Zahara and the Lost Books of Light

Author(s): Joyce Yarrow

Location(s): Spain, Seattle

Genre(s): Fiction, Fantasy, Historical

Era(s): Medieval and Modern

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When Seattle journalist Alienor Crespo travels to Granada to apply for citizenship as a descendant of Jews expelled from Spain in 1492, she uncovers her own family story, along with a hidden treasure trove of medieval Hebrew and Arabic books, saved from the bonfires of the Inquisition. This “Library of Light” is being protected by a secretive group of literary caretakers. Alienor joins their struggle to safeguard the priceless books from discovery and destruction by a fanatical group devoted to restoring limpieza de sangre, purity of blood, to the Iberian Peninsula. Crespo forms mystical bonds with her female ancestors, both Jewish and Muslim, who once faced the same dark forces aligned against her. What began as a routine, freelance assignment becomes front page news in Spain’s growing confrontation with its troubled past. With a touch of magic realism honoring the mystics of Andalusia, as well as an emerging romance entangled in mystery, this fast-paced novel is rich with conflict and suspense.

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Book Reviews

Engrossing quest across time

Author: Carol LaHines

Alienor Crispo is a Seattle journalist on a quest to learn about her forbears. She has Vijitas, the gift of second sight, and is privy to the memories of female ancestors like heroic great-aunt Luzia who married a Muslim...

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Mesmerizing!

Author: Donnastram

Author Joyce Yarrow has created a unique tale founded in history, and delivers the story line with lyrical language, well-rendered characters, descriptive settings, and excellent pacing. Protagonist Alienor Crespo, a Seattle journalist, discovers she is eligible for Spanish citizenship...

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Lead Review

Author: Tina Hartas

Zahara and the Lost Books of Light is a hard book to classify. At one level it is an excellent thriller set in both the past (the Middle Ages, the second World War, and Franco’s...

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Storytelling at its best!

Author: author@tonimorganbooks

Although I knew that Jews and non-Christians had been expelled from Spain after living together for centuries, I knew little about what happened to them after they left Spain. In her novel, ZAHARA and...

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A fantastic adventure, a fun read, and a serious statement about the power of knowledge and truth

Author: c130jj

It is rare when I run across a book of fiction with great entertainment value that also has the capacity to educate the reader in a significant way. I say “capacity to educate” because...

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Viva la Convivencia and Visitations From the Past!

Author: jimmetzner

Brace yourself for a deep dive into the dark side of Spanish history, from the Inquisition to Franco. All seen through the eyes of a feisty contemporary heroine, Alienor Crespo and a posse of...

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Historical Fiction or Historical Fantasy, a great read

Author: author@tonimorganbooks

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