Rachel

August 1, 2009
Antons final volume in the Rashis Daughters trilogy is about Rachel, the youngest and most beautiful daughter of the great medieval Jewish scholar Rav Salomon ben Isaac (Rashi). Newly married to Eliezer, a merchant who adores her, she looks forward to a life of scholarship and family. Since Rashi had no sons and a modern outlook, he instructed his daughters in Torah and Talmud. Unfortunately, world politics interfered. The First Crusade led to the massacre of Germanys Jews, so Eliezer wants to move his family to safety in Spain. Rachel would like to stay in Troyes, France, where her father has established a yeshiva, the only remaining center of Jewish learning in Europe. She also wants to help care for Rashi, who has had a stroke. Anton gives readers a well-researched portrait of Jewish life in medieval France. This will appeal to both historical-fiction and romance readers who enjoy strong female protagonists.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)