Historical Fiction

I. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Lasky, Kathryn. 2004. BLOOD SECRET. New York: Harper Collins.

II. PLOT SUMMARY

Jerry is a fourteen-year-old girl traumatized by the disappearance of her mother. As a result, she has been struck with selective mutism. She lives in many Catholic Charities homes before being sent to live with her great-great-aunt Constanza. There, she discovers an old trunk in the basement, and begins to discover her family’s past. The items inside reveal the lives of many distant relatives from Spain. Jerry discovers the tragic stories of her ancestors, who were Jewish during the Spanish Inquisition. Jerry slowly finds her voice as she discovers the truth of her Jewish background and the horrible atrocities her ancestors faced from being baptized by force to being burned at the stake.

III. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The setting of BLOOD SECRET begins in modern day Colorado; however, as the story unfolds the settings begin to change. Jerry moves in with her aunt in New Mexico and discovers an old trunk in her basement. The moment she opens the trunk, the setting moves to Seville, Spain,1391. Lasky provides the reader with a subtitle as the reader is taken from the modern day to another time and place.

Lasky does a good job of introducing the reader to the sights and experiences of the Jewish people in fourteenth century Spain. Each time Jerry returns to the trunk, a new character’s story is revealed. As each new character from the past is introduced, Lasky provides a subtitle, place and time and the character’s name. The story moves back and forth from modern day, to fourteenth and fifteenth century Spain, and ultimately Mexico in the seventeenth century. Each time change introduces the reader to a new character, and they tell their story in first person.

The plot of the story is sometimes complicated because the author introduces so many new characters throughout history. The story covers a great deal of time, as more that five hundred years pass as Jerry unfolds the secrets of her family’s past. However, as each character reveals their story in first person, their stories come to life. The reader learns about the daily life for Jews in Spain. The hardships and discrimination are plainly described. The violence toward the Jews is not sugarcoated. Through the character, Luis, the reader learns of the most horrible fate some Jews faced by the Inquisitors. He witnesses the construction of a quemadero or place of burning, where his own parents are killed by being burned alive.

The author’s style allows the reader to understand the language and customs introduced. Often, throughout the story, Spanish or Hebrew phrases are introduced, and Lasky very fluidly provides the definitions for these phrases. However, the book does not employ this too often, which might have made the book more difficult to understand. The author also utilizes first person narratives from the characters, allowing the authentic voice of each character to be heard. The book is well researched and authentic but does not overwhelm the reader with facts from the period. In fact, the reader instead experiences the Spanish Inquisition from the perspective of those who were persecuted.

Perhaps the most effective aspect of this story is the theme presented. At the opening of the story, young Jerry is unable to speak and struck with selective mutism. As she discovers the history of her people, she slowly regains her voice. It is as if she is lost and then found. Her ancestors have reached through time to tell their story and reveal her true identity. She learns the reasons for her great-great-aunt’s superstitions and comes to understand why her family has lost their Jewish heritage.

Overall, this story is told in a unique fashion. It is revealed slowly and methodically, weaving back and forth from past to present. The book is somewhat difficult to follow because of the amount of time covered. However, the author does provide a family tree, which may assist readers with the timeline. The books powerful message of finding ones true self rings true for any reader, no matter their background, making it a relevant story for all young people.

IV. REVIEW EXCERPTS

“The story of Jerry's ancestors is skillfully interwoven with that of her present life. With each glimpse into her past, she is drawn more into her own family circle with her aunt. A well-told and satisfying story”—School Library Journal

“The esoteric time lapses that lead into the ancestors' stories are vague and contrived, as are some of the complicated connections between generations. Even so, Lasky's quiet, layered novel introduces history, particularly from a Jewish perspective, that's rarely covered in books for youth while asking sophisticated questions about faith, the legacy of persecution, the power of silence, and the deep mysteries of what's passed between generations.”--Booklist

V. CONNECTIONS

**Learn more about the Jewish holidays and traditions described in the book. See: JEWISH HOLIDAYS ALL YEAR ROUND: A FAMILY TREASURY written by Ilene Cooper; illustrated by Elivia Savadier in association with the Jewish Museum, New York.
CELBRATIONS: OUR JEWISH HOLIDAYS written and illustrated by Melanie Hope Greenberg.THE FAMILY TREASURY OF JEWISH HOLIDAYS by Malka Drucker; illustrated by Nancy Patz