My husband gave me this book and said, “It starts out with a horrible rape, but hang in there…it gets better!” This book is truly incredible. If you’re easily traumatized by what you read, it is a bit of a hard slog to get to your happy ending, but it’s worth it! It’s really an epic. By following the main character and his friends & family, you get to see a glimpse into the life a member of every part of societ in medieval Spain. I love how the author takes us into the life of a peasant, and then a baron. A prositute, and then a grand inquisitor. An artisan and then a labourer. Meanwhile, you learn a lot about the culture in this well researched book. I really recommend this book to anyone who’s willing to see their hero fall hard a few times in order to achieve a glorious ending and in order for the reader to discover an incredible book!