**spoiler alert** I loved the beginning of this book, and the beginning of the middle (if you will) had me totally engaged. Then Isadore died. He died**spoiler alert** I loved the beginning of this book, and the beginning of the middle (if you will) had me totally engaged. Then Isadore died. He died off-stage, in a mundane way, as is often the case. I wanted to become interested in his sons, Leo and Mack. Neither were particularly sympathetic characters -- I wish they had been. They had great backstories (middle stories, really -- the interim between when their father died and when they became adults). They were all plotlines, no heart. They were inexplicably horrible to each other and completely unconnected to their poor, Bell's palsy ridden mother (her husband dies and her beauty is eradicated? Who shit in Fate's Wheaties that year??) nor their seemingly-affectionate step-father. Even Leo's adolescent and post-adolescent forays into sex (didn't see any sign of affection, let alone love) delivered awkwardness but never delivered anything real.
Still, the plot points did not deter from the quirky, intellectual writing style, which I continued to enjoy despite the content. I am not sure how I can separate the two, nor if I should.
I am left, however, wishing I had had more time with Isadore, just like Leo and Mack....more
I truly debated how to rate this book. Partly because recently I have rated so many books 5 stars. Is the rating based on the empirical (as if there wI truly debated how to rate this book. Partly because recently I have rated so many books 5 stars. Is the rating based on the empirical (as if there were such an objective thing...well, maybe there is. Nah) quality of the writing, the plot, the editing? Or is it my personal reaction to it? In this case, it is the latter. I could not wait to get to this book. Had it belonged to me, I would have written in it, underlined it, and begun to reread it immediately upon finishing. It took me nearly a week to read. As I approached the end, I slowed down considerably. I did not want it to end. Could it have benefitted from some editing? Refining? Yes -- not unlike this review. I will recommend it highly to some people who like this sort of thing (sweeping epic, fictionalized history/historicized fiction; existential questioning and angst, repeated many times) because, of course, that is the sort of thing they like.
Enough navel-gazing.
Ari Spinoza, the ephemeral narrator, gives the sweeping history of his family as well as the Eastern European world, in a high-brow Forest Gump sort of way. The cast of characters (helpfully appended with a purely imagined family tree) was overwhelming and, at times, too numerous to remember or keep track of from one storyline to the next, which could jump either forward or back by decades or centuries, then back again. He throws in philosophical movements, political trends and satire, Torah, Talmud, a bit of Yiddish, French and some German. Also some Russian history and language. There are some (to whom I will not recommend this book) who could justifiably say, "Too much!" to the whole morass.
Indeed, my head was spinning by the end. However, that is probably my own shortcoming, irrespective of the book. And I suspect that is the reaction the author was going for.
I have never been a fan of Golem-stories, but this one was so engaging, I did not resist after the first few pages. It was one of the most original taI have never been a fan of Golem-stories, but this one was so engaging, I did not resist after the first few pages. It was one of the most original takes on so many of my favorite things (Old New York, Jewish culture, Middle Eastern culture, lots of food references). The fusion of genres (and such disparate, complex ones at that:horror, historical fiction, magical realism, romance) must have been very hard to pull off -- but I found this to be nearly free of showing-seams. Fun and thought provoking....more
This book is brilliant. I am a deep lover of the time period, so I stand biased, but Naomi Alderman's reimagination of the period, weaving of actual hThis book is brilliant. I am a deep lover of the time period, so I stand biased, but Naomi Alderman's reimagination of the period, weaving of actual historical reports (I am hard-pressed to call anything "fact" when the experts so vehemently disagree) and novelist projections, is riveting (to me). I will think of her rendition for a long time.
I know I read her Orange Award winning book, Disobedience, when it came out, but did not record it on Goodreads. I loved how she interspersed some LGBT roots in this book as well....more
This book is not for everyone. When I picked it up and said, "ooooh," I am pretty sure some eyes rolled. But I love any kind of text analysis, and, whThis book is not for everyone. When I picked it up and said, "ooooh," I am pretty sure some eyes rolled. But I love any kind of text analysis, and, when added with some archaelogy, I am in heaven. It was academic in tone, but had a couple person anecdotes to spice it up. All the technical words were explained in sufficient fashion so I, the ultimate layman and novice, could follow it. I had never heard the theory that *****Spoiler Alert **** Moses and Akhenaten were the same person (not to mention Miriam and Nefertiti). I have no idea if this is a respected theory or another "Look we found Jesus' brother's grave" kind of thing. In any case, this book kept me engaged for its 164 pages (including appendices, which I read). Based on that, as well as my avid interest in the subject, I gave it 5 stars (Despite some annoying typos.)...more
I really went back and forth over 4 vs 5 stars. I love how timeless DH's books are, and not because they are applicable to any era***SPOLIER ALERT****
I really went back and forth over 4 vs 5 stars. I love how timeless DH's books are, and not because they are applicable to any era (they are not really) but because she always moves back and forth in time (in this book, Maimonides' time, Solomon Schechter's and modern day) in such a seamless way as to reduce time to irrelevance. I felt disappointed in most if not all of the characters' ...well...character, with the exception on the ones based on real people (ie Schecter and Maimonides) and was left disturbed and saddened by the ending. However, I decided not liking the characters' resolutions is not the same as not liking the book. Judith was a shitty sister and person....but perhaps, a better would-have-been mother than Josie? Or was Tali the one with the stained and stunted soul? Are we doomed to repeat the past and perpetuate patterns? DH -- and Maimonides -- asks us to ask ourselves what we believe: free will? God's will? Both? Neither? The book ends in a way that answers the question...perhaps. ...more
Once again, not "great literature," but it is a page-turner. Was the climax as super-surprising as the blurbs promised? Not really, but it was an inteOnce again, not "great literature," but it is a page-turner. Was the climax as super-surprising as the blurbs promised? Not really, but it was an interesting ride. At this point, that is all I ask....more
As a lover of biography, I am a somewhat captive audience for this kind of book. It was a fast, enjoyable read. It ended before it got to the part I aAs a lover of biography, I am a somewhat captive audience for this kind of book. It was a fast, enjoyable read. It ended before it got to the part I am most curious about: why did the author change her life the way she did? This book more than answers the question: why did she change her life? I am interested in what she ran to, as she thoroughly explains what and why she rand from. Perhaps she will write a sequel?...more
I have been a fan of M.J. Rose since I read The Reincarnationist. I love how she weave so many threads of stories, usually focused on an object but soI have been a fan of M.J. Rose since I read The Reincarnationist. I love how she weave so many threads of stories, usually focused on an object but sometimes (as in this book) also on a location. This one kept me interested in all the plots and subplots, although I did not tear through it like I often do when a book has grabbed me. Not sure if that is more about where I am at (summer, kids home) or her writing style. Either way, this had interesting turns of plot and character, if not delivering an adrenaline-rush ride. Not that there is anything wrong with that....more
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