Isabela’s Way A Novel
Isabela’s Way A Novel by Barbara Stark-Nemon, published by Simon and Schuster on September 16, 2025, is a historical narrative set in early-seventeenth-century Europe. This 296-page book follows the journey of fourteen-year-old Isabela, who escapes the dangers of the Inquisition in Portugal with the help of a network of allies. As a “New Christian” with a talent for needlework, Isabela initially believes she is safe, but her life takes a dramatic turn when she receives a message from her father, prompting her to embark on a perilous journey.
Readers will find a rich exploration of Isabela’s experiences as she navigates the complexities of her identity and heritage while evading the Inquisition. The story delves into themes of resistance, love, and the significance of her needlework, which carries coded symbols vital for her survival. Through her encounters with supporters and guides, as well as a special young man, Isabela learns about her family’s true origins and the importance of her mission. This edition presents a compelling coming-of-age tale that intertwines personal growth with historical challenges faced by those of Jewish descent during this tumultuous period.
Official synopsis Publisher
For fans of Ruta Sepetys’s Salt to the Sea, this coming-of-age tale of one fourteen-year-old girl’s escape from early-seventeenth-century Portugal’s Inquisition, achieved with the help of a clandestine band of allies, will thrill and inspire.
In early-seventeenth-century Portugal, Spain, France, and Germany, dangers are plentiful—especially for those of Jewish heritage. Non-Catholics have been expelled from Spain, and the Inquisition has come to Portugal to impose its prohibitions. Fourteen-year-old Isabela, an obedient “New Christian” with a talent for needlework, believes she has nothing to fear from the Inquisition. But when a mysterious woman arrives with a message from Isabela’s traveling father, the girl must leave her home and embroider her way along the clandestine network of sanctuaries created to conduct Conversos, or secret Jews, to safety.
A host of supporters and spirit guides, as well as one special young man, assist Isabela as she escapes the Inquisitors and makes her way across countries and cultures. As she travels, she learns of the danger and importance of her work, with its coded symbols, and is shocked to discover her family’s true origins.
In this enthralling coming-of-age tale of resistance, love, and danger, Isabela employs her talent and fierce determination to find her way despite the powerful forces that buffet her at every turn.
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