Set in Medieval France in the 1000s, this book is a fiction love story about Rashi's eldest daughter, who the author calls Joheved. Salomen ben Isaac, known as Rashi, is the most famous Jewish commentator of the Bible and Talmud. I usually find romance novels rather dull because they tend to all tell the same story, but this book successfully combines wonderful historical fiction about Rashi and the Jewish religion in France in the middle ages and the lifestyle of the people along with the romance story.
There are some interesting religious facts woven into this story. For instance, I found it interesting that when the Joheved, and her sister Miriam were betrothed, they were considered married, although they were too young to marry at the time and did not actually marry their husbands for a year or longer after the betrothals. I have heard that was the custom also in Biblical days and so, Joseph and Mary were really considered to be married once they were betrothed even though they had not had a wedding yet.
There are other interesting characters and plots in this book as well and I really enjoyed it very much.
I want to read the other two books in this series, but my public library does not have them. I am going to see if they can get them on an inter-library loan.
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