Laurel Corona is the author of three novels- Finding Emilie, Penelope's Daughter, and the Four Seasons. She graduated from the University of California, Davis, received her MA at the University of Chicago, and her Ph.D. at Davis.She has taught at San Diego State University, UC San Diego, and San Diego City College. She lives in San Diego. www.laurelcorona.com.
"[A] loving re-creation of the details of Jewish life ... Fans of
C.W. Gortner's The Queen's Vow may especially enjoy getting a
different perspective on Spanish monarchs Isabella and Ferdinand" -
Library Journal
"Well-researched, evocative, and a pleasure to read, The Mapmaker's
Daughter intimately and convincingly portrays important players in
the reconquest of Granada and the expulsion of the Jews from
Spain." - Mitchell James Kaplan, award-winning author of By Fire,
By Water
"A riveting, often heart-rending tale set against the tragic
backdrop of the expulsion of the Jews from Spain. Laurel Corona has
crafted a heroine for all ages in Amalia, whose choices define an
era of religious upheaval, courage, and sacrifice that still
resonates today" - C.W. Gortner, author of The Queen's Vow
"A close look at the great costs and greater rewards of being true
to who you really are. A lyrical journey to the time when the Jews
of Spain were faced with the wrenching choice of deciding their
future as Jews---a pivotal period of history and inspiration
today." - Margaret George, NYT bestselling author of Elizabeth
I
"I love The Mapmaker's Daughter: its compelling, very human
characters; its exciting story of exile and love; the heartrending
look it provides into the trials and tribulations of being Jewish
and its empowering message of being true to oneself. Author Laurel
Corona has described Jewish rituals and values - honoring family,
community, and God - in detail that, as a non-Jew, I found utterly
fascinating, and which made me envious." - Sherry Jones, author of
The Jewel of the Medina, and Four Sisters, All Queens
"The ghosts of the past are never far in Laurel Corona's hauntingly
beautiful tale of a woman whose life spans the Spanish Inquisition
and the fall of Muslim Granada. Yet despite the dark times, a
powerful love story ignites these pages, making the reader yearn
for more as they come to know Amalia and Jamil, two of the most
compelling characters in recent historical fiction. An absolute
must-read!" - Michelle Moran, author of The Second Empress and
Madame Tussaud
"Laurel Corona authoritatively gives the Jewish oppression in
fifteenth century Spain a human face and heart in Amalia Riba,
forced to make soul-defining decisions as her world rolls
inexorably toward the Inquisition. Peopled with historic figures,
her story soars from loneliness to love, tenderness to horror, and
from despair to courage. Sentences of startling, hard-won wisdom
leap from the page and command our memories not to forget them.
Compelling, complex, and compassionate." - Susan Vreeland, NYT
bestselling author of Clara and Mr. Tiffany and Luncheon of the
Boating Party
"Amalia is the perfect character through which readers will
experience these turbulent times ... Vividly detailed and
beautifully written, this is a pleasure to read, a thoughtful,
deeply engaging story of the power of faith to navigate history's
rough terrain." - Booklist
"Amalia is a character readers cannot help but like and admire: she
is courageous, stubborn, and smart, and she accepts responsibility
for her choices. Corona explores the unfamiliar world of
Renaissance Spain, painting vivid pictures of the court ... A very
good read" - Historical Novels Review
"[Corona] is an excellent writer, with a knack for research and a
flair for description." - San Diego Jewish World
"In this story about choices - and who gets to do the choosing -
Corona raises some interesting questions about what it means to be
courageous. And what it means to live. " - San Diego
Union-Tribune
"The Mapmaker's Daughter plunges readers back to the fifteenth
century .. a vivid glimpse of a wrenching period of history too
often forgotten." - Jewish Book Council
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