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A World on Fire
Six lands, three religions, one true love.1497. The Mediterranean is in upheaval, and Beatríz, finds herself in the midst of the turmoil. Expelled from Spain along with the rest of the country’s Jews not five years earlier, she is horrified to learn of the Portuguese king’s decree that all Jews must covert to Christianity. Beatríz has promised her fiancé, Yusef, a merchant at sea, that she will wait for him in Lisbon, but when events spiral out of control, Beatríz faces conversion, death, or separation. If she stays, what of her identity? If she goes, how will she find Yusef again? Leaving offer land wars, civil wars, religious wars, not to mention plagues, pirates, starvation, and others who would desire her conversion to Christianity or Islam. The world is on fire. Which way to turn? Based on real events.
415 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2019
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August 19, 2022
All arranged: daughter of a rich family, engaged to the son of another rich family, ready to get married, have children and be happy.
But the Catholic kings in 1492 issued an edict to expel the Jews from their land, and then had Manuel, King of Portugal, do the same in 1497.
And so, the story of Beatriz, who was going to be a "princess", became a nightmare: fleeing her land, death of her parents-in-law and her blood parents, rape, attempted abortion, death of her fiancé. A tragedy.
And all because of religious differences. Sad that men fight over things that are only in our minds and have no material existence. Especially for Beatriz, who did not understand Hebrew, Latin or Arabic, and she really did not care if she prayed to any God. However, by different ways of thinking, she destroyed her world.
Excellent novel to understand a little the fights between these ways of thinking, so similar and so different.
But the Catholic kings in 1492 issued an edict to expel the Jews from their land, and then had Manuel, King of Portugal, do the same in 1497.
And so, the story of Beatriz, who was going to be a "princess", became a nightmare: fleeing her land, death of her parents-in-law and her blood parents, rape, attempted abortion, death of her fiancé. A tragedy.
And all because of religious differences. Sad that men fight over things that are only in our minds and have no material existence. Especially for Beatriz, who did not understand Hebrew, Latin or Arabic, and she really did not care if she prayed to any God. However, by different ways of thinking, she destroyed her world.
Excellent novel to understand a little the fights between these ways of thinking, so similar and so different.
Displaying 1 of 1 review