thecozyshelf's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 ⭐️
Excellently written historical fiction. I loved the backdrop for this story and a few of the main characters. It did seem a bit long, but I love a good historical “mystery” that takes a while to figure out. I especially love reading historical fiction with two story lines, one in the historical time period and one in the modern period. It’s fun to discover what happened right along with the main characters.
Excellently written historical fiction. I loved the backdrop for this story and a few of the main characters. It did seem a bit long, but I love a good historical “mystery” that takes a while to figure out. I especially love reading historical fiction with two story lines, one in the historical time period and one in the modern period. It’s fun to discover what happened right along with the main characters.
eramsey3's review
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
thain's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting premise and historical setting (17th century Jewish community in London), but rambled quite a bit. Probably helps if one is interested in philosophy and academia.
emilybartonspinks's review against another edition
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
kfreedman's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this book, with parallel stories in the 17th and 21st centuries. It was a quick read for me and quite entertaining. However I thought that one of the story lines, about the love life of 21st century postgraduate, was rather incongruous with other descriptions of him and took away from the rest of the book. Some of the twists and turns of their relationship felt forced and unnecessary. All in all, a perfectly good, seemingly well-researched novel!
mkwheelock's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
fiberreader's review against another edition
5.0
This book was an excellent read. I bought it on a whim but was almost immediately engrossed. The writing is exquisite, the story line inventive and well researched. The back-and-forth between the (near) present and the past helps to keep the pace of the narrative going -- just when you're beginning to tire of one particular path, you jump several centuries back or ahead to pick up where you left off there.
My one very minor complaint about this book is that there are several sections of very heavy philosophical discussion that were mostly over my head and gave me flashbacks of the one philosophy course I took in college that used to regularly put me to sleep. I understand why they're there -- they're an integral piece of the narrative -- but I found them a bit of a slog to get through.
I think what I enjoyed most in this book was the very real characters that Kadish has created. She gives you a complete history and background for each of the three main figures, almost as if they were actual historical figures who she's thoroughly researched to provide a complete biographical sketch. I found that as the book progressed I had come to care deeply about what happened to these individuals, and as I finished the last page, I felt a sense of loss from not knowing how their stories would carry on after the end of the book.
My one very minor complaint about this book is that there are several sections of very heavy philosophical discussion that were mostly over my head and gave me flashbacks of the one philosophy course I took in college that used to regularly put me to sleep. I understand why they're there -- they're an integral piece of the narrative -- but I found them a bit of a slog to get through.
I think what I enjoyed most in this book was the very real characters that Kadish has created. She gives you a complete history and background for each of the three main figures, almost as if they were actual historical figures who she's thoroughly researched to provide a complete biographical sketch. I found that as the book progressed I had come to care deeply about what happened to these individuals, and as I finished the last page, I felt a sense of loss from not knowing how their stories would carry on after the end of the book.
magdalenahai's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Kirjaan kesti hetken päästä sisälle, pääasiassa koska Kadish ei todellakaan anna nykyajan päähenkilöistään mairittelevaa kuvaa, ja alkuun hieman pelotti, että he olisivat koko kirjan ajan sellaisia. Mutta tarinapa olikin paitsi hitaasti avautuva mysteerikertomus 1600-luvun Esterin elämänkaaresta, myös vahvasti historioitsija Helenin ja jatko-opiskelija Aaronin kasvutarina. Kirjan eri aikatasot toimivat hyvin tarinan avautumisen työkaluna ja että kirjailija annosteli lukijalle taitavasti aina jotain uutta odotettavaa.
diacruz's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
arieanna's review against another edition
3.0
I would give the first half of the book a 2, it was painfully slow and overlong. The second half was much better