The Silver Cup

A worthwhile book! The characters are well developped, the story line is creative without losing credibility, the descriptions are rich, and the oddities of old language and customs brought forth in an engaging way. I do not see this as appropriate for younger than 6th or 7th grade. Even then it may be too much for the sensitive child. Unfortunately the scene of destruction and pillage in Worms is elucidated in a gut wrenching way. It should not have been. The brutal tone of pages 111-113 are incongruent with rest of the book. There is another short passage on page 191 that also goes over the edge of decency, although it is far less offensive. Example: ""Wait, there's more," said Hagan. "In the square near the Martinstor, I saw, with my own eyes, two Jewish girls younger than your Anna, raped over and over, and then beheaded while people laughed."" page 112 I find it hard to believe that Hagan would have spoken that way with a young girl present. He could have said the "two Jewish girls were ill-used or physically degraded or violated by many men, and then beheaded in front of a callous crowd." This could have been toned down in keeping with the rest of the book and its' success at writing to its' intended audience. The kind of language above should be left out or saved for 10th grade and up. The world is brutal enough without dwelling on atrocities at a young age. So, I would deduct 1/2 a star for this aberration in the writing if I could. Otherwise, as I have already stated, it is an excellent, captivating, original work with a rich historical backdrop. This writer should contribute more to children's literature.

The beauty of historical fiction is that it allows the reader to learn about a particular time and culture that's been woven into a fascinating story. While I am well beyond the juvenile fiction stage, I was attracted by both the story and the history. I was drawn into this family and the issues they faced in terms of their social and economic survival. From the perspective of the younger reader, potential questions about how people lived during the Middle Ages were answered with the inclusion of the glossary at the end of the book - a terrific teaching tool. This book was a great read and parents should make a point of reading it after their children are done.

What a wonderfully educational book! Rich storylines. Good drama and complex characters. Obviously very carefully researched. You must buy this book -- either for yourself or for your kids. You'll both love it!

This book caused me to realize how few realms kids' books currently cover. This is a richly nuanced, interesting book for upper middle school and first years of high school readers. I heartily recommend it for its thought-provoking slice of christians and jews in the middle ages.

When Anna's father married the blacksmith's daughter, his noble family cast him out. Anna's mother died when Anna was ten, and she became the responsibility of her harsh, bitter aunt who lived next door. At fifteen, she takes care of her merchant father and cousin, Martin - never to the satisfaction of Aunt Agnes. Greatly delighted when her father takes her to the city of Worms, she becomes nervous when her father enters the Jewish Quarter to deliver small, intricate tools crafted by his in-laws to a silversmith. Despite her apprehensions, Anna is awed by the beauty of the silversmith's home and elegantly dressed daughter of about her age. She is too shy to return the daughter's smile. Set in Germany of 1095, Anna's quiet village life is disrupted by Martin, who runs away to join a renegade branch of the Crusades, led by the brutal Count Emich. When Count Emich's army massacres the eight hundred Jews in Worms, Anna rescues the silversmith's surviving daughter. In this author's first novel, she has not plunked characters with modern sensibilities into a medieval setting. The protagonist, while astute and kind, is of a piece with her times. The author has written an excellent historical fiction which shines a light on an all-but-forgotten infamy of the Crusades.