anothersarahny's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 and I'm changing Natasha to a 5. Very talented storyteller - funny, serious and smart.
kirstiecat's review against another edition
4.0
I thought this book was a particularly interesting take on the experience of Latvian and Russian Jews who survived WWII and their children who do not want to live in either the Soviet Union or in Israel. The book spans quite a few decades and works on both remembrances of the grandfather and the experiences of his children.
There is a great deal in this book about religion and the experience of trying to immigrate to the US, Australia, or Canada which the main characters are trying to do and the struggle of being turned away and being in a state of flux or moratorium, which occurs when they find themselves in Rome waiting and trying to be accepted into the country of their choice. There is some desperation that feels very realistic, crime, and also a sense of being unwanted, especially when one has a history of illness and might be seen as a burden to a country. In addition, there is a little bit about feminism or at least the female experience is included, though definitely not to the extent as the male one but it still balances it somewhat. This novel also delves into communism and perspectives of these Jewish characters on Stalin a bit as well as Begin and the peace process in Israel. They have interesting viewpoints and considering that Bezmozgis is a Latvian Jew who immigrated to Canada, one can't help but feel the legitimacy in the way that he represents these viewpoints and characters overall.
I will say the one thing that really detracted me from the storyline I was most interested in learning from, however, was the side plots about infidelity. I was wondering if Bezmozgis was trying to use this as a metaphor for some of the characters who were Jewish but did not want to live in Israel or had lived in Israel and left...as in one being unfaithful to one's nation in a way but it didn't really come across strongly enough if this was what he was going for. Instead, it made the novel seem a little unfocused and I would have rather he devoted those pages to more about the struggle in terms of politics and religion.
Also, I would strongly recommend reading Natasha by Bezmozgis...I remember liking it even more.
Memorable quotes:
pg 78 "I tell you, if I worshiped the sun, we'd all end up in the dark."
pg. 149 "In the end, every corpse has the same face: your own."
pg. 185 "She looked to have what Olya had had-beauty like a long blade, carelessly held."
pg. 260 "But I'm his mother. Men believe they have secrets only because women pretend that they don't know."
pg. 269 "The name is from the Bible, which some of them claim to have read. As a work of literature, it's gotten mixed reviews. Our mailman says that God was no Tolstoy."
pg. 277 "I'm not looking for perfection. So far I've been a citizen of two utopias. Now I have modest expectations. Basically, I want the country with the fewest parades."
There is a great deal in this book about religion and the experience of trying to immigrate to the US, Australia, or Canada which the main characters are trying to do and the struggle of being turned away and being in a state of flux or moratorium, which occurs when they find themselves in Rome waiting and trying to be accepted into the country of their choice. There is some desperation that feels very realistic, crime, and also a sense of being unwanted, especially when one has a history of illness and might be seen as a burden to a country. In addition, there is a little bit about feminism or at least the female experience is included, though definitely not to the extent as the male one but it still balances it somewhat. This novel also delves into communism and perspectives of these Jewish characters on Stalin a bit as well as Begin and the peace process in Israel. They have interesting viewpoints and considering that Bezmozgis is a Latvian Jew who immigrated to Canada, one can't help but feel the legitimacy in the way that he represents these viewpoints and characters overall.
I will say the one thing that really detracted me from the storyline I was most interested in learning from, however, was the side plots about infidelity. I was wondering if Bezmozgis was trying to use this as a metaphor for some of the characters who were Jewish but did not want to live in Israel or had lived in Israel and left...as in one being unfaithful to one's nation in a way but it didn't really come across strongly enough if this was what he was going for. Instead, it made the novel seem a little unfocused and I would have rather he devoted those pages to more about the struggle in terms of politics and religion.
Also, I would strongly recommend reading Natasha by Bezmozgis...I remember liking it even more.
Memorable quotes:
pg 78 "I tell you, if I worshiped the sun, we'd all end up in the dark."
pg. 149 "In the end, every corpse has the same face: your own."
pg. 185 "She looked to have what Olya had had-beauty like a long blade, carelessly held."
pg. 260 "But I'm his mother. Men believe they have secrets only because women pretend that they don't know."
pg. 269 "The name is from the Bible, which some of them claim to have read. As a work of literature, it's gotten mixed reviews. Our mailman says that God was no Tolstoy."
pg. 277 "I'm not looking for perfection. So far I've been a citizen of two utopias. Now I have modest expectations. Basically, I want the country with the fewest parades."
runkefer's review against another edition
3.0
This extended-family story of Russian Jewish emigres in Italy during the late 1970s/early 1980s covers an interesting historical period. I was a little lost in the beginning because there were so many characters in the family and outside the family. When I finally figured out who everyone was, I found I didn't care all that much what happened to them.
micki1961's review against another edition
2.0
okay tale about Latvian/Russian trying to emigrate to Canada
wordnerdy's review against another edition
4.0
http://wordnerdy.blogspot.com/2011/04/2011-book-92.html
lostinagoodread's review against another edition
5.0
A story about three generations of a Russian Jewish family trying to make their way out of their country and into the west. This story details their trip out of Russia into Italy and tells of the families attempt to get their visas while living in Italy.
I loved this book. I could not put it down, I just wanted to keep going but once I finished I was disappointed that the story ended so soon. This is a story that really makes you think about family when you have finished it and what you would do for your family. I love how Bezmozgis shows the exile and yearning of the Jewish family to find their place. Some of the secondary characters that we meet throughout the book bring some humor to a very difficult situation that the Krasnansky family is in. This story shows that freedom is not everything that we think it to be.
I believe this is one book that I will go back to many times over the years. So much of the book sticks in my mind.
I loved this book. I could not put it down, I just wanted to keep going but once I finished I was disappointed that the story ended so soon. This is a story that really makes you think about family when you have finished it and what you would do for your family. I love how Bezmozgis shows the exile and yearning of the Jewish family to find their place. Some of the secondary characters that we meet throughout the book bring some humor to a very difficult situation that the Krasnansky family is in. This story shows that freedom is not everything that we think it to be.
I believe this is one book that I will go back to many times over the years. So much of the book sticks in my mind.
atschakfoert's review against another edition
3.0
Very well written, interesting plot and characters.
kunstudios's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to love this book, but it lacked emotional depth. I didn't care about the characters - which is too bad as his story is similar to my family's escape from Romania.
canadianbookworm's review
3.0
Set in 1978 in and around Rome, this book looks at one family of Russian Jews on their way to a new life. The family is comprised of three generations: Samuil and Emma, their sons Karl and Alec, Karl's wife Rosa and their two sons, and Alec's wife Polina. Samuil is not a practicing Jew, he served in the Red Army and was a card-carrying Communist who had a car and driver. Their life in Rome is one of limbo, waiting for immigration papers for their chosen country and adjusting to life in the West. We see love, responsibility, opportunity, and friendship. Alec is a playboy, always with an eye for a pretty woman. Polina, aware of his weakness has still given up her life to follow him, leaving her family behind. There is a whole community of Soviet Jews, all waiting for life in a new country: Australia, Canada, the United States and, of course, Israel. We see the how this search affects the various family members, and how priorities change as they wait. This is a snapshot of a point in history, done with a close-up of one family caught up in it. Those with good health and sponsoring family members in their destination country move through more quickly, others wonder if they are making the right choices.