September 15, 2018
After pirates annihilate her family, Sofea is rescued and brought to Kedesh, a city full of foreign languages, unfamiliar customs, and unnerving graciousness. When she discovers it is a refuge for repentant criminals, she is horrified. But Eitan, a handsome metalsmith, is nothing like the murderous sea marauders she experienced, and his family's religion is very different from hers. As their passion ignites, they face the implications of their places in Kedesh as a shelter for one, a prison for the other. Set in 1388 BCE, Cossette's romance is a gripping story full of thought-provoking contrasts. The graphic descriptions of pillage and plunder are set against Eitan's colorful family life and Sofea's memories of the sea. The fear and suspicion inherent in Sofea's polytheistic religion deeply differs from the welcoming embrace of monotheistic Judaism. Most notably, the decorum of Old Testament-era life is enlivened by the timeless sizzle of desire as Cossette takes a fresh approach to biblical fiction with her deeply impassioned characters and electrifying ardor.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)