A unique and interesting new fantasy book that draws inspo from Jewish folklore and religion.

The two main characters, Toba and Naftaly - along with every other Jew in the land - have been given a choice by the Inquisition. Either they convert from their own religion and stay, or leave Rimon, relinquishing all their possessions. Strange new worlds open up to the characters and these strange words and concepts made me stop to think about the numerous times that the Jewish people have been ostracized and persecuted throughout history.

i really enjoy a religious heavy fantasy so this book was right up my street. Really well put together with great worldbuilding and interesting concepts and characters, excited to see where this author goes next and hope it gets the love it deserves.

Review 🧐 📖 "The Pomegranate Gate", The Mirror Realm Cycle tome 1, Ariel Kaplan, Solaris Edition
SP-release July 20, 2023 😍

It was one of the releases I was looking forward to the most of the year! A Fantasy Portal mixed with historical Fantasy, in a Spain in the 15th century and evoking the repression of the Jewish people and the choice forcing them to convert to Catholicism or exile. Ariel Kaplan takes us on the steps of history and looks back on the "Alhambra Decree" of 1492 signed in Granada (Pomegranate in English 😉 and yes everything is linked!).
The Pomegranate Gate tells us about the life of Naftaly, a young man with strange dreams and possessing a mysterious book that his father forbids him to open and read. It is also the story of Toba, a young woman who cannot cry or run due, it seems, to a frail constitution.
When the order is given to the Jewish people to convert or go into exile, Toba and his family as well as Naftaly choose exile. Toba will then follow a mysterious stranger with bright eyes through a light and will find himself catapulted into another world where the Mazik, species of demons with dangerous powers, reign.

I didn't have the expected crush, but what a great story! I had never read anything like it in Fantasy, dealing with Jewish myths and folklore and I want more! 🤩 It's more of a story centered on the plot of these worlds evolving in mirror of each other. I had more difficulty attaching myself to the characters even if Toba is my preference. But for me there are speeds, Naftaly who goes in search of Toba when he doesn't really know her. Kind-heartedness perhaps? And Toba who seems to forget his world and his family once passed on the other side.
On the other hand, I found the feather very beautiful, and I just LOVED the historical side of the posed frame. I learned a lot about the period as well as some words from Hebrew and I thank the author and the editor for adding a Dramatis personae which was very useful to me 😍
The Pomegranate Gate is a very good first introductory volume to a unique and refreshing universe that I will continue to read with pleasure 😀 👍

hank you Rebellion Publishing and Netgalley for the arc of The Pomegranate Gate by Ariel Kaplan in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

The Pomegranate Gate is a historical fantasy, set in and around 15th century Spain, the era of the Spanish Inquisition. Kaplan builds worlds that stem from this era that sit almost adjacent to one another, divided by a gate. The world of mortals and the world of Maziks, magical beings whose lifespans extend way beyond that of mortals.

The magic system of The Pomegranate Gate is held by the Maziks, primarily driven by will and intent, with some very interesting quirks, including lentils. I’ll leave you to find that one out yourself. Although there are logical discrepancies and of course the world of dreams, that comes with its own set of rules. It’s truly a fantastically devised system with understandable deviations and of course the deviations that come with whether it’s wielded for good or more nefarious purposes.

The tale is told from two different perspectives - Toba, a young woman who has struggled with her health her whole life suddenly being thrown into a totally new world that is overwhelmingly complex and challenges everything she ever knew. And Naftaly, a terrible tailor who has had strange dreams his whole life that he’s been taught to never mention.

I absolutely adored both characters for wholly different reasons. Whilst they are both Jewish, of which elements are dripped throughout the story, include references to the Inquisition and it’s terrible persecutions, that is where the similarities end. Each character has a strength or fortitude that comes forth in differing ways and facets of their defining characters come forth, bringing a richness and depth to the story.

The story itself is imbued with magic and fantasy but, there is also a as a wonderful plot that twists and turns, spinning you until you don’t know right from left. I can truthfully say that even I didn’t predict a fair few of them and had some ‘woah’ moments!

I enjoyed taking my time with this read, following the building plot and pace and would totally recommend this as an excellent start to a series that I cannot wait to continue.

When I started reading The Pomegranate Gate, I had some reservations. Historical fantasy can be very hit or miss for me, and with so many POV characters, I was concerned the complex plot would come across as disjointed and confusing.

My fears were totally unfounded.

While the first few chapters were slightly puzzling — which is true of most epic fantasy, where it takes a reader a moment to find their feet — the promise of answers and the cast of loveable characters kept me engaged. I adore Toba with all my heart, and her interactions with Barsilay often made me laugh out loud. I found Naftaly to be the most relatable; I know you’re not meant to quote ARCS, but these lines cemented his character for me; “Naftaly […] never felt a desire to change diapers or have a house of his own: somehow, even his eyes had never been able to see that far. What he wanted was simpler: to be useful, to anyone.” Don’t even get me started on ‘the old woman’ (in true folktale fashion, we don’t ever discover her name). If the next book I read doesn’t feature a hero with a grumpy, sarcastic, old woman following them around and pulling them out of trouble, I don’t want it!

The Pomegranate Gate is not a retelling, but folktales clearly inspired the novel. There are moments that seem oddly familiar, almost nostalgic, and yet totally unique in the same instance — a surefire sign of a talented storyteller. And, while I’m gushing about Kaplan’s talents, let’s talk about the plot. I’m in total awe of Kaplan’s ability to weave such an intricate, detailed narrative. The Pomegranate Gate is as much a mosaic as it is an epic fantasy; drops of information are shared in one character’s POV, and only later do we discover it was foreshadowing a plot point in another character’s journey. When all the 'tiles' begin to click together, it’s incredibly satisfying. Yet, by the end of the novel, there are still more pieces to uncover. The next instalment can't come soon enough.

The Pomegranate Gate is a truly fantastic start to this historical, portal fantasy series, and I would recommend it to anyone that loved The Priory of The Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon, The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty and The Wolf & The Woodsman by Ava Reid.

I enter this world of fantasy books with an open mind, There are two worlds and a pomegranate gate. Jewish history and mythology entwine these worlds that mirror each other,
laws of magic, love, laughter, and darker parts become apparent as I devour the book. clinging to the concept of good will overcome evil. Only to find I am now a convert thanks to Ariel Kaplin and her book The Pomegranate Gate, the first one in the Mirror Realm Cycle.... and now waiting for book 2
I am giving five stars for being a spellbinding book in more ways than one

The Pomegranate Gate was a perfectly fine read, enjoyable enough while never quite reaching great. At times, it was fun, but at other times it dragged like nobody’s business. So, in the end, good, but probably not a series I feel compelled to continue.

The story is set in a fantasy Iberia, with fantasy Sephardic Jewish characters, who are under threat of expulsion. It’s also a portal fantasy, as one of our main characters ends up crossing into another world, a world that’s inextricably linked to their own.

This was, as I said, a reasonably fun book. The characters were compelling for the most part and, ultimately, were what kept me reading. I have to admit that my favourites were Asmel and Barsilay, so when they weren’t on the page I was maybe a little less excited about things. But on the whole, the characters and worldbuilding meant that the book, for me, was good.

However it never quite reached the heights of 4 stars. In general, my thoughts come down to this: the book was just a bit too long and lacked any sort of urgency. This, with another plot, would be fine but it had a plot that required that urgency and there was none. Even in the last 80 pages, I was sat there thinking it was going so slow, no one had any sense of driving the plot forward. Normally, I feel like I get to reading quicker as the book goes on, particularly in the last act. That wasn’t the case here, and the lack of an explosive ending was what landed me on a 3 star rating. Combined with the fact it took me about 150 pages to get into it properly and, well, you can probably see why I landed on this.

Also, while the characters were compelling, I would have to say their relationships were mostly not. If it’s genuinely going for Toba in the direction it seemed to be then… I don’t see it. I don’t understand it. You know sometimes you read a book and the author’s trying to push a relationship on you that you fundamentally just don’t find interesting? Well, yeah. Naftaly’s relationship too I found barely more so. That part of this book just didn’t do it for me.

It is still a good book, though I would stress! I enjoyed reading it! It’s just that enjoyment never progressed beyond the “it was good” stage of things.

This book is a fantasy book based on the expulsion of the Jews in 1492 by the Catholic Kings of Spain, with magic doors and a lot of Jewish mythology.
It is a book with a complex world and very different characters. At the beginning it is a bit confusing, as there are many characters and many different places, but I liked it a lot. You don't really know which way the story is going to go, there are a lot of plot twists that help to keep the mystery going. Also the characters keep a lot of secrets, which helps the reader not to know the whole story all at once.
On a few occasions, I lost the narrative thread a bit due to the way some paragraphs were written, but nothing that you can't immediately pick up again.
Totally recommended if you like complex worlds and fantasy mixed with a bit of real history.

This is such a beautiful lyrical book. I was entranced by the journey of the characters, through this delightful book. Everything just flowed well, the people, the places and the world just made sense unlike so many fantasy worlds. I will impatiently await the next installment.

There are some great elements to this, the world building is great and there are some brilliant character - the old woman is my favourite. It's based in Jewish history, which was really interesting to read and learn more about. The biggest issue was that it felt too slow and that I wasn't clear how it all fitted together until very late in the book - that made it harder for me to engage with it. I really liked the ideas, but it just didn't grab me.

I absolutely loved this novel. The characters and situations were brilliant and I felt the narrative, split between two characters was beautifully crafted.

I believe there is more to this tale than the superficial which I was reading it, because there appears to be an awful lot of Jewish legend in it, but I have no idea so read it just as a really good story.that doesn't pull it's punches.

I was initially confused with the settings, apparently fictional places with Spanish names and Jewish lore, but I soon decided to stop second-guessing myself and just read. And that was perfect because it was gripping.

It is a long book - reading the digital version it is very hard to say how long,- but it was consuming and, once finished, I wonder what I am going to read next because there is so much more to be said.

Loved it despite knowing I missed a big chunk of meaning..

The Pomegranate Gate is a beautiful and magical story written by Ariel Kaplan!

The majority of the story is seen from two different perspectives: Toba, an intelligent yet sickly girl who is desperately trying to navigate the complex world she finds herself in, and Naftaly, a man who has more to his dreams than meets the eye. They are both incredibly unique and interesting characters, along with the companions they are found with during the story. I particularly liked the elements of Jewish culture seen from both perspectives and how they were incorporated throughout the plot. The very cleverly written elements of persecution in different ways throughout the story also gave the story a lot of depth.

The story as a whole is incredibly magical, and without spoiling it, there were a lot of twists and turns that kept me absolutely hooked all the way through! The world building has been done incredibly well and had me feeling immersed in every place you visit in the book. The little elements of humour were also a pleasant surprise sprinkled throughout, as they broke up the more serious tone and helped the characters feel more multidimensional.

I feel it also needs mentioning that the magic in The Pomegranate Gate is some of the most fun and quirky I have come across in a long time! I love the lore of the magic and how it is used, and I also thought it was interesting to see how it was used in both positive and more dark ways by different wielders.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to those who are interested in more gritty fantasy that's full of beautiful culture. If you're a fan of authors such as Ava Reid, then I'd definitely give this book a read!

Ariel Kaplan has created a beautifully detailed world, with engaging characters. The story itself is slow to develop but it did draw me in and I will be looking out for the sequel. On the downside there are parts of the story that involve two characters with the same name and it is not always clear which of them is speaking.

Do you ever feel like you’re looking for a book but don’t know what it is, and then you read one and you’re like, ‘Oh, THIS is it, this is exactly what I wanted’? That’s how reading The Pomegranate Gate was for me.

The writing style and pacing are just perfect for the story and a big part of the reason I liked it so much. The worldbuilding, the characters… I feel like I should at least TRY to pick holes, but I can’t. I really loved this!

The Pomegranate Gate was a rich, beautifully written and engaging fantasy, much different in flavour to what I have read before. It was engulfing, original and unlike anything I'd seen before.

The world-building was intricate and extremely well-polished. I found the characters' stories really interesting to follow. I don't know much about Jewish myths so this was definitely an illuminating read.

My only point of criticism is that I felt the story started a bit too abruptly. We were thrown into various settings and worlds (both real and dream realities) and in combination with the multitude of characters, the first chapters were difficult to follow. However, the story becomes clear from Chapter 3 onwards.

Thanks to Netgalley for the arc in exchange of an honest review.

Look was work supposed to happen this weekend? Yes. Did it? No. I blame this book. It bit me hard with it interesting characters, unique plot, and unpredictability.

I can't wait for the next one already. I need to know what happens to all the characters. We need to keep "The old woman" (actual name) and Barsilay as safe as possible. Their sass is precious and necessary for my happiness. The characters make you care for them.

I really loved the mix of historical and mythical led to some really beautiful moments of worldbuilding. I was told there would be romance somewhere along the way and it was nice for once to not be instantly able to figure who would be with whom, no instalove and more depth that left me going eeeee at the end.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed parts of this book. I quite liked the lore and found it engaged me in a way I didn't expect. I did enjoy Kaplan's writing too. I didn't connect hugely with any of the characters, which was my biggest issue with this book.

I really loved this one, it’s so unusual and a captivating read once I got going! I think this cured me out of a bit of a reading slump, actually.

Billed as a Jewish fantasy set in 15th century Spain, although I wouldn’t say there was a huge amount of historical elements in here, it’s more fantasy, but with a definite base in Jewish mythology that to me made it really unique. The two main protagonists are Naftaly, a fairly rubbish tailor who shares dreams with his father but has no idea what it means; and Toba, a sickly girl who lives with her grandparents. It turns out that neither Naftaly or Toba are as ordinary as they think, but instead both have links to the ‘Mazik’ realm; a mirror realm joined to theirs by gateways that only open at the full moon. When the Jews are forced to leave their city, Naftaly and Toba are both forced out of their ordinary lives and are swept up into something far greater, a battle for power spanning two mirror kingdoms. The ‘Maziks’ in the second realm reminded me quite strongly of the fairies in Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, there was a definite flavour to the fantasy element there that I recognised and loved. This is meant to be the first book in a series so of course it doesn’t conclude completely here, and I’m itching at the thought of how long I’m going to have to wait for the sequel! But oh well, it’s something to look forward to 😄

My thanks to #NetGalley and Solaris Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Really enjoyed this. Huge thanks to the publisher for the ARC, also, what a gorgeous cover. I hope to read more from the author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for the ARC.

While The Pomegranate Gate follows the conventions of fantasy novels, I also found it to be wonderfully original. This book is fantasy, but it has so much history similar to real life, that I kept forgetting it was fantasy at all. I don't mean that in a "this didn't have a lot of magic" way, I mean it in a "this makes so much sense, I am convinced there is a portal in a pomegranate grove somewhere" way. It is written beautifully and seamlessly, though there were a few mistakes I noticed, but I think those will be gone by the time the book is actually published.

The characters are all nuanced and varied and I enjoyed learning about everyone's backstory, not just the main characters. There were several POVs, some more than others, but I was able to tell quickly who was who and they were all serving to tell the same story, so even though it was different people and locations, it still made sense.

I think the main critique from me would be that I felt it was a little slow to get started, but I'm also an impatient reader so that could just be me. I do see how it was all relevant to set the scene and explain some of the characters and I'm glad I kept reading.

****POTENTIAL SPOILERS BELOW*****

The twist with Toba (not the first twist, the second twist at the end) was wicked cool and I'm excited to see how it plays out later. Any romance for Toba was... ? I'm not sure if there was supposed to be any for her, really, but it doesn't come through for me. Naftaty though??? I'm sensing (and hoping) for a David and Jonathan gay thing and I reeeaaally hope I'm not being queerbated with it but I don't think I am.

Anyway, this was a great book, very fantastical, and I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more in the series.

I am a bit of a newbie when it comes to the fantasy and mythology genre, but, I am widening my perspectives and so far loving it. The author has done this brilliantly. The story is beautifully written, the characters come alive on the page, the settings pop and all characters have believable voices. One of the key elements of this book is world-building, the author has created an intricate and detailed world, complete with its own histories, cultures, and languages. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.