Fic­tion

Rebec­ca of Ivanhoe

  • From the Publisher
September 1, 2024

This grip­ping sequel to Sir Wal­ter Scott’s Ivan­hoe fol­lows Rebec­ca, the Jew­ish heal­er res­cued by the knight Ivan­hoe, to Spain to escape the grow­ing per­se­cu­tion of Jews in Eng­land. They set­tle in Toledo’s Jew­ish quar­ter, and Rebec­ca is able to build a thriv­ing prac­tice as a heal­er. Her rep­u­ta­tion reach­es the ears of Rachel Esra, known as La Fer­mosa, the Jew­ish mis­tress of Alfon­so VIII, the King of Castile and Leon. Rebec­ca becomes Rachel’s heal­er and friend, and through Rachel, Rebec­ca meets a hand­some Jew­ish trad­er who helps her and her fam­i­ly dur­ing anti-Jew­ish riots foment­ed by Church offi­cials in Tole­do. Rebec­ca of Ivan­hoe brings to life a fas­ci­nat­ing chap­ter in medieval Spain and intro­duces read­ers to an indomitable, yet vul­ner­a­ble woman who ris­es above the restraints of her time to help her fam­i­ly sur­vive dur­ing a tumul­tuous time in medieval Spain as the Moors and Chris­tians bat­tle for con­trol of the country.

Discussion Questions