Subtly interweaving an array of narratives, 'The Books of Jacob' conveys the tumultuous story of Jacob Frank, an enigmatic eighteenth-century figure with the aura of a messiah. Empowered by seemingly divine experiences, Frank transforms from a peculiar visitor to a magnetic leader, gaining flocks of followers. As his influence soars, his dogmas evolve, propelling him through conversions from Judaism to Islam, and then to Catholicism, each shift causing ripples across empires. Facing both veneration and vilification, betrayal from within, and inquiry from without, Frank disrupts the era's religious and cultural landscapes. Tokarczuk's sweeping saga chronicles not only Jacob Frank's metaphoric journey but also the Enlightenment's broader ideological terrain, inviting readers to ponder variance, belief, and the quest for an elusive transcendence.