Across So Many Seas

Behar, Ruth. Across So Many Seas

February 6, 2024 by Nancy Paulsen Books 

E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus

From the points of view of four different young girls across a span of time going from 1492 to 2003, we see how the effects of forced migration are felt by one family. We first meet Benvenida and her family, who are living in Toledo, Spain at a time when all Jewish residents are forced to leave the country, even though they have been there for generations. Even though some people, including Benvenida's aunts, become conversos and deny their heritage to avoid problems, Benvenida's family chooses to leave and to go to live in Naples, Italy, with the mother's family. The journey out of the country is difficult, although they do meet some kindness along the way. The father dies on the sea voyage, and not everything is good in Naples. Benvenida's uncles and grandfather run a printing company, but soon are forced to leave, ending up in Turkey. In 1923, we meet Reina, who is living in Turkey with her parents and sisters. Her famiy still speaks Spanish. Their neighborhood is diverse, and one of Reina's best friends is Muslim. She is not supposed to talk to Sadik anymore, since she is twelve, but sneaks out with him and plays the oud at a celebration. When her father finds out, he decides to send her with an elderly aunt to Cuba, where he has married her off to an older man who will marry her when she turns 15. We meet her daughter Alegra who becomes a brigadista in the 1960s, when there are two sides to the feelings about Castro's regime. In 2003, at the funeral of Celia Cruz in Miami, we meet Paloma, who is learning all about her family history. Her father is Afro-Cuban, and her mother is the descendent of Benvenida, Reina, and Alegra. Her family is planning a trip to Spain, and once there, she finds even more connections to the past. 

Strengths: Readers who liked the multiple perspectives in Gratz's Refugee will find it fascinating that all of the girls in this book are related. The beginning, set in 1492, offers a good look at history I have not seen covered in middle grade literature. The historical aspect of each story gives just enough information to support the trials of the young girls involved, and there were plenty of cultural details about the family's background. The thread of music throughout the book was a nice touch. 
Weaknesses: It was heartbreaking to see Reina sent from Turkey to Cuba to be married off, but it's also important for young people to know about these practices and to continue fighting for equality. 
What I really think: This is a great choice for readers who liked this author's Letter's From Cuba, Dobbs' The Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna, or Danticat's Behind the Mountain.