Ancient History
A Historical Fiction Collection
When the news is a source of discouragement, history becomes a source of optimism.
Historical fiction is dominated by 18-1900's Europe, a sort of recency bias. This collection turns the spotlight to historical fiction set before the 1800's. Refreshingly, fiction about earlier eras focuses more on Sephardic history, spanning southern Europe, the Middle East, northern Africa, and of course, Eretz Yisrael.
Historical fiction, especially when set far back, is a delicate balance between the personal and the global, character and politics. Each selection below is ranked to indicate where it falls on a scale from 1 star, more history-focused to 5 stars, more character-focused, so you can find your sweet spot on that scale.
A Stranger to My Brothers, Henye Meyer – A frightening accident leads Martin to leave his sheltered village and join the passing Crusaders. But he abandons the mob in disgust after witnessing the atrocities upfront, and he is left caring for Ephraim, a young survivor. Reluctantly, he joins the tight-knit Jewish community of Pera, which gives us laugh-out-loud scenes as Martin clashes with his gruff host. But despite Martin's attempts to fit in, the grandeur of Greece calls, where he tries and fails to find the glory he years for. The unique main character is moody and confused, and bristles and chafes at the life expected for him. Detailed and vibrant writing gives a genuine feel for the time and draws a stark picture of the contrast between communities finding their places in a changing world.
Read our conversation with Henye Meyer here.
Morning Star, Meir Uri Gottesman – The Deep Hollow community throws a grand performance to help their singles, starring the beautiful and talented Ayelet, who is determined to stay in the shadows. Yerushalayim prepares for the biggest ceremony of a generation, and young families join together in the Guarded Courtyard to raise their children on a shared mission. As the awaited day nears, sinister forces seek to undermine the holy outcomes, and only one young boy can make it to the finish line. But he leaves behind a little girl watching on the sidelines, waiting for her time. A vibrant, touching, and surreal dual-timeline story that connects world and hearts.
The Last Slave, Yehudis Kormornik – Tia is a beloved lady-in-waiting to Princess Basya struggling to adopt the hate that surrounds her. When she takes the leap and follows her beliefs, she’ll live with the repercussions forever until she acquires hate in a form she least expected. Since Naomi’s child was cruelly snatched from her arms, she is desperate for something to hope for but hardly dares to think of a better future. With emotional depth, sophisticated characters, and subtly woven themes of emunah, The Last Slave excavates the familiar terrain of galus mitzrayim and brings it alive with fast-paced emotional and psychological drama.
Read our conversation with Yehudis Kormornick here.
Song of Redemption, Zecharya Hoffman - Three teens narrowly escape their Babylonian captors during the first exile of King Yechanya, taking with them a cumbersome load that can not reach the wrong hands. Nesanel is brought close to young King Tzidkiyahu to provide friendship and advice but is the only one who recognizes the validity of Yirmiyahu’s words. Throughout a sweeping historical saga, we witness the destruction of the churban and the burden left on a broken generation as they rebuild. We then meet the next generation returning to Yerushalayim, facing the cunning Cushim. We follow four consecutive generations and a complete cycle of destruction and renewal, with strong themes and subtle intrigue.
Map the Starlight, Leah Gebber – Behind the mapmaker’s haven in The Call of Mallorca is a rigid collective run by tightfisted Mose. Aster holds her family down on solid ground and tries to protect them from tightening circumstances. When the black and white becomes too confining and all she loves moves further and further away, where can she turn? Nehmias is sent on an exile to find healing, but destruction follows wherever he goes. Ramon is filled with a fiery aversion to anything Hebrew, until a desperate friendship calls his passion into question. Nuanced characters converge and diverge as they search for their futures and struggle with their pasts.
Born to Rule, Sarah Feldbrand – A delightful coming-of-age story that gives a fascinating glimpse into an era of Jewish royalty, and the corruption and intrigue that clashed with the leadership of R’ Saadya Gaon and the great yeshivos. Growing up surrounded by adoration and privilege, a spoiled princess wishes to take part in the drama playing out in her own home. Together with her grieving aunt, she overcomes the vanity she was born into. But when her father's ruthlessness threatens her happiness and future, is there anything she can do to stop it?
Journey to the End of the Earth, Devorah Rand – Signs of the final geulah abound, but Jews must reach all corners of the earth before Mashiach can arrive. Rabbi Menashe ben Israel sets out to bring Jews to England, which has been free of Jews for centuries. His efforts take him through political intrigue in the English Parliament while fighting a disturbing movement at home. Yosef, a terrified refugee from the Chmielnicki Massacres arrives at the ben Israels' door and immediately is taken in, but the secrets he keeps threaten the bond he forms with Shmuel ben Israel. Based on a true story, which gives the detailed narrative a broad but grounded feel.
The Promised Child, Avner Gold – The classic historical fiction series that follows the Strasbourg family and friends through the 16th-18th centuries, through wars and pogroms, movements and upheavals. Dynamic characters meet with the great Rabbanim of their time and royalty, and we witness history upfront. The expanded Artscroll versions are based on the original books, with added storylines and additional chapters, and more focus on the gedolim of each era. Perfect for all ages from 6th grade and up. Best read in order, but some, like The Marrano Prince and The Imposter, can be read alone. (Available as an e-book.)
Lions in the Sky, B. Sasson Tawil– In a turbulent world of Christian civil war and Muslim conquest, the Jews are stuck in the middle. Hulda escapes from a sad childhood, only to be taken as a slave for a noblewoman in Gothic Spain. When a young Jewish girl is abducted, she is determined to bring her to safety. Elias’s passion to spread Torah embeds him with a Berber tribe and the Muslim armies at the center of history. Families are scattered and refugees search for a home, but can Jews be safe anywhere in a violent and clashing world? Dramatic, sweeping, and suspenseful, the Jewish perspective on the changing world of the Middle Ages.
Who is Like Your People, Henye Meyer – A vibrant saga based on the real life of Ovadiah the Ger, who leaves his aristocratic family in Italy and begins a search that ultimately leads him to embrace Judaism. The ordinary lives of the Jewish families who embrace him clash with the fiery idealism that set him on this path, and he must reconcile his passion and drive with the people who become his own. A detailed travelogue combines with personal drama as we follow the journeys and struggles of Ovadiah attempting to find his place.
Esperanza, Sarah Feldbrand – After an unsuccessful escape from the Inquisition, father and daughter both fight to rebuild their lives on foreign territory, thinking the other is gone. Somewhat more historical leaning, Esperanza’s enchanting strong personality guides us through the Italian Jewish community, as she reacts to the superficiality she sees in her friends and tries to make a difference.
I am desperately trying to get hold of Morning Star for my children, after I learned with them משניות פרה. But it is sadly out of print.
I find the original version of the Strasbourg series better. But both are excellent.