A
review of The Last Fernandez by
Sandra Perez Gluschankoff
I loved reading this novel. Not for the faint of
heart, this historical fiction piece explicitly reveals the triumphs and
tragedy of two different, although comparable, pivotal periods in time. The key
word in this story is “struggle.” Two women, separated by four centuries but
connected in spirit, share this struggle against religious and political
persecution. As two different stories are told, they develop into one.
Author Gluschankoff is not a wimp. She is not afraid to paint a harsh scene and put it before you, but is also capable of describing the tenderest of moments. The plot is packed with not a sentence or phrase wasted. This is not a one afternoon read; it requires close reading. I believe that the author’s multilingual skills resulted in some of the most eloquent prose I have had the pleasure to read.
My favorite character is the young Angelina. Her refusal, come hell or high water, to let go of that suitcase certainly defines “ends-of-the-earth” type stuff for me.
I highly recommend The Last Fernandez.
By David J. Kirk, Author of Particular Stones
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