Esther

Susan Merskey is freelance writer in London, Ontario.

In 1738, a time when Jews were strictly forbidden from entering the new
colony, Esther Brandeau became first Jew to set foot in New France. The
official record of Esther’s adventures is found in a few short
paragraphs in the Archives Nationales in Paris. Author Sharon McKay has
woven these facts into this fictionalized account, which is mostly told
in response to questioning from the Intendant of Quebec.

As the story unfolds, we learn much about life in 18th-century France
and particularly about the lives of both Jews and women. McKay has made
no attempt to minimize the hardships of Esther’s life, first as a
young Jewish girl growing up in a small ghetto, then as she is
“groomed” to become a courtesan, and finally when she escapes this
fate by masquerading as a boy who survives as a baker, cook, and
eventually seaman before arriving in New France.

Esther is a fast-paced historical novel that, once started, is very
hard to put down. Many of the heroine’s adventures will ring true with
today’s adolescents. Highly recommended.