Hidden Star

Brown’s (Sanctuary Ranch) slightly muddled examination of the hidden Jews of the American Southwest blends the past and the present into a curiously fascinating whole. Set primarily in Estrella, N.Mex., and grounded in strong research, Brown’s tale follows the tribulations of present-day Rachel Ortega and 18th- century Rebeca Morales, who is outed as a Sephardic Jew during her wedding ceremony. Through frequent perspective shifts, the experiences of the two women separated by hundreds of years prove to be very similar, as both feel a sense of dislocation due to misinformation about their cultural heritage. Rachel’s crumbling marriage, the loss of her ancestral home, and the sudden disappearance of her two sons set her on a journey of discovery that leads her to the Hispanic Jewish heritage of early settlers escaping the Inquisition. The historical factual elements never fail to intrigue, but Rachel’s spiritual journey often feels like a discordant counterpoint to the richly embroidered tapestry of the original Jewish settlers that Brown depicts who were forced to hide their faith, even in the New World. Fans of historical fiction and those looking to learn more about the Sephardic diaspora will find much to enjoy here. (BookLife)

This review has been corrected. A previous version incorrectly listed an agent for the book when there was no agent.