AUDIOBOOK REVIEWS:

READERS’ FAVORITE, BRENDA DANIELS, 5 STARS

By Light of Hidden Candles by Daniella Levy is a story about two students, Manuel, a Spanish Catholic living in the USA, and Alma, an American Jew. Manuel and Alma set off from the USA for Spain to do a stint of academic research that involves the centuries-old Spanish Inquisition and both students’ family connections to it. As they make slow progress in the archives, the characters’ friendship grows and they reveal their religious faiths: Alma through her need for careful kosher eating, Manuel through his questions, doubts, and love for his Christian faith and his mysterious attraction to Judaism. The present-day story also alternates with that of 15th-century Spain, in which Miriam, a Jew, is directly threatened by the Spanish Inquisition and helped by a Spanish Catholic.

The two storylines eventually coalesce as the archives reveal their evidence and it is only at the very end that the reader understands what the title By Light of Hidden Candles really means. Daniella Levy has woven together a love story set against genuine faith, the rigors and mystery of academic research, and the long-term effects of the Inquisition on families. I appreciated this mix as it elevates romance, gives dignity to religious faith, and makes for absorbing and enjoyable reading.

Lori Felipe-Barkin’s narration of the audio version of By Light of Hidden Candles is excellent. The present-day characters of Manuel (Spanish) and Alma (American), told in first person, and 15th-century Miriam (Jewish), told in third person, have distinct accents and tones and Felipe-Barkin easily switches between them. She captures well the emotions of the characters and the many humorous parts of the story. This made for a lively and credible listening experience.

PAPERBACK REVIEWS:

LIBRARY JOURNAL

Levy, Daniella. By Light of Hidden Candles. Kasva. Oct. 2017. 370p. ISBN 9780991058471. pap. $14.95. F

[DEBUT] Alma Ben-Ami is next in line to attempt to solve the mystery handed down through the generations of her Jewish family, from grandmother to grand-daughter, that involves returning a gold signet ring to its owner or his descendants. Determined to end this 500-year-old quest, Alma signs up for a class at New York University that promises archival research. Manuel Aguilar and his mother moved to New York from Spain several years ago, and he is now also attending NYU. Having grown up Catholic, Manuel even considered becoming a priest once he finishes his education, but in the meantime, he wanders into a Judaica store and meets Alma, with whom he strikes up a friendship. Alma and Manuel team up and head to Spain with their class for a semester to research their respective family histories. What they find growing between them as well as what is hidden in the archives surprises them both.

Verdict: This debut from author Levy is part history lesson and part love story that spans from the Spanish Inquisition to present-day Manhattan. Levy provides plenty of detail for the history lover about being Jewish in today’s world and over the centuries as well as a sweet and poignant love story for romance fans. A story that is often funny, always intriguing, and at times suspenseful.
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​—Lisa Jordan, Johnson Cty. Lib., Overland Park, KS

JEWISH BOOK COUNCIL, MICHAL HOSCHANDER MALEN

Jew­ish and reli­gious­ly obser­vant NYU col­lege stu­dent, Alma, has an oppor­tu­ni­ty to do research in Spain for her class geneal­o­gy project. Her grand­moth­er, suf­fer­ing from Alzheimer’s dis­ease and inter­mit­tent mem­o­ry loss, hopes Alma can solve a long­time fam­i­ly mys­tery while she’s there.

The fam­i­ly has roots in pre-Inqui­si­tion Spain and a fam­i­ly sto­ry, or a dimin­ish­ing por­tion of one, has been passed down through­out the years from moth­er or grand­moth­er to daugh­ter or grand­daugh­ter. Along with this sto­ry comes a pre­cious arti­fact, a heavy gold ring with a crest, and a plea to return this ring to its orig­i­nal Span­ish own­er, who is com­plete­ly unknown.

Alma’s research part­ner, Manuel, a young man with Span­ish roots who plans to become a priest, also has fam­i­ly his­to­ry to pur­sue in Spain in addi­tion to the class project. He and Alma team up to solve their genealog­i­cal and his­tor­i­cal mys­ter­ies as their friend­ship deep­ens and blossoms.

Alter­nate chap­ters bring the read­er back in time to the days of the Span­ish Inqui­si­tion, where the read­er meets one of Alma’s ances­tors, Miri­am. The read­er learns much about the time peri­od and the tribu­la­tions of a young Jew­ish woman and her fam­i­ly as they make fate­ful choic­es in order to pre­serve their Jew­ish iden­ti­ties and her­itage in the face of great danger.

Romance abounds in the past and present. Along with Jew­ish his­to­ry and geneal­o­gy, lessons learned include the val­ue of chart­ing one’s own course in life, the impor­tance of eth­i­cal con­sis­ten­cy, and why one must keep a clear sense of val­ues. The plot relies a bit too much on coin­ci­dence but there is much to like and much to learn in this his­tor­i­cal nov­el for read­ers ages 13and up.

BARBARA STARK-NEMON, AUTHOR OF EVEN IN DARKNESS

Daniella Levy’s first historical novel, By Light of Hidden Candles, includes many attractive aspects: main characters who transcend our expectations, a mystery originating in Inquisition-era Spain and Morocco, a touch of chaste romance, and a whiff of magical realism. Alma Ben-Ami doesn’t quite fit the stereotype of the contemporary religious Jewish girl in New York: with a healthy dose of sass and spunk, she confidently claims her religious observance while taking risks to forge an independent path and fulfill a mission passed down through the centuries by the women in her family. She partners in this effort with a young Spanish student with his own family mysteries to solve; add to the mix the fact that he is a Catholic considering the priesthood, and the plot complications multiply. Moving back and forth in time throughout the novel, Levy respectfully navigates the sensitivities of religious boundaries, the delicacies of falling in love, the demands of family honor and loyalty, and the complicated history through which the generations of characters in the book travel. She evokes the rich legacy of Sephardic Jewish Spain, leading her young characters to meaningful, life-affirming answers. A well-researched and engaging debut, By Light of Hidden Candles is an enchanting read.

MIDWEST BOK REVIEW, D. DONOVAN, SENIOR REVIEWER

“By Light of Hidden Candles . . . blends history, a purpose from the past, and the evolution of a modern relationship into its web of intrigue with a tale that is especially vivid. . . . The blend of historical quest and modern-day confrontation is lively and well done . . . [especially recommended] for audiences who enjoy thought-provoking blends of spiritual examination, interpersonal interactions and growth, history's effects on the present, and the experiences that bring ancestral history to rest in a compromise that follows two very different new adults in their strange and revealing journey.”

DOREEN CARVAJAL, AUTHOR OF THE FORGETTING RIVER

A shiny gem of a novel that seamlessly explores the harrowing history of the Spanish Inquisition with the very contemporary quest of two university students to resolve the mysteries of their families indelibly scarred across centuries by religious persecution. The unexpected twists, roadblocks and triumphs are an inspiration to all amateur genealogists who have sought to unravel their own family sagas.

BARB TAUB, MEMBER OF THE ROSIE AMBER REVIEW TEAM, BARBTAUB.COM

"I'd recommend By Light of Hidden Candles to anyone who enjoys historical romances, gentle mysteries, and a realistic depiction of the challenges of conflicting religious beliefs. . . . I sympathised with [Alma's] conflict even while cheering for the young lovers. And really — who wouldn't love five hundred years of star-crossed romance and a mystery to solve?"

SARAH JOHNSON, THE HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY

“Entertaining, culturally rich, and fearless in speaking of complex theological questions . . . Alma and Manuel's in-depth discussions about her Jewish customs, his Catholicism, and where they overlap and differ all feel honest and real. Their humorous banter keeps the pacing brisk. . . . The plotline relies on coincidence at times but has an enjoyably satisfying outcome.”