"Doreen Carvajal has undertaken an extrordinary journey, and the story she tells is both personal and universal."
– Anne Lamott
"[A] compelling mix of memoir and reporting."
–
O, The Oprah Magazine
“Unforgettable…Carvajal immerses herself and her readers in the ringing of Arcos’ ancient bells, the stories of its town historian, or cronista, and, most of all, the performance of haunting religious songs known as ‘saetas’ that may have originated as Jewish laments.”
– Chicago Tribune
“Darkly poetic.”
– Christian Science Monitor
“This book is an important addition to the record of Jewish history, not because it describes what history books already can tell us but because it evokes a personal sense of both loss and redemption growing out of that brutal history.”
– Kansas City Star
“Carvajal is a journalist who understands the nuance and beauty of travel writing. Combining this gift with this highly personal story, she creates a book that shimmers with enchantment, pulling the reader into her life with gentle tugs on the heartstrings. What she calls ‘hunting family ghosts’ will resonate with anyone who has ever felt out of place where they were and dreamed of finding another heritage just one layer beneath the one they had always accepted as the bedrock of their self-definition.”
– The Jewish Book Council
“A mesmerizing journey through time, across cultures and into one woman’s rich personal history.”
– Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Carvajal’s powerful prose is strong enough to hold these divergent story lines in a cohesive and engaging narrative of self-discovery and historical investigation.”
– Publishers Weekly
“Such an intriguing topic, and Carvajal…certainly knows how to write.”
– Library Journal
“[Carvajal’s] exploration reveals the fascinating legacy of the Jewish conversos…Her experiences not only reflect a heartfelt attempt to recapture a lost identity but also serve as a launching point for a wider exploration of the repercussions of the Inquisition.”
– Booklist
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