The Book of Splendor
by Frances Sherwood
On This Page
Description
Frances Sherwood brings to life the experience of the Jewish community during a period of oppression and rebirth. Set in seventeenth-century Prague, The Book of Splendor is an adventure-filled romance stocked with court intrigue and political tension, including the machinations of the rival Ottoman Empire, the religious controversies of Protestantism, and the constant threat of violence to the Jewish community. At the heart of the novel is Rochel, a bastard seamstress who escapes poverty show more through an arranged marriage to the tailor Zev, but falls in love with Yossel, the Golem created by Rabbi Loew to protect the Jewish community. Meanwhile, Emperor Rudolph II puts the safety of all Prague at risk in his mad bid for an elixir of immortality. The Book of Splendor is an epic tale reminiscent of Anita Diamant's The Red Tent, and a love story as unlikely as Tracy Chevalier's Girl with a Pearl Earring. Reading group guide included. show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
Ms. Sherwood uses earlier Golem stories and either her own imagination or other stories with which I am not familiar (or both) to write an interesting novel. Her acknowledgments at the end say what's true and some of what she made up.
Happily, not everyone dies at the end.
Happily, not everyone dies at the end.
started this at the 1-act play festival in kingston. the library rates this at 2*. i really liked it.
Ratings
Members
- Recently Added By
Lists
Books set in Prague
40 works; 1 member
Author Information
8+ Works 600 Members
Frances Sherwood lives in South Bend, Indiana.
Awards and Honors
Distinctions
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title*
- Il Vicolo d'oro
- Original title
- The Book of Splendor
- People/Characters
- Rabbi Judah Loew; Rochel; Zev Werner; Yossel; Rudolf Hasburg II; Tycho Brahe (show all 19); Johannes Kepler; Vaclav; Kirakos; Karel Vojtech; Perl Loew; Mayor Mordechai Maisel; Father Thaddaeus; Miriam Loew; Leah Loew; Zelda Loew; Fiegel Loew; Edward Kelley; John Dee
- Important places
- Praag, Tsjechië; Prague, Bohemia, Holy Roman Empire; Judenstadt; the Golden Ox; Altneu Synagogue; Astronomical Clock (show all 7); Castle
- Dedication
- To my son Leander Benjamin Madoo
- First words*
- Creating a golem requires patience, brilliance, study, prayer, and fasting.
- Last words*
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"For ye shall go out with joy." That was what she wished.
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
Classifications
- Genres
- Fiction and Literature, General Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance
- DDC/MDS
- 813.54 — Literature & rhetoric American literature in English American fiction in English 1900-1999 1945-1999
- LCC
- PS3569 .H454 .B66 — Language and Literature American literature American literature Individual authors 1961-
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 244
- Popularity
- 132,467
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (3.71)
- Languages
- English, German, Italian
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 8
- ASINs
- 2
