Please forgive me for tooting my own horn, but the first review of my novel, Rebecca of Ivanhoe, is about to hit the newstands, and it couldn’t be more complimentary! Here are some snippets from the review in The Jerusalem Report.
“Fans of Sir Walter Scott’s novel Ivanhoe who yearned for more of the captivating Rebecca will be enthralled with Alison Bass’s imaginative sequel, Rebecca of Ivanhoe. The book, published in November, picks up where Scott left off and manages to breathe new life into a beloved character that had too long been frozen in English literature’s wax museum of 19th-century female protagonists. Rebecca, one of the first positive representations of a Jewish woman in English literature, is resurrected by Bass and follows her on a mesmerizing journey through medieval Spain’s sun-drenched, intrigue-laden landscape.”
“One of the novel’s most impressive features is Bass’s deft handling of Rebecca’s past. The author weaves snippets and segments from Scott’s original story into the new Spanish setting with a remarkably light touch.”
“Rebecca emerges as a fully realized protagonist, grappling with questions of identity, faith, and purpose. In a masterful transformation, Bass reshapes Rebecca from a character to whom things happen – being desired, kidnapped, and nearly burned at the stake – into a woman who boldly seizes control of her destiny.”
“Bass’s Rebecca of Ivanhoe breathes new life into one of literature’s most intriguing secondary characters, transforming the beautiful Jewish healer into a heroine for the ages. This sequel to Sir Walter Scott’s classic dares to continue a beloved tale and weaves a rich tapestry of intrigue, romance, and personal discovery that stands proudly on its own.”
Thus far, I have three book talks lined up this fall: My book launch party in Washington, DC on Nov. 19 on Capitol Hill. I then fly to Boston where I will be giving a talk Nov. 26 at Molly’s Bookstore in Melrose, MA. And on Dec. 3, I will be talking to friends at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Morgantown, West Virginia, where I used to live. Hope you can join me at one of these events!
