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Review Excerpts
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Historical Novels Review – February 2008
“In the 1590s, news reached Italy of the source of Asia’s
outstanding jewels. And there begins the tale of Abraham and what
happens to him in Pegu, a Burmese kingdom noted for its rubies,
sapphires, and spinels… This is a first novel of merit, a quiet and
thoughtful read about different kinds of freedoms, about prejudice
and about finding oneself, about culture shock and cultural
differences. Watching Abraham open out like a flower in the society
of Pegu, we too gain insights into what people can become. A book to
reread and cherish.”
-- Patrika Salmon |
Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers – Spring
2008
“An immensely satisfying historical novel, Hantover's debut reveals
an unlikely romance between a dour Jewish jewel trader and a young
Burmese girl in the late 16th century… A wondrous tale of two very
different people who find a way to make a home and a life in each
other's hearts.” |
The American Jewish World – January 25, 2008
“In The Jewel Trader of Pegu, author Jeffrey Hantover creates a
vivid portrait of life in Southeast Asia of the 16th century, as
seen through the eyes of Abraham, a Jewish trader from Venice on a
mission to buy gemstones. Abraham relishes the freedom he
experiences upon leaving the confines of the ghetto; but there are
other codes of conduct—including strange sexual mores—in the Kingdom
of Pegu (Burma or Myanmar), which challenge his faith and ethical
sense. Abraham’s travails sweep the reader along in this compelling
debut novel.” |
Fort Worth Star-Telegram – January 18, 2008
“Through letters to the family he has left behind in Venice,
Abraham, a Jewish gem merchant, shares the adventures he survives
and the lessons he learns in the 16th century kingdom of Pegu in
Burma. The young widower has traveled there to expand his family's
business, but discovers that the alien culture will also expand
everything he thought he knew about life. Beautifully written and
expertly researched by an art and antiquities expert, this novel
captivates 'til its final page.”
-- Jane Ramos Trimble |
St. Petersburg Times – January 13, 2008
“Part travelogue, part love story, part philosophical discourse on
humanity and the nature of faith, all told in a series of letters to
a faraway cousin from whom there is never a reply… A lovely piece of
work… You'll have to spend some time getting to know each other
before the book begins to give up its secrets, its treasures. And
treasures there are. Abraham grows to see past the physical
differences of dress, tatoos and piercings, and the cultural
differences of faith and marriage, to the common humanity that lies
in everyone. His realization unfolds profoundly and beautifully.”
-- Tammar Stein |
BookPage – January 8, 2008
“The novel, Hantover's first, is a beautiful… story of love
overcoming obstacles and the ways in which travel and immersion in
another culture can change lives. Readers are treated to a long look
at the interior landscape of a man of faith whose world is shaken by
the power of unexpected love.”
-- Sarah White |
Booksense Pick – January 2008
“Forget the mysterious and exotic location -- this is a book
universal in its substance. When 16th-century Jewish trader Abraham
goes to Asia he encounters an alien culture but also discovers a
world of love and beauty previously unknown. You can call it
exquisite, incisive and provocative, but there are really not enough
adjectives for this brilliant gem of a novel.”
-- Bill Cusumano, Nicola's Books |
Booklist – November 15, 2007
“In 1598, Abraham, a gem merchant, arrives in the Burmese kingdom of
Pegu. In letters home to his cousin, he describes a land of lush
green jungles, gilded spires, and a dark-skinned people whose
superstitions baffle him. Political intrigue remains in the
background, and readers shouldn't expect a grand romantic epic from
this slim volume. But they will be swept away by Hantover's lavish
descriptions of an exotic, lost Asian kingdom; the gentle love
story; and the tale of one man's thoughtful journey to his heart's
home.”
-- Sarah Johnson |
Publishers Weekly – November 5, 2007
“Jewish jewel trader Abraham leaves Venice in 1598 for Pegu, where
he is to settle and acquire high-quality gems for the family
business. His relationship with a young woman, Mya, expands his
views, but… as political unrest grows in the area… Abraham is forced
to choose between his feelings for Mya and his certainty that the
world does not have a place for their love. Making his fiction
debut, Hantover intercuts Abraham’s letters with short chapters from
Mya’s point of view with delicacy and grace. He evokes the lush
setting and gives clear voice to Abraham’s doubts, fears and
passions.” |
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