Synopsis:
In a shabby house, on a shabby street, in the new capital of Madrid, Luzia Cotado uses scraps of magic to get through her days of endless toil as a scullion. But when her scheming mistress discovers the lump of a servant cowering in the kitchen is actually hiding a talent for little miracles, she demands Luzia use those gifts to better the family’s social position.
What begins as simple amusement for the bored nobility takes a perilous turn when Luzia garners the notice of Antonio Pérez, the disgraced secretary to Spain’s king. Still reeling from the defeat of his armada, the king is desperate for any advantage in the war against England’s heretic queen—and Pérez will stop at nothing to regain the king’s favor.
Determined to seize this one chance to better her fortunes, Luzia plunges into a world of seers and alchemists, holy men and hucksters, where the line between magic, science, and fraud is never certain. But as her notoriety grows, so does the danger that her Jewish blood will doom her to the Inquisition’s wrath. She will have to use every bit of her wit and will to survive—even if that means enlisting the help of Guillén Santangel, an embittered immortal familiar whose own secrets could prove deadly for them both.
What To Expect:
Readers can expect a historical fantasy that takes place in 17th century Spain where everyone fears the wrath of the Church and the King. The story follows a young maid who is trying to keep her Jewish ancestry a secret in order to survive but is soon discovered to hold magical abilities and is thrust into a competition held for the King.
Content Warnings:
Language: Mild
Sexual Content: Fade to Black – Slightly descriptive scenes, mostly off page. Sexual tension
Violence: Moderate – Scenes of detailed torture and public hanging/shooting, gun violence, sexual harassment, murder
Substance Use: Alcohol use
Prejudices: Moderate to Heavy – Antisemitism, homophobia, sexism
Religious Themes: Religious bigotry, clash of Catholicism and Christianity and eradication of Judaism and Islam from the country
Other Topics: Death of parent, infertility, war
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