Book Review: Blood Libel by M. Lynes
Welcome to The Book's Delight. Today I'm reviewing Blood Libel by Michael Lynes, a fantastic historical thriller set in Seville, Spain during the Spanish Inquisition. Be sure to check back in a few weeks when I post my interview with Michael, we chat about history, writing and the impetus behind this wonderful book.
The Details:
My Review:
The Plot in Brief: A boy is murdered in Seville;
his death is blamed on the Jews. Father Alonso uses the tragedy to bring the Inquisition
to King Ferdinand’s favorite city. Isaac Alvarez, his wife Maria, both Coversos, and
their children are caught up in the hunt for unrepentant Jews. Isaac must
choose between helping his friends and saving his family. His only hope is to
solve the murder and remove the Jews from the bullseye.
The Characters: I loved Isaac and Maria.
They are so well drawn they really came to life under the author’s deft hand.
Isaac continues to practice his Jewish religion, meeting in secret with his
brethren. He is conflicted by his desire to protect his family and help his
friends who fall into the hands of the Inquisition. I really felt his emotions
as he struggled with his fears. Maria is a strong woman, unwavering in her love
of family. The priests of the Inquisition are treated with equal attention to
detail, their motivations laid out with a surprising twist at the end.
The History: Set in 1495, Lynes brings
the time period to life. The city of Seville is painted in great detail from the heat of a
summer’s day to a cool breeze on a terrace sipping a delightful sherry. The
author clearly did his research. I found the description of the Inquisition
both enlightening and horrifying.
The Writing: The book is well written
with a fast-paced plot. Told in both first and third person, the narrative
switches smoothly between Isaac and Father Alonzo. The story is well-edited. There are a couple of pages with wonky formatting, but not enough to affect my enjoyment of the book.
Overall: This was not an easy book to read.
It’s one of those stories where you just know something bad is going to happen.
Like watching a scary movie with one hand over your eyes. It’s coming. But that’s
not a bad thing. You can’t tackle a subject as awful as the Spanish Inquisition
and not have some unpleasantness. The history was great, the dual story lines
intriguing and in the end, it was also a super murder mystery.
Recommendations: I think anyone interested in general historical fiction will appreciate this novel. This with an interest in Spain and the Inquisition will find it enthralling.
Rating: I give this book 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I have included a link to Amazon for you to check out Blood Libel online. Also, please sign up for my monthly newsletter, The Book's Delight, for more historical fiction reviews, author interviews and guest posts!
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