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emeraldgarnet's review against another edition
3.0
A fairly good read that explored the lives of military women and women veterans. I particularly enjoyed reading about these topics as they are so rarely discussed in fiction.
kanejim57's review against another edition
3.0
"...when are we going to stop thinking about the things that don't matter and starting thinking about the things that do matter?" Yael, "Other People's Children," chapter 1, page 5.
Shani Boianjiu, native Israeli, IDF veteran, and emerging novelist takes us behind the barriers and into the minds, hearts, and lives of three young Israeli women, Yael, Avishag, and Lea, as they navigate early adulthood as members of their national defense force in her first novel The People of Forever Are Not Afraid published by Hogarth.
The first thing that stands out to me in this work, that I enjoyed reading, was the narrative style. Quite frankly I am reminded of the narrative style of William Faulkner used that at times was cerebral, disjointed, and highly 'stream of consciousness.' In fact, the disjointedness reflects the lives of the three main characters, young Israeli women who follow a well worn path of national service in the Israeli Defense Force, before, during, and after their service and who struggle to find meaning and coherence in their lives and that of their personal worlds.
Each of the characters are troubled yet human, harsh and yet compassionate. We see this in such scenes at the guard tower, the check point, Route 433, and in their childhood and adolescent homes and post-service relationships. And while I would not use the term 'nihilistic' to describe the tone of the novel, there is a depressive and bleak element present throughout as Yael, Avishag, and Lea deal with death and the potential of death as part of their daily lives.
The novel begins with three of the four chapters each introducing one of the girls, Yael, socially conscious; Avishag, brash and bold, and Lea, opinionated and yet quiet. As the story unfolds, the reader is taken into maelstrom of the conflict which defines not just the lives of the characters and their fellow citizens but which affects the lives of many nations around the world. It ends with the story of Yael's mother with a flashback to the mid-1970's and her life as an Air Traffic Controller.
While I enjoyed reading this book, the narrative movement at times threw me into confusion as I struggled to keep up with the characters.
On my rating scale I rate this book a 'good' read.
Note: I received an uncorrected proof of the book via the Amazon Vine Review program in exchange for a review. I was not required to write a positive review.
Shani Boianjiu, native Israeli, IDF veteran, and emerging novelist takes us behind the barriers and into the minds, hearts, and lives of three young Israeli women, Yael, Avishag, and Lea, as they navigate early adulthood as members of their national defense force in her first novel The People of Forever Are Not Afraid published by Hogarth.
The first thing that stands out to me in this work, that I enjoyed reading, was the narrative style. Quite frankly I am reminded of the narrative style of William Faulkner used that at times was cerebral, disjointed, and highly 'stream of consciousness.' In fact, the disjointedness reflects the lives of the three main characters, young Israeli women who follow a well worn path of national service in the Israeli Defense Force, before, during, and after their service and who struggle to find meaning and coherence in their lives and that of their personal worlds.
Each of the characters are troubled yet human, harsh and yet compassionate. We see this in such scenes at the guard tower, the check point, Route 433, and in their childhood and adolescent homes and post-service relationships. And while I would not use the term 'nihilistic' to describe the tone of the novel, there is a depressive and bleak element present throughout as Yael, Avishag, and Lea deal with death and the potential of death as part of their daily lives.
The novel begins with three of the four chapters each introducing one of the girls, Yael, socially conscious; Avishag, brash and bold, and Lea, opinionated and yet quiet. As the story unfolds, the reader is taken into maelstrom of the conflict which defines not just the lives of the characters and their fellow citizens but which affects the lives of many nations around the world. It ends with the story of Yael's mother with a flashback to the mid-1970's and her life as an Air Traffic Controller.
While I enjoyed reading this book, the narrative movement at times threw me into confusion as I struggled to keep up with the characters.
On my rating scale I rate this book a 'good' read.
Note: I received an uncorrected proof of the book via the Amazon Vine Review program in exchange for a review. I was not required to write a positive review.
kanejim57's review against another edition
3.0
"...when are we going to stop thinking about the things that don't matter and starting thinking about the things that do matter?" Yael, "Other People's Children," chapter 1, page 5.
Shani Boianjiu, native Israeli, IDF veteran, and emerging novelist takes us behind the barriers and into the minds, hearts, and lives of three young Israeli women, Yael, Avishag, and Lea, as they navigate early adulthood as members of their national defense force in her first novel The People of Forever Are Not Afraid published by Hogarth.
The first thing that stands out to me in this work, that I enjoyed reading, was the narrative style. Quite frankly I am reminded of the narrative style of William Faulkner used that at times was cerebral, disjointed, and highly 'stream of consciousness.' In fact, the disjointedness reflects the lives of the three main characters, young Israeli women who follow a well worn path of national service in the Israeli Defense Force, before, during, and after their service and who struggle to find meaning and coherence in their lives and that of their personal worlds.
Each of the characters are troubled yet human, harsh and yet compassionate. We see this in such scenes at the guard tower, the check point, Route 433, and in their childhood and adolescent homes and post-service relationships. And while I would not use the term 'nihilistic' to describe the tone of the novel, there is a depressive and bleak element present throughout as Yael, Avishag, and Lea deal with death and the potential of death as part of their daily lives.
The novel begins with three of the four chapters each introducing one of the girls, Yael, socially conscious; Avishag, brash and bold, and Lea, opinionated and yet quiet. As the story unfolds, the reader is taken into maelstrom of the conflict which defines not just the lives of the characters and their fellow citizens but which affects the lives of many nations around the world. It ends with the story of Yael's mother with a flashback to the mid-1970's and her life as an Air Traffic Controller.
While I enjoyed reading this book, the narrative movement at times threw me into confusion as I struggled to keep up with the characters.
On my rating scale I rate this book a 'good' read.
Note: I received an uncorrected proof of the book via the Amazon Vine Review program in exchange for a review. I was not required to write a positive review.
Shani Boianjiu, native Israeli, IDF veteran, and emerging novelist takes us behind the barriers and into the minds, hearts, and lives of three young Israeli women, Yael, Avishag, and Lea, as they navigate early adulthood as members of their national defense force in her first novel The People of Forever Are Not Afraid published by Hogarth.
The first thing that stands out to me in this work, that I enjoyed reading, was the narrative style. Quite frankly I am reminded of the narrative style of William Faulkner used that at times was cerebral, disjointed, and highly 'stream of consciousness.' In fact, the disjointedness reflects the lives of the three main characters, young Israeli women who follow a well worn path of national service in the Israeli Defense Force, before, during, and after their service and who struggle to find meaning and coherence in their lives and that of their personal worlds.
Each of the characters are troubled yet human, harsh and yet compassionate. We see this in such scenes at the guard tower, the check point, Route 433, and in their childhood and adolescent homes and post-service relationships. And while I would not use the term 'nihilistic' to describe the tone of the novel, there is a depressive and bleak element present throughout as Yael, Avishag, and Lea deal with death and the potential of death as part of their daily lives.
The novel begins with three of the four chapters each introducing one of the girls, Yael, socially conscious; Avishag, brash and bold, and Lea, opinionated and yet quiet. As the story unfolds, the reader is taken into maelstrom of the conflict which defines not just the lives of the characters and their fellow citizens but which affects the lives of many nations around the world. It ends with the story of Yael's mother with a flashback to the mid-1970's and her life as an Air Traffic Controller.
While I enjoyed reading this book, the narrative movement at times threw me into confusion as I struggled to keep up with the characters.
On my rating scale I rate this book a 'good' read.
Note: I received an uncorrected proof of the book via the Amazon Vine Review program in exchange for a review. I was not required to write a positive review.
beastreader's review against another edition
3.0
Yael, Lea, and Avishag are friends. As the years passed Lea became the outcast. Yael and Avishag survived the death of Avishag’s brother. Although nothing will compare for these three woman than spending time serving in the Israeli Defense Forces.
This book will have you thankful that you are alive and are not a female living in Israel. I did have the idea that I was going to join the Air Force and become a pilot and stay for ten years and then retire. I would have been in my mid thirties and then gotten married. Well my plans did change. I did not go into the military however I did visit the Air Force Academy and stayed there for two weeks to get the experience and visited NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) back before 9/11. Not to say that my little experience makes me an expert and I am very grateful to all the service men and women who do serve.
I am still fascinated by military and thus have read many military themed books. This is why I was interested to read this book. I thought that Ms. Boianjiu gives a good voice to the three women in this book even if that was not her true intent based on an interview question in the back of this book. It was funny however as I thought that I would like Lea the less but I ended up liking her the most. The second person that I liked was Avishag and thirdly, Yael. Yael the least because after a while I got turned off by her constant flirting.
Ms. Boianjiu did nice job giving me a visual of what the three women experienced while fighting. At times although with this detail comes a slow pace in the reading which is what did happen to me. A good, strong showing for first time author Shani Boianjiu.
This book will have you thankful that you are alive and are not a female living in Israel. I did have the idea that I was going to join the Air Force and become a pilot and stay for ten years and then retire. I would have been in my mid thirties and then gotten married. Well my plans did change. I did not go into the military however I did visit the Air Force Academy and stayed there for two weeks to get the experience and visited NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) back before 9/11. Not to say that my little experience makes me an expert and I am very grateful to all the service men and women who do serve.
I am still fascinated by military and thus have read many military themed books. This is why I was interested to read this book. I thought that Ms. Boianjiu gives a good voice to the three women in this book even if that was not her true intent based on an interview question in the back of this book. It was funny however as I thought that I would like Lea the less but I ended up liking her the most. The second person that I liked was Avishag and thirdly, Yael. Yael the least because after a while I got turned off by her constant flirting.
Ms. Boianjiu did nice job giving me a visual of what the three women experienced while fighting. At times although with this detail comes a slow pace in the reading which is what did happen to me. A good, strong showing for first time author Shani Boianjiu.
sjgrodsky's review against another edition
1.0
Reading the book again for a book club meeting. Won't be changing my rating. In fact, I've come to actively dislike this pretentious, disorganized ramble. Some more deserving writer was not published because of it.
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Disjointed, hard to follow, confusing. Written in a flat, affectless monotone. And though there are several different narrators the voice doesn't change. You can only tell the narrator's identity from facts presented, not because the characters speak in unique voices.
I picked up the book expecting, at the least, insight into the IDF experience. The events described -- reservists held prisoner, girls injecting ice water into their veins -- seemed so extreme and unlikely that I felt I could not trust any part of what I read.
A waste of my time.
-----
Disjointed, hard to follow, confusing. Written in a flat, affectless monotone. And though there are several different narrators the voice doesn't change. You can only tell the narrator's identity from facts presented, not because the characters speak in unique voices.
I picked up the book expecting, at the least, insight into the IDF experience. The events described -- reservists held prisoner, girls injecting ice water into their veins -- seemed so extreme and unlikely that I felt I could not trust any part of what I read.
A waste of my time.
lindsayb's review
3.0
This was a difficult book to piece together. There were times I really liked it, found it powerful and heartbreaking and sometimes hilarious, but other times I just couldn't make sense of it (what was up with that rape episode towards the end?). This is a bleak and often cryptic first endeavor, examining the damaging effects of the mandatory service in the Israeli Defense Force. It was difficult to distinguish the girls from one another sometimes, but their negotiation of youth to adulthood amid military service floored me. I've never read anything about the female perspective in military service and conflict, and I wonder if there's really even much out there on it. While this book was not without it's flaws, I'm really intrigued by Boianjiu's style and will certainly look out for her future work.
tessisreading2's review against another edition
4.0
Weird and thought-provoking; not necessarily enjoyable but definitely a book that I was thinking about for a long time after reading and will probably continue thinking about for days to come.
sarasofraz's review against another edition
3.0
A good book with an interesting point of view.
It was a bit hard to read because of the unusual and a bit irritating narration which kept changing and making it hard to remember the characters and the storyline. But I also enjoyed the struggle a little bit because then you were constantly forced to think about the book and about the characters opposed to just reading without thinking about the book because it´s simple and straightforward.
The story was intense and sometimes unrealistic (water into veins?) but it was at the same time felt as being personal and it dwelt on many hard topics like rape, violence, PTSD, growing up in the middle of a war zone and having to deal with all that it brought.
It was hard hitting in some moments and weaker in some, like the ending which I am still a bit confused about.
Anyway I liked it enough to give it three stars but the confusing part of reading it because of the narration lost the last two stars.
It was a bit hard to read because of the unusual and a bit irritating narration which kept changing and making it hard to remember the characters and the storyline. But I also enjoyed the struggle a little bit because then you were constantly forced to think about the book and about the characters opposed to just reading without thinking about the book because it´s simple and straightforward.
The story was intense and sometimes unrealistic (water into veins?) but it was at the same time felt as being personal and it dwelt on many hard topics like rape, violence, PTSD, growing up in the middle of a war zone and having to deal with all that it brought.
It was hard hitting in some moments and weaker in some, like the ending which I am still a bit confused about.
Anyway I liked it enough to give it three stars but the confusing part of reading it because of the narration lost the last two stars.
dr_laurie_1968's review against another edition
3.0
Here is part of the review I wrote for our local Jewish Community Newsletter:
Ostensibly the plot involves three young Israeli women as they move from adolescence into young adulthood and serve their time in the IDF. Sometimes shocking and often disjointed, this book can be hard to follow with its lack of a linear progression. Jumping back and forth between times, places, and characters requires an extra careful reading. Ultimately though, I feel that it is worth a try. Boianjui’s take on the effects of serving in the IDF are very disturbing and one has a sense of futility of the reality of security in Israel.
The main characters Avishag, Yael, and Lea are affected in different ways by their service, but there is a continual feeling of ugliness, brutality, and absurdity which surrounds them and their actions. One scene which I found especially disturbing, partly because it was comical, is when Lea negotiates with a group of Palestinian protestors. They want her to do something to them so that they will be featured in the news. They bargain with her for some action that is bad enough but which she can still do within the letter of regulations governing checkpoint actions. The absurdity of the scene catches the reader off guard and makes one think about the theatrical aspect of protest and response and the role of media attention. The three main characters along with other peripheral characters all seem very jaded by their time spent in the IDF leading them to seem lost and restless after they leave the army. The effects of living constantly in a state of high alert take their toll on Boianjui’s characters and the reader, stripping away any romantic notions of living in an Israel that is in reality a deeply complex society.
The following quotation from Kirkus Reviews reflects my experience of reading this provocative first novel, “Not for the squeamish. Readers will either embrace the complexity of the writing or become maddeningly lost as the author meanders through a hot, dry country devoid of tenderness.”
Ostensibly the plot involves three young Israeli women as they move from adolescence into young adulthood and serve their time in the IDF. Sometimes shocking and often disjointed, this book can be hard to follow with its lack of a linear progression. Jumping back and forth between times, places, and characters requires an extra careful reading. Ultimately though, I feel that it is worth a try. Boianjui’s take on the effects of serving in the IDF are very disturbing and one has a sense of futility of the reality of security in Israel.
The main characters Avishag, Yael, and Lea are affected in different ways by their service, but there is a continual feeling of ugliness, brutality, and absurdity which surrounds them and their actions. One scene which I found especially disturbing, partly because it was comical, is when Lea negotiates with a group of Palestinian protestors. They want her to do something to them so that they will be featured in the news. They bargain with her for some action that is bad enough but which she can still do within the letter of regulations governing checkpoint actions. The absurdity of the scene catches the reader off guard and makes one think about the theatrical aspect of protest and response and the role of media attention. The three main characters along with other peripheral characters all seem very jaded by their time spent in the IDF leading them to seem lost and restless after they leave the army. The effects of living constantly in a state of high alert take their toll on Boianjui’s characters and the reader, stripping away any romantic notions of living in an Israel that is in reality a deeply complex society.
The following quotation from Kirkus Reviews reflects my experience of reading this provocative first novel, “Not for the squeamish. Readers will either embrace the complexity of the writing or become maddeningly lost as the author meanders through a hot, dry country devoid of tenderness.”
stevienlcf's review against another edition
2.0
In her first novel, Shani Boianjiu follows three young women, Lea, Yael, and Avishag, who grew up together in a small village on the Lebanese border. They are conscripted into the Israeli army where each experiences the boredom of military service, the casual sex, the paranoia, the horrific violence and loss. The endless war takes a toll on each of the women despite completing their service. Although the subject matter of women in combat was fresh, the execution was clunky. The novel repeatedly changes point of view (first person singular to third person) and the characters' voices are indistiguishable, requiring clumsy devices to signal shifts in perspective.