Introduced as a historical fiction romance, The Poetry of Secrets by Cambria Gordon
becomes much more than just a love story: it is the story of identity, family, loyalty, feminism,
religion, and internal conflict, all during the Spanish Inquisition in Spain in 1481. This novel follows
Isabel Perez, a converso, or a Jew forced to convert to Catholicism. But like many conversos in Spain
during that time, her family, although attending church every Sunday, still practices Judaism in the
basement of their home. Because of the mistrust of truth Catholics surrounding conversos, conversos
are low in the social hierarchy and don’t have many of the same privileges Catholics have. Indeed,
Isabel and her secret partner Diego Altamirano wish to get married, but doing so would isolate and
bring shame upon both of their families for various reasons. As the Spanish Inquisition reaches their
city, life becomes exponentially more dangerous, and Isabel may have to choose between her safety
and her happiness.
One of the best things about The Poetry of Secrets is that it is infused with real, historical
poetry, some pieces hundreds of years old. This clearly illustrates that poetry is a large part of the
novel, and, apart from its beauty, it is one of the primary ways Isabel journals to express herself
amidst the chaos of the Inquisition surrounding her. Overall, the novel ties together so many
important themes while recounting the danger and brilliance of Isabel’s tale, and it is something that
will surely interest any reader.