Early Praise
Kirkus Reviews says:
“A well-constructed, highly informative historical novel.”
Clarion Reviews says:
“Based on true events and real people, At Vitoria pays homage to a community with strong roots and family ties. The little-known historical details make this an eye-opening and satisfying read.”
World’s Best Footballer on OnlineBookClub.org review:
★★★★★ At Vitoria by Marcia Riman Selz is an exceptional historical novel that effortlessly evokes a spectrum of emotions through its vivid storytelling. The narrative masterfully captures the reader’s feelings, from the outrage over Antonio’s and the Conversos’ brutal execution in Segovia to Vidal Crevago’s despair with each journey. The weight of Benjamin Crevago’s secret, the sorrow over Isaac’s demise, Cassela’s suffering and her tragic end, the touching romance between the orphans Rina and Avram, and the ultimate triumph in the establishment of the Plaza of the Spanish Jews in Viktoria—all these elements are portrayed with dramatic flair.The novel’s seamless integration of Hebrew terminology alongside English translations enriches the reading experience, eliminating the need for frequent glossary consultations.
My admiration for this literary work is boundless. It earns a perfect score for setting an evocative prologue that leads into a narrative told with clarity and precision. The author’s meticulous word selection and attention to detail immerse the reader in the story, making one feel like an eyewitness to the unfolding events. The book’s impeccable editing and absence of errors contribute to its excellence. I wholeheartedly endorse “At Vitoria” to anyone interested in regional and modern history, social policy, and those who cherish a blend of drama, fiction, and factual storytelling.
The narrative’s vivid portrayal effectively evoked a spectrum of emotions throughout the story. The outrage over Antonio and the other Conversos’ brutal public execution in Segovia was palpable, as was Vidal Crevago’s recurring sense of hopelessness post-mission, Benjamin Crevago’s inner turmoil due to a guarded secret, the sorrow from Isaac’s demise, the tragic narrative of Cassela’s mistreatment and death, the touching romance between the orphaned Rina and Avram, and the uplifting sense of reconciliation with the establishment of the Plaza of the Spanish Jews in Viktoria, celebrating the harmonious relationship between the Basque and Jewish communities.
I didn’t dislike anything about this book. The author’s skillful integration of Hebrew terminology alongside English translations added a layer of accessibility, eliminating frequent references to the glossary.
My appreciation for the book is complete, with no aspects falling short of my expectations. I would rate this book a 5-stars rating.
Marcia Fine for GoodReads says:
★★★★★ I couldn’t put this book down. With a glossary, bibliography and questions for reading groups this is a good book club choice. Brava!
Ann for GoodReads says:
★★★★★ I highly recommend this book to anyone that loves reading about history especially church and Jewish history.
Michelle for GoodReads says:
★★★★★ I learned a lot and enjoyed every minute reading it. Thanks Ms. Selz for your obsession and for sharing the story with us.
★★★★★
I bought this as a gift and my friend was delighted to receive it!
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 25, 2023“The subject matter is unusual and uplifting! It shows how genuine love of neighbor can triumph amidst abject evil.”
★★★★★
I love historical fiction.
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 27, 2021“This is a great read, a great history, a need to know history, and a sad history. It is personal, historical, uplifting and tragic at the same time. Marcia Selz writes well, tight and easy to read and compelling. The story is about the Jews of the Basque region of Spain and their history as told through the history of particular families. It shows that the roots of the Nuremberg Laws in Germany against the Jews were in part copied from the laws against Jews in Spain. I highly recommend this book.”
★★★★★
A Wonderful & Interesting Read!
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 7, 2020“At Vittoria is a wonderful and interesting read that taught me more about life in the Jewish community during the Spanish Inquisition. Such a great reminder of how different people with different backgrounds can all get along and work together supporting each other’s community needs. I enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend it for book clubs and adult education learning!”
★★★★
Sad and timely
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 29, 2019
“This was a very interesting and moving account of another one of the mass tragedies in human history. The truth based story of how a community decides to change or migrate as a result of extreme political changes is as timely now as in the 15th century. The writer’s style was not as good as the story, but it is the story that matters. This is well-worth reading if you are a student of history, Jewish or not.”
★★★★★
I enjoyed the book very much!
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 12, 2021“Very well written. The author has a talent that makes you feel the emotions of the characters through her words. I enjoyed the book very much.”
★★★★★
Great novel!
Reviewed in the Spain 🇪🇸 on May 25, 2018“I loved the book! There were 3 things that specially surprised me:
1st the fluidity of the narrative being the first book of this author
2nd the emotion that you can feel in many passages of the book: from love to anger, and from joy to sadness.
And 3rd the love and respect how the author covers the fact that the Christian citizens of Vitoria respected the Aljama cemetery for nearly 500 years.
You can feel as you read the book all the effort, research, love & passion that the author used to write it. Go ahead & read it! You will love it!
San Diego Jewish World says:
“Selz’s depiction of the home lives of the extended Crevago family are so evocative, at times I felt I was sitting down with the family at the main meal.”
Mamta Madhavan for Readers’ Favorite says:
★★★★★ “At Vitoria” will introduce readers to the Jews and Christians who resided in Vitoria, Spain. Readers are taken on a journey along with the Crevago family and see how they managed to live in harmony with their Christian neighbors. This historical novel is informative and the trauma undergone by the Jews during that period is heartrending and palpable to readers.
kislany for OnlineBookClub.org says:
★★★★ out of 4 stars. The book grabbed me from the moment the Crevagos were heatedly discussing a particular cemetery. The argument made me curious to learn the fate of said resting place. By the end of the story, however, I’ve learned more than expected about a dark time in Europe’s history.
Christine Kelley, Claremont Graduate University says:
Thank you again for coming to CGU and giving such a great talk Wednesday. I wrote a blog post about it for our CDO blog.
Blueink Review says:
“… At Vitoria should hold strong appeal to students of Jewish history and tradition.”
★★★★★ A Different Story about the Spanish Inquisition.
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 7, 2019“This is a well-researched historical novel about Medieval Spain which gave birth to the Inquisition as seen through the eyes of a family from a town, Vitoria, where Jews and Christians led a peaceful and mutually respectful coexistence. Selz seamlessly integrates a feel for the Jewish ghetto and the sacred and mundane lives of its inhabitants in a sensitive manner. The literary convention of starting and ending in 1952, with the middle section detailing a ten year period 500 years earlier, gives current context to a landmark in contemporary Vitoria-Gasteiz which hearkens back to that period and shows that interfaith contacts were not always contentious and illustrates the strong desire of the current residents to continue to honor a centuries old promise. It is a pleasure to read an account of a dark period in history in light of something uplifting.”
★★★★★
Well Researched and easy to read
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 9, 2018“I recently read this book for a book group and was so impressed by the thoroughness of the research done by the author. This was her first novel and the entire group felt that it was well written and easy to read. I learned a lot about the people of At Vitoria and their honor and commitment to their promise to the Sephardic Jews of Medieval times. I look forward to the next novel by Marcia Selz.”
★★★★★
Bringing History Alive
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 10, 2018“Once a researcher, always a researcher. The detail of the 15 century is impressive. While the book reads and flows as a novel, it provides a wonderful opportunity to get under the skin and into the hearts of the characters. I learned a lot and enjoyed every minute reading it. Thanks Ms. Selz for your obsession and for sharing the story with us.”
★★★★★
A real page turner!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on June 10, 2018“A great read of a gripping story which is all the more powerful because it is true. The final denoument took me by surprise and was very moving. The author’s clear depiction of the main characters helped outline the challenging decisions which needed to be made by this community, which was regularly faced with impossible obstacles. I highly recommned this book.”
EJS
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 26, 2018