44 pages • 1 hour read
Alice HoffmanIncantation
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2006A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
In Incantation, Estrella deMadrigal, a young woman in 16th-century Spain, discovers her family's secret Jewish heritage amidst the horrors of the Spanish Inquisition. As the persecution intensifies, she grapples with identity, betrayal, and the struggle for survival, ultimately vowing to preserve her family's history and traditions despite the oppression they face. This book includes themes of death, torture, antisemitism, and cruelty to animals.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Alice Hoffman’s Incantation is widely praised for its lyrical prose and vivid historical setting, immersing readers in the turbulence of the Spanish Inquisition. Reviewers commend Hoffman's ability to create compelling, multidimensional characters, though some critique the narrative's pacing and predictability. Overall, it’s considered a poignant and thought-provoking read.
Who Should Read Incantation?
A reader who would enjoy Incantation by Alice Hoffman is likely someone captivated by historical fiction with a mystical twist. Fans of Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief or Isabel Allende’s The House of the Spirits will appreciate Hoffman’s lyrical prose and poignant themes of love, betrayal, and identity during the Spanish Inquisition.
RecommendedReading Age
14-18yearsLexile Level
730L