Frances Sherwood

The Book of Splendor

A historical novel about the most unlikely of lovers, interwoven with the mysticism of the Jewish occult.

It is 1601, in the old city of Prague under the reign of Hapsburg emperor Rudolph II. Rochel is young, illiterate, of dubious birth, a Jew who is not quite a Jew, an outsider among outsiders. Yet she has heard stories, not only of the ancient Hebrews' heroic deeds but also of the handsome prince who rescued the virtuous Ashenputtel, and of the mermaid who sold her voice for a pair of legs. Rochel's chance to escape poverty comes in an arranged marriage, but her heart belongs to another.

In his castle on the hill, in possession of every luxury known to man, Emperor Rudolph II is discontent. There is no end to what he wants. His mania will ignite the long-standing resentments of his foes within the city.

Frances Sherwood brings to life the experience of Prague's Jewish community during a period of oppression and rebirth, and the sparkling riches and culture of imperial life. The Book of Splendor is an adventure-filled romance replete with court intrigue and political tension—the machinations of the rival Islamic Ottoman Empire, boiling religious controversy between the newly hatched Protestant movement and the established church, and Czech nationalism. Among the characters spun into this rich tapestry are the famous Rabbi Loew, the astronomers Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler, the alchemists John Dee and Edward Kelley, and an assortment of spies, lepers, monks, and mountebanks.

"A many-splendored book indeed: Frances Sherwood's historical savvy and narrative chutzpah bring to life the Prague of 1600, from its Golems and Wonder-Rabbis to the last of the Holy Roman Emperors and his court—all woven into a love story as altogether convincing and affecting as it is improbable."—John Barth

"There is no end to the superlatives to apply to this mesmerizing novel. It is a complete original, a gripping story of love, magic, and faith, told with both tenderness and whimsy. Frances Sherwood demonstrates not only a prodigious historical knowledge of everyday life in Prague in the year 1601 but also a frolicking imagination that shines through every gorgeous sentence. A truly remarkable achievement."—Scott Turow

"This exuberant book surprised, stunned, and captivated me. 'Historical novel' doesn't begin to describe what it is; Sherwood's contemplations and manipulations of history (and of the novel, for that matter) are wholly original. She seesaws between the sacred and the profane, the fanciful and the earthbound, but she always maintains her balance. The Book of Splendor is deeply satisfying."—Valerie Sayers, author of Brain Fever

"In glorious color, Frances Sherwood brings to life a splendid cast of characters from the Habsburg empire at the dawn of the seventeenth century. She also, miraculously, fully brings to life a man made of mud; Rabbi Loew's golem of Prague is depicted here with a piercing love. The Book of Splendor is thrilling and terrifying and very beautiful."—Binnie Kirshenbaum, author of Hester Among the Ruins

"Frances Sherwood has called to life a remarkable ensemble in The Book of Splendor, from the struggling citizens of the Judenstadt to the alchemists intent on securing immortality for a mad emperor. This is a wonderful book about the meaning of life: what it means to create and what it means to live honorably in the world."—Sheri Holman, author of The Dress Lodger