Anything But Yes: A Novel of Anna Del Monte, Jewish Citizen of Rome, 1749
This beautifully written novel is based on the true story of Anna del Monte, a young Jewish woman in Rome in 1749, who was abducted at gunpoint and imprisoned in a convent in an attempt to forcibly convert her to Catholicism. Starved and deprived of sleep, she is visited by various nuns, priests, and theologians, many of them converts from Judaism, who lecture and interrogate her.
If she answers “yes” to any of their questions, it will be taken to mean that she accepts baptism. This means that she could never have contact with any other Jew, including her own family, again. Anna courageously resists the Church’s attempts to convert her, wondering at the same time who denounced her, and if she will ever return to her family. Anna’s family and the governors of the ghetto try hard to secure her release, but will they succeed?
Davidow based the book on a diary that was lost for over 200 years. This was a tragic time for the Jewish people of Rome. Already confined to the ghetto for centuries, they were not allowed to practice most professions, and Pope Benedict XIV decided to convert as many Jews as possible, starting with children and young unmarried women, who were the most vulnerable members of the community. A man who converted to Catholicism could offer a woman he wanted to marry to the Church, no matter how the woman felt about it.
Davidow does a wonderful job of telling the story of a courageous woman who stays true to her religion despite everything. I loved the details of life in the ghetto, including the food and the celebrations of the Jewish holidays. The novel particularly resonates with me. Having visited the Jewish ghetto in Rome, I could visualize the locations. Highly recommended.
