This was a beautifully constructed tale, set in Spain during the 16th century, when the Spanish inquisition expelled the Jews. Sitting alongside this historical world we also have the world of the Maziks, magical immortal beings who can only step into the human world during the full moon. These worlds are intertwined and mirror each other in nebulous ways: the upheaval of the expulsion of the Jews is reflected in a political power struggle in the world of the Maziks, and in the chaos of flight two young Jews, Toba Peres and Naftaly Cresques, become separated from the rest of their friends. Toba stumbles into the world of the Maziks, while Naftaly joins forces with an old woman who refuses to give her name, and must make his way through mortal Spain on his wits, while visiting Maziks in his dreams.

The structure of this book was very clever: the theme of linked duality emerges everywhere from the worldbuilding (mortal vs. Mazik world); plot structure (Toba vs. Naftaly's separate-but-related storylines); character (at one point Toba splits into two versions of herself, Toba and Toba Bet); and even the smallest details of magic. Naftaly, in learning to transform cloth into gold, learns that linen will hold the transformation but wool will revert more quickly.

There were some elements that were a bit confusing, in particular a certain amount of backstory that is revealed a little bit too slowly, so that by the time certain important events are revealed I've forgotten why they were important, since their initial hints that introduce them were so long ago. But overall, this is a fresh new story, and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.

Longer review to be posted on nerds-feather.com on 22 May 2024.