Young Adult Book Reviews

Genre:  Historical Fiction/Multicultural Literature

Age Level:  14 and up

# of pages:  166

RAC Book:  Yes

Estrella is living in Spain in 1500.  During this time in Spain anyone who was Jewish or converted to Christianity has the possibility of being persecuted in court.  As some neighbors of Estrella’s are taken away and she hears the charges against them she comes to the realization that she too is Jewish, but her family pretended to be Christian in order to survive. 

Once Estrella learns she is really Jewish, her entire world comes crashing down as she realizes that nothing in her world is really what she thought it was.  Her best friend betrays her when Estrella falls for the boy she had planned to marry.  She learns many secrets about her family and what they have had to do in order to ensure their secret stay hidden.  Finally, she learns that she has not even known her real name until now.

Incantation shows students that Jewish persecution did not just happen in Nazi Germany.  Jews have been persecuted for years for their beliefs and this story sheds some insight onto what it is like to have everything taken from you because of the faith you believe in.   While this story has many sad moments, it is also comforting that through it all Estrella has hope that somewhere there is a place where she could live as she is free from persecution.