Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 03/01/2020 In 1483, the Inquisition cast a shadow over many living in Spain. Born into a powerful Jewish family, young Loma becomes a traveling companion and, increasingly, caretaker and advisor for Belo, her ailing, autocratic grandfather. For years, she watches and learns as he uses his wiles, his family’s wealth, and his longstanding relationships with the Spanish monarchs and archbishops to protect the Jews. As she matures, Loma aches to marry and raise a family, but she must set that dream aside. And by 1492, when the Jews are expelled from Spain, her experiences on the road have brought her the wits, wisdom, and determination she needs to survive and help her people. Inspired by family history, Levine’s latest novel offers a fascinating portrayal of Loma as a shy, conciliatory, intelligent child whose unusual upbringing leads to broad understanding and insights into power. The first-person narrative uses details of daily life to bring the period more sharply into focus for readers, while the appended author’s note offers further information. A well-researched historical novel from an accomplished storyteller. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 05/01/2020 Gr 5–8—Readers first meet Loma, a young Jewish girl living in late 15th-century Spain, when she is seven years old. Readers watch as she navigates life as the granddaughter of a powerful Jewish leader. As the title of Levine's new novel suggests, Spain in the late 1400s was a perilous place for Jewish people. This was the time of the Spanish Inquisition, during which the Jewish community was persecuted and ultimately exiled from Spain. Loma's grandfather is one of the wealthy Jewish figures who uses his connections, money, and skills to help Jewish people and tries to prevent forced conversions to Christianity. As her grandfather's traveling companion across Spain, Loma gets a firsthand look at the superstitions, ceremonies, and sacrifices that governed daily life during a cataclysmic and dangerous time. Loma witnesses, up close, King Ferdinand's and Queen Isabella's efforts to "defeat the infidel," meaning Spain's Muslim people. She also observes her grandfather's efforts to keep her people temporarily safe from harm. Although she loves and respects her grandfather, Loma is also devoted to her parents and siblings and looks forward to being married and starting her own family. She is loyal to her beloved grandmother's memory and is a loving aunt to the "littles," as she refers to her growing number of nieces and nephews. Levine skillfully juxtaposes the larger religious battles taking place in Spain with Loma's dreams for her future. VERDICT This story of adventure and bravery under unstable circumstances will appeal to mature readers who enjoy historical fiction and tales of courage.—Shelley Sommer, Inly School, Scituate, MA - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.