These days, calling someone "Don Juan"could have ambiguous results. The moniker of this legendary seducer may be seen as a compliment, an insult or anything in between. In any case, this first novel by Douglas Carlton Abrams not only shows Don Juan in a whole new light, but, through simple yet passionate innocence, turns the entire philosophy of the Spanish Inquisition on its head.
Set in the Spanish coastal city of Sevilla in the 16th century, the tale is narrated by Don Juan himself, and tells the story of his life. Abandoned as an infant and raised by nuns, Juan worships women as the true embodiment of God's beauty and mercy. Even as a thief and burglar during his teenage years, he sympathizes with his victims; women neglected by their husbands and daughters kept cloistered by their fathers. Now living the elegant lifestyle of the libertine, he finds his way to many of their beds, and receives divine pleasure in merely bringing them satisfaction. His lifestyle earns him many enemies, not least the head of the office of the Inquisition, and he continuously walks a fine line between danger and protection.
A truly passionate and genuine soul, Don Juan refuses to give into the fire and brimstone dogma of the Inquisition, and embodies this spirit in his own words: "As long as desire is banished from the Kingdom of Heaven, there will always be a long line at the Gates of Hell." (p. 113)
Written with dozens of unique characters- some wise and kind, others zealous and cruel- this multi-layered and sensuous novel brings forth the full glory of Sevilla's golden age. The historical detail is unimaginably rich and the words themselves seem to glow.
