The Hand of Fatima by Ildefonso Falcones

He pushes his few Muslim friends away, alienate potential allies, and still does not understand why the other Moriscos want nothing to do with him. He claims to be a true believer, but at the same time he gambles, commits adultery, smuggles, and all these other things that strike me as odd. He is a bit of a trickster character, because a lot of times he will cause trouble for someone else, without provocation, or he takes things way too far. My problem with Hernando is that he is a very strange hero.

Once the Moors rise against their oppressors, however, Hernando, with the aid of Hamid, embraces his Muslim belief. In his youth, Hernando is torn between the good treatment he receives from the Christian priests, and the hatred the other Moors, with the exception of the elder Hamid, has for him. His stepfather Brahim detests Hernando, who with his blue eyes is favoured by the priests of his village, and is taught how to read and write. Unfortunately for Hernando, he is the product of a Christian priest raping his mother Aisha. Hernando is a Morisco, or Moor, who was forced to convert to Christianity after the Reconquest of Granada. My main issue was with our protagonist, Hernando Ruiz. At least after reading it, I can say that I have gained a better understanding of Spanish history, and especially the relationship between Christians and Muslims the Inquisition and witch trials.

The story is set in Spain between 15, and my knowledge of Spanish history leaves a lot to be desired. However, in the case of The Hand of Fatima, I had a few problems relating properly to the main protagonist and the story itself. I am usually attracted to tombes of this size, because if the book is good, I can spend a long time in that universe. I have to admit that when I started reading this 900 pages book, I was not sure I would be able to finish it.

The Hand of Fatima by Ildefonso Falcones