Incantation by Alice Hoffman

I saw this when shopping for the WHHS LMC at the Scholastic Warehouse Sale with our bottle return money.  Hoffman's The Museum of Extraordinary Things was a great book, and I am glad I picked this up because it was amazing writing, but I'm absolutely heartbroken after reading it.

The story is set during the Spanish Inquisition (if you need a quick history lesson: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Inquisition).  During this time, Jews and Muslims were persecuted.  Even those who converted to Christianity were sometimes executed as fakers.  

The family central to the plot pretends to be Christian, but is secretly Jewish.  I don't feel I am spoiling this, as it is fairly obvious to the reader, but not to the main character, Esther (I am using her true Jewish name).  The giveaway was the Friday night candles.

Sadly, it is Esther's best friend who betrays the family, after a fight over a boy.  

The torture Esther's grandfather and mother endure is terrible.  It is a nausea-inducing read.  But, like my last review, not every story based on real history has a happy ending.

This was a really quick read; it took me just one evening.  It is rather short, but the length does not matter because the writing itself is so powerful.

Do NOT read this if a pet's murder (and worse) would be a trigger for you.  

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All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.