The first book of a new series and what a great book it is. Firstly, I love the colour and title of this book and love the fantasy aspect of it. Also the fact it is inspired by Jewish folklore and 15th century Spain also sparked my interest and I wasn't disappointed.

The storytelling in this book really reels you in and once I got started I just couldn't stop reading. There is magic, fantasy, Queens as well there are some wonderful characters that are quirky and fantastical. This is a book that took me on a journey, an exciting and thrilling journey through history and time and I loved it. This is mystery, fantasy, drama and even a little bit of romance all mixed together to create a story you will not be able to stop reading. I can't wait to see what the next instalment holds for us.

Thank you NetGalley and Solaris for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Pomegranate Gate is a captivating fantasy novel set in a magical, inquisition-era Spain. It follows Toba and Naftaly, two characters forced to flee their homes, who become entangled in a world of ancient magic and deadly secrets.

The author's lyrical writing style and exploration of themes like power, oppression, and found family make this a compelling read. Toba and Naftaly are well-developed characters, and the secondary characters, like Asmel and Barsilay, add depth and humor to the story. While the pace may be slow for some, the rich world-building and unique magic system make it worthwhile.

If you enjoy epic fantasy with historical elements and strong female characters, The Pomegranate Gate is a must-read.

The Pomegranate Gate offers an interesting fantasy setting, and I was drawn to both the world-building and the characters. Unfortunately, at the heart of this fascinating book is the magical cure trope, with the female main character starting the book as disabled. Her disability is magically reversed as a part of the plot, and she develops inhuman strength and other senses. While certain aspects of the plot were necessary, I don't feel that the character needed to be disabled; she could have been written as smaller and weak.

Overall, this book felt a bit lopsided to me. Some parts I loved as they were so well-thought-out with intricate details, and others I felt were quite lacking. The plot and characters did hook me enough for me to read the next book.

Ariel Kaplan's "The Pomegranate Gate" is a true gem! 🌟 This book's intricate blending of Spanish mythology from the fifteenth century with Jewish folklore captivated me from the very first page, creating a universe that is both mysterious and incredibly real. The adventure of Toba and Naftaly into an old, parallel realm via a strange pomegranate gate is utterly engrossing. I had a hard time putting it down since the tale is so well detailed and the characters are so eerily genuine.

It's one of those stories you *have* to tell, so I got a copy for a buddy right away since I was so enamored. An absolute must-read for fans of fantasy! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This took me a while to get into. I love the concept and I think some of the fantasy elements are pretty epic but the pacing was too slow for me.

The setting of the Spanish Inquisition is unique and not one I’ve seen in many fantasy books before, I liked the elements of Jewish folklore which again, I haven’t seen very often.

The writing is fine, straightforward to read but I just found myself wanting it all to speed up a bit. At times I couldn’t quite work out why the characters were doing what they were doing.

Lots of potential and I know some readers have loved this book but it just didn’t quite work for me

Thank you to the publisher fir the opportunity to read and review this title.

This is a really comicated book with a fairly large cast of characters. As a result ut takes a while for the story to really get going because the reader is working fairly hard to learn the cast and see how they fit in.

A really good fantasy with a complex cast of settings and some magical characters. There is sense of humour throughout which helps the reader to accept the magic and the very different cultural ideas being employed. The reader is drawn into the story as a result and the final third of the book is packed with jeopardy and excitement.

I will be looking out for the next part of this adventure

What an absolute gem this book is!
I was sensing a reading slump just waiting around the corner ready to attack before I started Ariel Kaplan's "The Pomegranate Gate", the first book in her Mirror Realm Cycle. Well, this book sent that slump packing and all it took was the very first page.

"The Promegranate Gate" is a gorgeously written fantasy tale based on Jewish mythology, which I found particularly fascinating because I admit I'm not at all knowledgeable about the subject. It's also rooted in actual Jewish history, which yes, made me immediately go into Wiki Binge Mode. I love it when books do that. The story itself is masterfully crafted, full of beautiful imagery, intrigue and completely unpredictable turns which, as someone who reads a lot of fantasy, is truly not the norm anymore. At one point I was actually thinking I knew where a certain character's story would lead because of the way another character developed, and I actively said to myself "no, books don't do that" and guess what, this book did that. There is so much nuance and beauty in the details, and while the plot doesn't feel as high stakes as it should considering the circumstances our characters find themselves in, I was never just once a little bit bored or distracted.

Kaplan writes with humour that just absolutely gets me, and the book comes off as almost whimsical in a fairytale-esque way because of it. It was just a joy to lose myself in her story, and one major reason for that apart from the wonderful, lyrical writing style are the characters.
The characters in this book are just CHEF'S KISS. They are all so complex in often unexpected ways, and I felt connected to almost all of them. The two main characters, Toba and Naftaly, are so different from each other and both so incredibly loveable and flawed and allowed to feel so deeply that I rooted for them the moment I met them. They mostly have their seperate plots going on, but there is still an inherent connection from the very beginning that comes to fruition later in the story. Probably the biggest thing I hope for is that the sequels allow them to interact more. The side characters are also incredible and I still can't believe how much I care about all of them. Naftaly is, for most of the story, accompanied by two elder ladies that are simply amazing in their own rights, and Toba gets to deal with two powerful Mazik men that introduce us perfectly to Mazik society and are both a lot more complex than it might seem at the beginning.
There is romance, but it's not what the story focuses on - but I do have to say, I did not see the big love story for Naftaly coming at all and I am so incredibly invested in it already. It's just perfectly done, slowly built, tender yet incredibly painful and dramatic and I ate that up, my friends. These two and their connection came out of left field and hit me right in the heart.

So do I have any complaints at all? Honestly, no. I could nitpick about the pacing in the middle parts but I shall not nitpick today because I simply loved this book. I cannot wait to read the sequel (which I already have an arc of because I am a lucky lucky girl apparently) and I highly recommend this to, well, basically everyone who likes fantasy. It's unique, it's beautiful, it has fascinating characters, queer representation as the cherry on top and the very useful ability to heal reading slumps.
5 stars, easy.

This richly-crafted, beautifully considered book draws inspiration from Jewish culture in the style of classic high fantasy. I found the pacing gentle and picked up and put this down over several weeks while reading it, I think because of the length: I found the pacing inconsistent and, while I enjoyed reading it, because the protagonist is entering a new world, there were lots of exposition-dumps in which she was told incredibly detailed backstory that took a long time to come to fruition. It's a testament to how much I enjoyed the world that I finished it, and I flew through the final 100 pages, but I wish the middle had been condensed.

Masterful and innovative Jewish-inspired fantasy

In a fantasy version of Moorish Spain, when Moslems, Jews and Christians lived cheek by jowl, in one corner of the city Toba is sheltered from life by her loving grandparents; elsewhere, Naftaly is the worst tailor in his tailoring family. When the Inquisition comes down on Jews, they escape with their families, only to be separated and find themselves in another world, where the truths of their lives are slowly revealed.

This is a wonderful portal fantasy, where the portal (it's in the title, folks!) is at the heart of the book. The magic systems are suitably arcane but understandable without being confusing, and the Jewish myths and folktales, as well as Biblical references, add depth to a new world, or rather, a fantasy take on a world that many people probably don't know about. Moorish Spain wasn't as clearcut as a skim of history might make it, and this novel isn't historical fiction, so there's much more to discover about the inspiration for this.

The start of a trilogy, I must admit that I came late to this. My immediate impression was of a similarity to Diana Wynne Jones's teenage and adult fantasy novels, or even Eddings's Belgariad, of the domestic contrasted with high fantasy, of simultaneously low and high stakes at every turn. And despite the protagonists being one male and one female, I really enjoyed that it wasn't a simple romance, and actually romances, as well as full of soap opera-style mysteries, wheels within wheels, and worldbuilding of the many universes archetype. Book 2, The Republic of Salt, is out shortly and I'll review that quite soon.

Four and half stars, rounded up to five.

It is no surprise this book has received such praise. You can trust Goodreads ratings with this one.

The Pomegranate Gate is a first book in a series (The Mirror Realm Cycle) and it's such a good start!
The story itself is told by multiple characters, all of them are fascinating on their own, but the relationships are what drives the story: we have Toba, a sickly, but brave and intelligent girl who finds herself in a strange world. Elena, Toba's grandmother, she is a very headstrong woman, who would do anything for her family. Naftaly, a boy with strange dreams and visions, who was forbidden to ever talk about them, but he may find in them something he never expected. Asmel and Barsilay, men from the strange Mazik world, one mysterious and cold, one hiding more in himself than he presents to the world. Then we have the old woman, she is very straight forward, tolerates no-nonsense, hardened by life, but you know she's a good person. And the Courser, a cruel, well-trained soldier, very intelligent, cold, a really interesting character.
(Of course those are not all the characters, you know - if you want to know, the book has a list of characters at the beginning.)
There is also a bit of romance, and honestly I did like it but (I don't want to spoil it) one felt a bit strange, and I'm curious how it will play out in the next book.
The writing is wonderful, it reads easily, but beautifully. The plot itself was good, but this book is more about meeting the characters than some elaborate plot, it does come in the later part of the book.
It's a wonderful book and fantastic begging of the series.

Ariel Kaplan’s The Pomegranate Gate is a lush adventure with worlds and characters as diverse as they are thoughtful. 

The Pomegranate Gate is a beautiful blend of court politics and fantastical mysteries, settled in a cradle of wondrous historical fiction and Jewish tradition. Kaplan excels at laying the groundwork for mysteries revealed with a subtlety that’ll leave you delighted in your shock. You’ll be left rethinking the previous seven chapters in an attempt to see all the clues missed. 

I loved the robustness of the characters, especially given the multiple POVs. Each section easily pulled you into the new character’s perception, striking the perfect balance between distinct voices and a consistent experience. The characters’ attitudes and predispositions are revealed through quiet recollections that make their life easily feel like full experiences. I particularly loved the contrast between the generations. Elena and the old woman approach things with a gritty willingness that moon-eyed Naftaly would never think of. Similarly, Toba’s pragmatic if at times addled approach to the world is striking up against the pomp and groveling of the Mazik court. I’ll say Barsilay is unique unto himself, moving with heartfelt snark through his world. I love him. He’s my son now.

Kaplan’s The Pomegranate Gate is a glowing example of what fantasy should be: all the allure and magic of a rich world without the pretension and four-page descriptions of hills. Ariel Kaplan must either be exceedingly humble or my entire social circle and every targeted ad on the internet has failed me because I cannot believe that more people aren’t singing this book’s praises. So in the meantime, I’ll be here trying to get a good chant going and begging for the next installment.

What a brilliant book! This wonderful novel is a classic in the making, weaving in beautiful prose, a unique plot and fantastic elements of Jewish folklore which, let's be honest, are an underutilised treasure trove!
You do get very slight moments where the setup for future novels feels a little heavy-handed or obvious, but it's hard to avoid that with any first novel in a series.
All in all a great read, and I can't wait for the next book!
Mazal tov, Ariel, on the release & thank you for this lovely new journey.
Very warm thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for providing an e-ARC for my unbiased review.

An unexpected hit with me, after seeing it recommended first by one of my favourite Booktubers. A truly action packed adventure.

In Ariel Kaplan’s "The Pomegranate Gate," the first book of the Mirror Realm Cycle, Toba Peres and Naftaly Cresques are fleeing the Inquisition's persecution. Toba has unique abilities and a precious star sapphire necklace, and Naftaly is haunted by visions and a forbidden family book. Toba accidentally enters a magical realm inhabited by powerful beings called Maziks, while Naftaly, determined to rescue her, discovers his companions' dangerous secrets. As they navigate threats in both worlds, they must uncover ancient magics and histories to survive and protect more than just their own lives.

The Pomegranate Gate has an interesting world and is definitely unique. I found it quite slow though and I didn't really connect to the writing style, which made it difficult to get into. I think this was just a personal issue as a lot of readers seemed to get hooked by this book.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC from NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.

A beautifully written introduction to a series that I will be investing in. A must read for fans of Ava Reid, Katherine Arden or Naomi Novak. There was a lot of rich jewish folklore interwoven into this story.

Perhaps I should start with a disclaimer that even though I did study the glossary and tend to google culture-specific things if I don’t get them from the context, I’m generally not very familiar with Jewish folklore, so maybe I’m missing an entire layer here that someone else might understand and appreciate more.

While the story starts in the ‘real’ world, against the backdrop of religious persecution, the narrative soon transports us to the world of the Mazik - near-immortal beings with supernatural abilities that mostly come to them as naturally as breathing. Essentially, they are Fae, which… okay, fine, whatever. If you’re in it for fantasy Spanish Inquisition, this book certainly won’t provide you with enough to enjoy - ‘real’ world and the perturbations there will come up from time to time, but not enough to make it a solid subplot.

What I liked about the book is that at times it was indeed magical: the Pomegranate Gate itself, the lost Heir to the throne, the abandoned university and the lingering feeling of a better, more forgiving age. Then there were some tropes I’m largely indifferent to, like a rake with a heart of gold who made a mistake in the past and now might end up with a ton of responsibility on his shoulders, or the aloof scientist who finds political games distasteful and his smart dead wife, which can go either way for me depending on the writing and the bigger picture. And then, some tropes I mostly dislike, like romance with an age difference of several hundred years. Adding to all of this the fact that I don’t really find the characters interesting (except maybe Elena and the Peregrine), their motivations convincing (for example, are Asmel and Barsilay running a charity, helping a random human like that? why is Naftaly so hell-bent on finding a girl he barely knows?) and could predict most of the major plot twists without actually trying, I ended up with a reading experience that was just engaging enough, but far from amazing.

3,5 stars.
The Pomegranate Gate has a compelling concept and the history-influenced world it is set in is intriguing and important.
This book has been defined as a classic fantasy and if you have interest in the genre and wish to read books with Jewish representation, this book ticks several boxes,
Overall, the plot, the pacing (details and world setting), the prose and the fantasy were each 3 stars for me.
Concept 5
Characterisation 3,5
Action, conflicts and dramatisation 3
The setting of the magical rules 3,5
The historical influence and the impact of the themes 5

Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. I requested it because it sounded really promising and I loved the idea of it, but the execution wasn't what I was expecting. I found it unnecessarily long and complicated. and the plot wasn't getting anywhere so I stopped trying at 80%.

If you’re a fan of the starless sea, strange the dreamer and the Daevabad trilogy, you need to pick this one up!

I loved the writing in this and it’s quite a unique concept for fantasy. Set during the Spanish Inquisition, steeped in Jewish folklore and beautifully whimsical while also being high stakes!

I loved the two main characters, they were incredibly endearing and it was amazing to see their growth throughout the story. The plot was full of mystery and intrigue and it was so satisfying to see some of the plot points weave together towards the end.

The romance is a subplot in this but I am guessing we will get more in the following books!

All in all I highly recommend this one for anyone who likes a whimsical fantasy full of mystery, intrigue, politics, folklore, found family and magic!

An interesting adult fantasy to twist your mind in unexpected ways.
The first pages were a bit disorienting because I had to take all the complex information about the worlbuilding at once. However the writing is very good and each character is intriguing. I really enjoyed discovering their story little by little.