A review by starrysteph
The Pomegranate Gate by Ariel Kaplan

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The Pomegranate Gate was a lush & simmering start to a Jewish fantasy trilogy. 

The writing was exquisite, the Spanish Inquisition Era-inspired worldbuilding was captivating, and the characters simply leapt off the pages. The unapologetically Jewish grand themes and tucked-in morsels made my heart sing.

Welcome to the Mirror Realm Cycle.

We follow two young Jewish people guarding family secrets after the Queen forces all Jews to convert or flee. Toba has always been considered sickly - unable to scream or run or dream - though she’s full of clever wit and skilled at translations. Naftaly spends half his life in visions, and the other half doing his best to live up to his father’s expectations. When they both flee the only home they’ve ever known, they bring family heirlooms, defying the Queen’s orders. 

Then, Toba finds herself in another world - a mirror realm and the home of the powerful & immortal Mazik. While she uncovers strange powers and ancestry, Naftaly braves a treacherous journey to find her in the human realm. But the Inquisition hunts them both, and nowhere is safe.

The journeys of both main characters were earnest, thoughtful, and compelling. It’s a bit of a coming-of-age story for each of them.

Toba discovers her voice (figuratively & literally). She tackles her fears and counters her internalized (allegorical) ableism. She gets into hijinks galore, unearths treasures from a massive library, and gets a bit (too) distracted by the grumpy owner-turned-mentor, Asmel. It’s so fun to watch her grow. 

Naftaly learns to be strong without losing his innate kindness and tenderness. His optimistic naivety made him clumsy at times - but you can’t help but root for him. And his banter with The Old Woman (and other eclectic travel companions) was delightfully amusing. He’s got the start of a romance arc in the final segment of this book, and I can’t wait to see how that blooms moving forward. 

There’s a smaller third POV - the Courser - who gave us some of the most tantalizing storytelling of them all. She’s the assassin for the magical order (La Cacería, the hunt) that plays a hand in the Inquisition. She does what she must to survive, sometimes delighting in the killing and sometimes feeling unease about her orders. I think there’s a lot more in store for her. 

The reason this isn’t quite a 5 star read for me just has to do with a couple of pacing stumbles and a peculiar romance arc. It’s a slow-moving book overall, which I mostly adored. I loved getting the chance to really know these characters.

The Pomegranate Gate is a spellbinding adventure which thoughtfully integrates religious persecution. It’s a story of embracing your identity, finding strength in the family you create, and defying ignorance & hate. 

It’s enchanting. It’s eccentric. It’s so very detailed.

And this is only the beginning.

If you like:
→ Snarky old women
→ Political intrigue
→ Gay pining
→ Assassins with arms-that-are-also-swords who turn severed heads into apples?!
→ Extensive old libraries & the moody owners of the estate
→ Mastering your own magic
→ Jewish myth & folklore
→ The start of a heartwarming found family
→ LENTILS! (I like lentils, okay? Magical lentil rep for the win.)

Then stop reading this review and go pick up The Pomegranate Gate PROMPTLY.

CW: death & murder, antisemitism, genocide, xenophobia, hate crime, child death, torture, blood & gore, suicidal thoughts, ableism, war, kidnapping, fire & death by fire, vomit

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(I received a free copy of this book; this is my honest review.)
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