The Pomegranate Gate is an instantaneous favorite and one of the easiest five star reviews I have ever given. This first installment of the Mirror Realm Cycle was beautifully written and expertly executed. I could not put this down. I am already hungry for the next installment and I'm not quite sure how I can possibly wait to find out how this tale continues!

In synopsis: Toba and Naftaly make excellent hubs for this complex and exciting tale set in a mythical version of Spain at the apex of the Inquisition. When the order comes for the Jews of Rimon to convert or leave, Toba and Naftaly will be spurred onward towards a destiny neither of them could have ever imagined for themselves.

Ordered to forsake all possessions should they not wish to convert, Toba and Naftaly defy the Inquisition, each smuggling a priceless family heirloom out of Rimon and into the world beyond. When Toba's flight with her grandparents goes awry, it is she who stumbles through the gate in the pomegranate grove and into the world of the Mazik's. (A realm with an Inquisition of it's own. Arguably more deadly and dangerous than that of the human realm.) Meanwhile Naftaly, having witnessed her disappearance, is left behind to try to figure out what has happened and how to bring her back.

As both Toba and Naftaly work to navigate their way through the dangers of the mirror realm and the real world respectively, long kept secrets come to light. Their fates, inextricably tied together by decisions made generations ago, and the future of both realms hangs in the balance. And it is up to them to save them.

After finishing this novel, I can say without a doubt that I would highly recommend this to anyone and everyone. Ms. Kaplan has done an excellent job of presenting a thrilling and compelling tale with a fully fleshed out world and captivating characters that leave the reader hungry for more. The inclusion of so much Jewish culture and mythology is a refreshing addition to a genre that is too often dominated by the West. She has successfully brought to life a world that is both believable and fantastical, wonderful and dangerous. To Ms. Kaplan I must say, brava! I look forward to reading more of your work in the future.

This was such a unique take with the fantasy genre, something that I started to feel was becoming repetitive, but this was exceptional. I loved the historical and fae element combos and I found the Jewish folklore to be intriguing. This was lovely and captivating.