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whywelikereading's review
4.0
"Suma's Undergarments for Women" was a book that I picked up in a bargain bin at my school's book store for $1. It is possibly one of the best deals I have ever made. This novel is a small gem that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. The setting is a basement in a small Jewish community in New York City. Sima, the owner, is a shrewd woman who is able to tell a woman's bra size with just a glance. Sima lives a functional, if not dysfunctional, life with her husband Lev. In her mid-sixties, married at a young age, with really nothing going for her but her shop, and most important of all, childless, Timna, a young beautiful Israeli starts working in Sima's shop.
Stanger-Ross approaches would could prove to be a very delicate subject with finesse. Sima is unable to have children, and Stanger-Ross examines this. In today's modern world, a woman is more than just her body; she is a powerful individual and her gender is, or at least should be, irrelevant. However, in most cases, this is not true. The main difference between a man and a woman, is, well, their gender, or more importantly what their gender allows. A woman reproduces; throughout history reproduction is paramount to being a woman, and this is still true today.
Sima feels a failure as a woman and becomes bitter towards the world and her husband because of it. Timna is the picture of a modern woman, and everything Sima wants. She wants Timna to be her daughter, she wants to be Timna, and even desires her sexually. Timna acts as a foil for acerbic Sima, and the novel shows the progression of their relationship over 9 months, and how each woman changes the other.
Stanger-Ross approaches would could prove to be a very delicate subject with finesse. Sima is unable to have children, and Stanger-Ross examines this. In today's modern world, a woman is more than just her body; she is a powerful individual and her gender is, or at least should be, irrelevant. However, in most cases, this is not true. The main difference between a man and a woman, is, well, their gender, or more importantly what their gender allows. A woman reproduces; throughout history reproduction is paramount to being a woman, and this is still true today.
Sima feels a failure as a woman and becomes bitter towards the world and her husband because of it. Timna is the picture of a modern woman, and everything Sima wants. She wants Timna to be her daughter, she wants to be Timna, and even desires her sexually. Timna acts as a foil for acerbic Sima, and the novel shows the progression of their relationship over 9 months, and how each woman changes the other.
aquaintgalaxy's review against another edition
5.0
This book... oh goodness.
It makes me smile. It was my steak and gravy when i was in med hold at air force boot camp. It made me sad to close it. I had a lot of books in my posession during my time there but I never enjoyed any of them. This was the one i read cover to cover. This will always hold a warm place in my heart.
It makes me smile. It was my steak and gravy when i was in med hold at air force boot camp. It made me sad to close it. I had a lot of books in my posession during my time there but I never enjoyed any of them. This was the one i read cover to cover. This will always hold a warm place in my heart.
happy_hiker's review against another edition
2.0
I picked this book because it was on the “Don’t Miss List” – new at the local library. Sima (pronounced Simma) runs a lingerie shop in her Orthodox Jewish Brooklyn neighborhood. She hires Timna, a beautiful young Israeli to help out in the store as a seamstress. Sima is obsessed with Timna – annoyingly so, stalker-like even – trying to treat her as the child she never had and the savior to her lonely life. The book goes back and forth between Sima trying to figure out what is going on with Timna, and Sima’s own infertility and her failed relationship with her long-suffering husband, Lev. Would I recommend this book? Probably not. There was really nothing wrong with it, but there was nothing stunning about it either. I also didn’t really care for the narration.
msannapotter's review against another edition
4.0
Great setting... an interesting disussion about empowered women within a Jewish neighborhood of Brooklyn, aging, and infertility.
nrthstr78's review against another edition
3.0
This book started out pretty well, and then got a bit repetative towards the middle and then just went down the plot drain at the end. I expected much better.
annsantori's review
2.0
Donating this one to my library's book sale room. Enough said?
Ahh, alright . . . though there are two or three REALLY well-written passages here, the climax and denouement of the novel is, overall, just disappointing.
Ahh, alright . . . though there are two or three REALLY well-written passages here, the climax and denouement of the novel is, overall, just disappointing.
librarygirl94's review against another edition
3.0
I was so anxious to read this book but found my self a bit disappointed at points, making it hard to slog through to the end.
Though I could related to Sima on a very personal level, I was very frustrated with several aspects of her character, namely her relationship with Lev and her prying into Timna's life.
Overall, I enjoyed this book as a quick read and was pleased with the subtle examples of metamorphosis Sima's character took but will not be recommending it to others.
Though I could related to Sima on a very personal level, I was very frustrated with several aspects of her character, namely her relationship with Lev and her prying into Timna's life.
Overall, I enjoyed this book as a quick read and was pleased with the subtle examples of metamorphosis Sima's character took but will not be recommending it to others.
lizdesole's review against another edition
4.0
A poignant story dealing with how lack of self-love poisons your relationships with others. The relationship the main character has with her long-time husband feels so real in so many ways. You almost want to shake her to keep her from making the same mistakes over and over. There was a ray of hope when she finds that despite everything, her husband still desires her.
On a light note though, I wish I knew of a bra store just like the one the protagonist owns
On a light note though, I wish I knew of a bra store just like the one the protagonist owns
allysonjacob's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting~
A good yarn. I liked the characters. Some dialogue was a little heavy-handed. But overall, a good read.
A good yarn. I liked the characters. Some dialogue was a little heavy-handed. But overall, a good read.