Women in the United States only began to practice medicine in the 1800s (see my review of The Physician’s Daughter), so how could a young Jewish woman become a physician back in 1195?
Author Esther Erman answers this question in her action-packed recent novel, Rebecca of Salerno.
In these days of conflicts related to ethnicity and religion, it’s a relief to escape into a novel set in late twelfth-century Salerno, Italy, where Rebecca could attend medical school and become a physician.
Remarkably, Salerno had a reputation as peaceful, prosperous, and tolerant of diverse groups, as exemplified by the medical school founded in the eighth century by a Greek, a Latin, a Jew, and a Muslim.
But Salerno’s atmosphere had changed by the time Rebecca, our protagonist, disembarked there. Why?
- Crusaders arrived, en route to and from their destination in the East. They set up camp outside the town and committed acts of vandalism, robbery, and rape—with impunity
- The Hohenstaufens, a German dynasty, conquered the Normans and took Salerno in 1195, installing a relative, Duke Henry, as ruler of the city. He didn’t want to offend the pope or the king’s regent, William of Capparone, by cracking down on the crusaders’ misdeeds.
The conflicts Rebecca faces animate this story:
- Her father and extended family pressure her to assume the traditional role of Jewish women–marriage and life as a wife and mother—but Rebecca aspires to an independent life
- Her colleague, Rafael, repeatedly proposes to Rebecca, but her trauma after losing her first love, Ivanhoe, leads to her secret vow not to marry
- Even in Salerno, Rebecca faces discrimination based on her gender and religion
Characters:
- Rebecca – protagonist, a young Jewish woman who has always wanted to devote her life to healing
- Rafael Lopes Dias – young widower who attended Salerno’s medical school; he prefers translating texts into Hebrew rather than practicing medicine
- Isaac ben Shmuel – renegade Egyptian rabbi who alienates nearly everyone he meets; he’s blamed for murdering a crusader
- Rebecca’s father – traditional Jewish father who wants his daughter to marry and have children
- Laura di Petrocelli – Rebecca’s medical student; her life exemplifies the challenges faced even by a Christian female native of Salerno who pursues a medical career
- Leah Sara Garcia – from an older generation than Rebecca; she completed her studies at Salerno’s medical school, but went on to a traditional Jewish life as mother of many children
- Baruch Mendoza – patriarch of a prominent Jewish family in Salerno; he plays a key role in the story
Strengths:
- Engaging plot
- Distinct, interesting characters
- Offers readers a window on a place and era unfamiliar to many
Weakness:
This is an inspiring story, but Rebecca’s good fortunes may not strike all readers as credible.
Content review:
References to sexual violence in the later part of the story may disturb some readers.
My recommendation:
If you enjoy journeying with a bold heroine to discover a distant, unfamiliar time and place, and at the same time solving a murder case, Rebecca of Salerno will provide an enjoyable and educational reading experience.
Reader, have you read a novel about this era that you’ve enjoyed?