The Moorish Whore A Novel Rebekah Scott 9780985503215 Books
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Plucked as a prize of war from the palace of the poet-king of Sevilla, princess Zaida lost her name, her religion and her family in a single day. Isolated in San Facund, the monastic heart of the Castilian king´s vast realm, Isabel´s Psalter and folio of Islamic poems kept her spirit alive in a town that considered her "a Moorish whore." Betrayal and a clever escape led her to a new life, and a chance to write her colorful tale. "The Moorish Whore" is based on the true story of an 11th century princess.
The Moorish Whore A Novel Rebekah Scott 9780985503215 Books
The novel, THE MOORISH WHORE begins in the year 1110 and is based on the life an historical Moorish princess named Zaida who became the wife or mistress of Alfonso VI the Christian king of Leon and Castilla. In the days before there was the country we know know as Spain, this tale unfolds mainly in San Fecund, now Sahagún, Spain. Written in the first person, the book is one in which Zaida seeks to set the record straight about her life. She was called a whore, but believed that she was the wife of a king.As the author notes on the back of the book, this is "a place and time almost lost to history." And remarkably Rebekah Scott makes his remote time credible and alive to the modern reader. The author has remained faithful to the spirit and history of the times while creating an intriguing story about the life of her heroine.
The "place and time" are almost lost to history, but the locations in the story are not. The book would have been greatly enhanced by the addition of a map. Also, as a reader I wanted to see and experience Alfonso more clearly. He doesn't really emerge from Zaida's tale and a great deal of her story turns around him.
In spite of the these minor reservations, I was grabbed on the first page. "Once I was a princess, a Moorish princess....Alfonso the Christian king of Leon and Castilla carried me off as prize of war." If you love the medieval world, you will enjoy this well written and carefully researched evocation of a little known time and place.
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Tags : The Moorish Whore: A Novel [Rebekah Scott] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Plucked as a prize of war from the palace of the poet-king of Sevilla, princess Zaida lost her name, her religion and her family in a single day. Isolated in San Facund,Rebekah Scott,The Moorish Whore: A Novel,Peaceable Publishing,0985503211,FICTION Historical General,Fiction - Historical,Fiction Historical,Historical - General,Historical fiction
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The Moorish Whore A Novel Rebekah Scott 9780985503215 Books Reviews
The Moorish Whore is a splendid work of fiction dealing with some very important issues with a light touch and a sense of poetry. The story is set in Spain at the time when Catholics and Muslims were fighting for control of the peninsula, and the 'Moorish Whore' of the title is a Moorish princess who is caught in between these two worlds, having been taken as tribute from a Moorish court by a Christian king. The story deals sensitively with the issues raised, giving a balanced view of the lives of people on both sides of the religious line. It also deals with the cruelties of the time, including the cruelties against women, but also the brutal atmosphere of war. But this is a feminine book, and the princess tells her story from a perspective of pregnancy and childbirth, married love, and the day to day life of a woman cloistered away in a foreign court. Rebekah Scott has obviously done a good deal of research into her subject, and the period detail is convincing. But what stands out for me is the excellent structure to the story, which develops in a complicated-seeming narrative that dissolves into clarity by the end.
I always enjoyed Paul Harveys radio bits, where he tells the "rest of the story". So often we think we have an idea of what happened, way back whenever. We read our history books in school and get a firm picture in our heads of a particular era. But the truth is so much more than these tiny snippets, colored to suite what ever period we happen to be growing up during. So colored by whom ever is the "victor" at that moment of history. Dig a little deeper, a Ms. Scott has done here and there is a whole other world, a whole other side of the historical coin we've been tossed. A terrifically enjoyable read and a real thought provoker in the process. But never ever preachy. A book that leads me to do something I almost never do, re-read it! I'm usually a one and done reader...but not this time! Buy this one. Paper or , totally worth it.
Meshes well with another book I read recently St. James' Rooster
This is a novel that introduces the reader to the rich tapestry that is the history of Spain. Reading it I was reminded of a favorite movie,"El Cid".During a trip to Spain in the 70's I visited some of the places and architectural gems mentioned in the book. This book will entice the reader to read more about Spain during this period.
Rebekah Scott’s novel, “A Moorish Whore” took me back to the 11th century of Medieval Spain.
The main character, Zaida bint Mu’tamid, is a princess of Moorish Seville who was carried off by Alphonzo the I, King of Castille and Leon, as a prize of war. She was baptized a Christian, given the name Isabel, the King married her, and brought her to the north of Spain, to San Fecund, which is now Sahagun.
We see the world of 11th Century Spain through Zaida’s eyes. The novel’s female perspective is one of its strengths. She loves the King, and the children she bears. She brings cleanliness and running water to her town. She is more educated than the monks in power in San Fecund, who never accept her, and see her as an infidel. We witness and cheer her on in her struggle to survive in a harsh land run by violence and intrigue.
One of the delights of the novel was recognizing a place in the book. It’s just outside of Sahagun. When I passed through it while walking the Camino, it had a feeling of being “out of time.” There’s a little bridge over the river, and a stone chapel built in the 11th Century.
In the novel, Zaida finds understanding with the hermit Esteban who lives there. Pilgrims walking to Santiago stopped there for respite. Zaida adopts the little waystation, brings in running water and sanitation, and builds the chapel. She befriends the people who live on the riverbank, who catch crabs and fish. It was a wonderful reimagining of what a place was like centuries ago. There are so many ancient places along the Camino just like it. Each of them has a history that has been lost to time. As Pilgrims, we go by quickly, snap a photo, and move on.
Scott reveals Zaida’s strong character through a swirl of memories and the story deepens as we learn more about her life back in Seville. Her parents are notable characters, and we learn that life was not at all perfect before she was “chosen” by Alphonzo. There were power struggles within the court, and, as a young woman, Zaida was used as a pawn by her own family, too.
The plot thickens towards the end of the novel, and builds towards a surprising finish. Zaida/Isabel is a survivor and a strong woman. “The Moorish Whore,” brings her and her time, back to life.
The novel, THE MOORISH WHORE begins in the year 1110 and is based on the life an historical Moorish princess named Zaida who became the wife or mistress of Alfonso VI the Christian king of Leon and Castilla. In the days before there was the country we know know as Spain, this tale unfolds mainly in San Fecund, now Sahagún, Spain. Written in the first person, the book is one in which Zaida seeks to set the record straight about her life. She was called a whore, but believed that she was the wife of a king.
As the author notes on the back of the book, this is "a place and time almost lost to history." And remarkably Rebekah Scott makes his remote time credible and alive to the modern reader. The author has remained faithful to the spirit and history of the times while creating an intriguing story about the life of her heroine.
The "place and time" are almost lost to history, but the locations in the story are not. The book would have been greatly enhanced by the addition of a map. Also, as a reader I wanted to see and experience Alfonso more clearly. He doesn't really emerge from Zaida's tale and a great deal of her story turns around him.
In spite of the these minor reservations, I was grabbed on the first page. "Once I was a princess, a Moorish princess....Alfonso the Christian king of Leon and Castilla carried me off as prize of war." If you love the medieval world, you will enjoy this well written and carefully researched evocation of a little known time and place.
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