As a historian and a Women's Studies director, I read historical novels with a jaundiced eye. Many historical novels are often nothing more than formulaic romance novels with a historical setting. But Joel Gross's work steers completely away from that mode. His five sagas, each dealing with the Rachel who inherits the Cuehno diamond and the legacy of the Rachels before her, are wonderful tales. Each story stands alone yet they are all intertwined. The women in his stories embody very noble characteristics including courage, bravery, intelligence, determination, and loyalty, attributes usually reserved for men. Nor are these stories for the weak. The first story set during the Spanish Inquisition revolves around a horrifying and gruesome reality, the terrible fate that befell Spanish Jews. Other stories include prostitution, murder, runaway daughters , illness, disease, and death. Underlying these tales are the reality of women in the past, trapped by their gender with little control over their lives. These Rachels defy conformity and find ways to defy the traditional gender roles. Also written into the epics are the realities of lives of Jews in Europe and the Middle East. For non-Jews, so many things can be learned from these stories including tradition, social hierarchy, gender roles, sexuality, faith, and rituals, The author does not preach or use his work as a tsk-tsk for Christians and their treatment of Jews throughout history. Anti-Semitism and its ugly reality are part of the story.While each story focuses on a specific Rachel, the supporting male characters are well developed too. I loved the story of Mordecai of Mir and the dragoman. The men are complex and not simple romantic heroes just to rescue the female from the proverbial dragon. They serve as catalysts for much of the action which is more historically accurate. Women had little power over their lives and were often at the mercy or the salvation of the men in their lives. Fathers, brothers, uncles, and male neighbors all play a role in the Rachels' lives, good and bad. They provide the legitimacy and agency the women needed to be able to do their deeds. While some of the men literally ride to the rescue, often they are users and abusers of women.While each Rachel legacy stands alone, the story line carries through to the next Rachel, but not necessarily directly and often through the male characters. My favorite Rachel was the 4th one. At first her story and character annoyed me. But then slowly, the tale of a young woman in the 19th century trying to find meaning in her life was very touching. r story, as all of them do, show the perils of a woman alone, defying her traditional proscribed gender role. While each Rachel saga is worthwhile, they are not evenly written. I think the last one could have been so much deeper and was a little disappointed.As a historian, I am intrigued by the women Gross wrote about and wondered where he obtained his influence for each. I would love to read the actual stories of these women if they truly existed. I have to give the author credit for writing a strong work about women that does not make them romantic fools or damsels in distress. So often in stories written by men, women are throwaway characters or sexually objectified. Gross treats these women with respect and his admiration for the inner strength of women shows in his writing. Loved the book and have recommended it to all my friends. It is worth the $6 to download it to your kindle.