MMGM: The Last Song by Eva Wiseman

Release Date: April 4, 2012

Netgalley Advanced Readers Copy

About The Book:  Spain had been one of the world’s most tolerant societies for eight hundred years, but that way of life was wiped out by the Inquisition. Isabel’s family feels safe from the terrors, torture, and burnings. After all, her father is a respected physician in the court of Ferdinand and Isabella. Isabel was raised as a Catholic and doesn’t know that her family’s Jewish roots may be a death sentence. When her father is arrested by Torquemada, the Grand Inquisitor, she makes a desperate plan to save his life – and her own.
Once again, master storyteller Eva Wiseman brings history to life in this riveting and tragic novel.

First Line:"What do you see? Is there a handsome stranger in my future?"

What Others Are Saying: “…Wiseman steeps the reader in the almost unbelievable time of the Spanish Inquisition… The markets, the dust and the sweat-soaked life on the streets of Toledo spring to life under Wiseman’s pen." —CM Magazine

"Wiseman (Puppet) adeptly portrays the threatening atmosphere of fear and prejudice that compels citizens into distasteful choices: Isabel’s forced betrothal, for safety’s sake, to a Catholic man she despises; old friends refusing her desperate family’s entreaties for help once their heritage is known." —Publishers Weekly

What I Thought: Wiseman has created a 15th-century world where prejudice and religious persecution abound; a great introduction to young teens to the historical aspects of the Inquisition. I thought Isabel was a strong and brave heroine. This is more for younger YA readers because I think that older teens may not find the characters engaging enough. While I think older MG will find just the right amount of excitement and realism, some of the descriptions of torture may be a bit graphic for younger readers. I think that this would be a great book to use along with other materials when studying about this time period.

About The Author: Eva Wiseman

Who: Young adult fiction writer Eva Wiseman was born in Hungary and currently lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Eva possesses a Bachelor of Science degree, a Master of Arts degree, and a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Manitoba. She has worked as a journalist for the Winnipeg Free Press and the former Winnipeg Tribune, and has taught English Second Language and GED courses to immigrant women.