From School Library Journal
Gr 7-9-Though uneven in intensity and characterization, this absorbing story unfolds with intrigue, suspense, and adventure. Esther Marchadi, 16, is trying to escape persecution in Spain. She manages to sign on with Columbus as a ship's boy, renamed Pedro, and the challenge of keeping her gender and the fact that she is Jewish a secret underlies the tension of the story. Her strength and determination develop slowly, and it is well into the story that readers discover the haunting atrocities she has witnessed. Many of the theories about Columbus are significantly woven in, especially that he had Jewish ancestry. However, there are elements in the story that are not quite believable. Esther adjusts to the routine and learns her tasks on the Santa Maria extremely well and quickly. Her crush on Columbus seems as out of place in the story as his squelching his own physical attraction to her after she confesses her true identity. Also the extensive historical information is presented in a heavy-handed way that, at times, interrupts the narrative's flow. However, in spite of these shortcomings the story is a good one. Because Esther knows her life is in danger on the ship, she gets off in Gran Canaria. She has achieved a degree of freedom and readers are left to wonder what will become of her.
Renee Steinberg, Fieldstone Middle School, Montvale, NJ
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Gr. 5-9. Lean and scruffy, Lewin's narrator seems like any other Catholic cabin boy aching to escape the summer heat of 1492 coastal Spain in favor of the high seas. But as the gifted German author soon illustrates, things are not always what they seem. Esther is neither a cabin boy nor a Catholic. She is a frightened young Jewess, the daughter of Cordoba's rabbi--desperately hoping to slip past the murderous Spanish Inquisition by way of Christopher Columbus' fleet. The masquerade and the experiences Esther faces make for an intriguing story, which Lewin delivers in tender, vivid prose that adds depth, detail, and personal perspective to the history. A familiar historical fiction convention, skillfully decked out here.
Kelly HallsCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved