in his role as a major character, so we conclude, without knowing any of the details, that he somehow survived the arroyo.
Mary Morris also get some details just plain wrong. For example she has a Taino Indian offer a mango to one of the European explorers on Columbus’s ship. But the mango is an Asian fruit, introduced to the new world by Europeans. A Taino would not have had one.
Well, I have vented my spleen in this review. During the discussion, I am going to be as quiet as I can manage. I’ll tell about the counter narrative that offers a different explanation of the supposed converso descendants. Other than that, I’ll try not to disturb the enjoyment other book group members may have derived.
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