By Fire, By Water by Mitchell James Kaplan

Set in the 15th century Spain, during the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella: the time of the New Inquisition, the reconquest of Granada from Moors, the expulsion of all Jews from Spain, and Christopher Columbus’s so-called discovery of the Western Hemisphere. The story touches upon the dilemma of Jewish conversos – forced to convert or leave; viewed suspiciously by Catholics and questioningly by Jews. 

It is a story of Luis de Santangel, a man “caught between competing faiths, social classes, and loyalties…”

Luis de Santangel, chancellor to the court of King Ferdinand, is from a family of Jewish conversos. His ancestry gets revealed by a Jewish scribe, whom he befriends. When Santangel receives documents from a sailor by the name of Christopher Columbus, which don’t make sense to him, he passes them to the Jewish scribe. While the meaning of documents gets revealed, a deeper friendship develops between two men.

The story of Santangel from Zaragoza, N Spain, is intertwined with the story of a Jewish woman, Judith, from Granada, S Spain. Her brother, a silversmith, and his wife try to escape to Malaga, but die. She is left with an old man and a young boy to support. She sees no other way as to learn the craft of silversmith to support her family. The paths of Santangel and Judith cross. A friendship develops, which has a lasting impact on both of them.

Interestingly woven story, providing a good sense of place and time with characters you care for.

Release date: 18 May 2010

Publisher: Other Press (NY)