Jewish jewel trader Abraham, a widower at 28, leaves Venice in 1598 for Pegu, a Burmese kingdom halfway around the world, where he is to settle and acquire high-quality gems for the family business. Abraham, liberated from the ghetto, delights in his newfound freedom, but soon discovers that foreigners are expected to perform a specific service to bring luck to the marriages of young brides, one that is forbidden by Jewish law. Some descriptions of violence, and some descriptions of sex. 2009, c2008.