Rivka’s Way by Teri Kanefield

Available from Armon Books, reissued in 2011.

What a beautiful, magnificent story.

By beautiful, I mean well written with a flowing storyline that captures readers—especially those interested in the coming of age tales of young women in historic time periods.

And magnificent doesn’t mean what reviewers usually mean, that it’s full of action stuffed in there just for action’s sake. No, Rivka’s Way is magnificent for all the right reasons to call a book magnificent…because it moves you as a reader, because it takes you into a new world and a new time, because it conveys the world of the protagonists in a manner that creates emotional connections.

The story takes place in Prague in 1778. This is the Jewish quarter, a walled enclave. The wall both protects the community from those who would destroy it and separates members who wish to know about the wider world, the one where change is sweeping through at an ever faster rate.

When Rivka finds the daring to dress as a gentile boy and explore that world, her heart is drawn to many things. The city, its vibrant life, a gentile she meets…and the particular beauty of her own small home world.

This is a story that you won’t easily forget. I would love to see more from this author, and I’ll bet that you’ll agree after reading only a few chapters.

I received a free copy through Goodreads for review.

5 stars!

If you enjoyed this review, please leave a tip!