The Jewel Trader of Pegu

The Jewel Trader of Pegu
Jeffery Hantover
William Morrow
ISBN: 978-0-06-125270-9
Fiction, Historical Fiction
Reviewed by Shannon Frost

In the year 1598, young Jewish merchant, Abraham, leaves the city of Venice and all he’s ever known for the exotic city of Pegu in Burma, a destination that seems more fantasy than real to him in a quest for beautiful gems. Along his journey, remorse for the wife and son taken from him by death haunt him, and the life he’s faced of prejudice, locked away in the segregated ghettos of Venice, has taken its toll on his spirit. In Pegu, he finds a freedom he’s never known, and while he learns of customs that are strange and wondrous to him, some going against his very moral being, Mya, a beautiful young woman comes to him, and through her, Abraham begins to remember what value life has. But the Peguan Empire is far from stable. When war threatens the land, Abraham must find a way to protect the woman he’s grown to love.

Written in the form of letters to Abraham’s cousin, Joseph, and first-person accounts from Mya, The Jewel Trader of Pegu is a book that doesn’t just pull the reader into the story, it puts them there. The lush descriptions of people, places, events, and customs, of both Pegu and Venice, come through beautifully and sometimes, shockingly. The letters make the reader privy to Abraham’s inner most thoughts, allowing them to experience his emotional and spiritual journey as well as his physical one. Throughout the story, Abraham grows in his own personal views of acceptance and what it means to be a man of faith. By the end of the book, Abraham feels familiar, close, and so very real. When Mya speaks, there’s a soft femininity to her voice, an understanding of the natural world, and a spiritual wisdom beyond her young years. Together, the two make beautiful and complimentary couple.

Filled with passages on life and religion, if the entire book doesn’t provoke deep thought, there’s sure to be at least one passage that touches every reader. There’s no part of the book that isn’t fascinating, but some of the most interesting sections are the discussions on religion as Abraham learns of Buddhism and tries to make sense of it in comparison to his own faith. Along with the thought-provoking aspects, there are also moments of genuine humor when Abraham encounters certain Peguan customs or foods where the descriptions bring grins while reading.

Quite simply, the book is brilliantly written. Its lovely language is a sumptuous feast for the mind and its story moves the heart. Rich in detail, characters and emotion, Abraham’s journey of self discovery stays with the reader well after the final page has been read. Many thanks are to be given to author Hantover for creating this beautiful literary treasure.