The Pomegranate Gate

One of my most anticipated books this fall has been The Pomegranate Gate by Ariel Kaplan, the first in her Mirror Realm Cycle trilogy. Set during the Spanish Inquisition, it exists in a realistic world not unlike the one we know… plus a fantasy world that mirrors it. It’s inspired by Jewish folklore and combines history with magic and thrills. What an exciting and different book this is! I already can’t wait to continue the series. 

Special thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Summary

The Inquisition has reached Sefarad, forcing Jews to convert or flee. Among those who choose to escape to safety are Toba Peres and Naftaly Cresques. Though they barely know each other, when Naftaly sees Toba led off the path by a dangerous thief, his instinct is to rescue her. Instead, Naftaly belatedly sees Toba disappear into the light. Was he dreaming? Indeed, he’s known for having visions, even if he can’t explain them. 

Now in the Mazik realm, Toba becomes an unlikely ward for the two tall Mazik men she followed. Toba was strange in the mortal world, where she couldn’t run or scream, but in the Mazik realm, she grows more confident and uncovers surprising things about herself. Still in the mortal realm, Naftaly, an old woman, and Toba’s grandmother, Elena, search for the missing girl while carefully evading the Inquisition. But danger in both realms pushes the two separated parties closer together until a shocking climax. 

Review

The Pomegranate Gate is a book I could hardly wait to get my hands on. I’d only read a few other fantasy books set in Spanish Inquisition inspired worlds (The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson; the Hollow Crown duology by Zoraida Córdova), and I’m always eager to read more. I had high expectations for this book, and I’m happy to report that it easily met and even exceeded them. 

This is a fairly strange book, at least compared to what I normally read. Perhaps it draws on different folklore and mythology than I’m familiar with. Much as I know about Spain, I don’t know much about Jewish folklore. Sometimes the “too weird” in a book can take me out of it, but in The Pomegranate Gate, I actually loved every bit of it. Things only get weirder as it goes, but it always works. 

There is a wide cast of characters, and it takes some time to get to know them all. Toba is strange in the unusual limitations she has: She can’t run or shout, but she can write with both hands in different languages simultaneously. Naftaly is odd, too: He sees square-pupiled people in his dreams, visions that seem increasingly real. The old woman; Elena; the two Mazik men, Asmel and Barsilay; the many side characters and villains along the way… there are a lot of characters to keep track of, not to mention the many unfamiliar cities in a fantasy Spain world, the magic system in the Mazik realm, and the rules around the different realms. At nearly 600 pages, The Pomegranate Gate has enough room for readers to get familiar with everything, so even if it feels overwhelming at first, the author leads us forward with care and a sense of fun. Perhaps the most fun is the old woman, with her constant complaining and snarky insults. She’s a riot! 

Since Toba is separated from her mortal companions, the book mostly follows two different POVs, both in third person. In the Mazik realm we follow Toba, Asmel, and Barsilay and the increasingly dangerous circumstances surrounding them all. In the mortal realm, Naftaly, Elena, and the old woman have their own adventure as they track down Toba. I found both POV sections to be equally enjoyable and captivating. Both are high-action, but also leave room to breathe and let things unfold in their own time.

The Pomegranate Gate is a winding and imaginative journey filled with magic, action, politics, religion, and even some romance. But that cliffhanger! As much as the events of this particular book do wrap up… the way it ends leaves so many doors open. What will happen next with our characters? Now that they know so much more, and perhaps have more desire to change their circumstances, where will they go and how will they put things to right? This is a strong opener to the trilogy and will leave readers eager for the next chapter. 

Final Thoughts

The Pomegranate Gate is unlike any other book I’ve read. It’s unusual but wholly engaging, and I loved every moment of reading it. I’m excited to continue the Mirror Realm Cycle series; hopefully the second book will be out within the next year or so!

Get the Book

You can buy The Pomegranate Gate here – it’s available as a hardcover and ebook.

The Pomegranate Gate by Ariel Kaplan
Series	The Mirror Realm Cycle (#1)
Audience	Adult
Genre	Historical Fantasy
Setting	Spain-Inspired World
Number of Pages	544
Format I Read	Ebook (NetGalley ARC)
Original Publication Date	September 26, 2023

Official Summary

Toba Peres can speak, but not shout; she can walk, but not run. She can write with both hands, in different languages, but has not had a formal education. The only treasure Toba has dared to keep is a precious star sapphire, set in a necklace she must never take off.

Naftaly Cresques sees things that aren’t real, and dreams things that are. He is a well-trained tailor, but a middling one, and he is risking his life to smuggle a strange family heirloom: a centuries-old book he must never read, and must never lose.

The Queen of the Sefarad has ordered all Jews to convert, or be exiled with nothing. Toba, Naftaly, and thousands of others are forced to flee their homes. Toba, accidentally separated from their caravan of refugees, stumbles through a strange pomegranate grove into the magical realm of the Maziks: mythical, terrible beings with immense power. There, she discovers latent abilities that put her in the crosshairs of bloodthirsty immortals, but may be key to her survival. On the other side of the gate, Naftaly, intent on rescuing Toba, finds his new companions harbor dangerous secrets of their own.

Now, hunted by an Inquisition in both worlds, Toba and Naftaly must unravel ancient histories and ancient magics in order to understand the link between the two realms. More than their own lives might be at stake.

Brimming with folkloric wonder, The Pomegranate Gate weaves history, myth, and magic into an exquisite tale of fate, legacy, and friendship that will leave readers spellbound.