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anomys_'s review against another edition
3.0
Un libro che unisce realismo magico, superstizioni popolari e rituali culturali.
Una storia di donne forti, belle e, quando serve, terribili.
La scrittura di Shifra Horn è semplice, scorrevole ed efficace.
#marzodidonneedilibri
Una storia di donne forti, belle e, quando serve, terribili.
La scrittura di Shifra Horn è semplice, scorrevole ed efficace.
#marzodidonneedilibri
ediej's review against another edition
2.0
I honestly don’t know how to start this review.
I had so many expectation about this book: a book that tell us the story of a family through four generation? With a touch of magical realism? That’s my thing.
So you can immagine my disappointment after I ended this novel.
It started well. Very well. We met Amal, who summarise (ish) to us the story of her family and presents us with a mistery: who is her father? Why her family is hiding his identity? She also tells us about a curse that, accordingly to Great-Granma Sarah, afflict the family.
Cool, right?
Well, the first quarter is quite okay, I have to admit that, but the remaining is pretty dull. Its like, at some point, the author completely forgets shares of the plot; an example? The curse! Why Sarah thinks they are victim of it? When this idea emerge into her head? And, more importantly, why the birth of Amal’s son break it? There’s no real reason to believe in that, and there’s no common ground between the stories of Mazal, Sarah, Pnina Mazal, Gheula and Amal.
Another thing that made me cringe is the explanation of Pnina Mazal obsession with cats: “She likes them”... I mean, i like cats too, but i would never live with hundreds of them nor let them give birth on my disabled brother giant stomach (speaking of: we understood, he’s fat. How many time you need to repeat that?).
Should we talk about the passing years? In the space of two paragraph can pass equally thirty minutes, five months or six years (for instance Pnina Mazal and David love story: they get married and suddenly they have been trying for a child for six years; and then again he’s dead and she’s eight months pregnant... okay?).
And i could go on like above as much as you like, but it’s useless. The only thing i really liked (and that validate the two stars instead of one) is Sarah and Edward relationship.
Pity.
P.s. This was my first Shifra Horn; I think I’ll give a chance to at least another one of hers, because reading other disappointed reviews lead me to think she’s something.
Also, I read the book in Italian so probably some was lost in adaptation.
I had so many expectation about this book: a book that tell us the story of a family through four generation? With a touch of magical realism? That’s my thing.
So you can immagine my disappointment after I ended this novel.
It started well. Very well. We met Amal, who summarise (ish) to us the story of her family and presents us with a mistery: who is her father? Why her family is hiding his identity? She also tells us about a curse that, accordingly to Great-Granma Sarah, afflict the family.
Cool, right?
Well, the first quarter is quite okay, I have to admit that, but the remaining is pretty dull. Its like, at some point, the author completely forgets shares of the plot; an example? The curse! Why Sarah thinks they are victim of it? When this idea emerge into her head? And, more importantly, why the birth of Amal’s son break it? There’s no real reason to believe in that, and there’s no common ground between the stories of Mazal, Sarah, Pnina Mazal, Gheula and Amal.
Another thing that made me cringe is the explanation of Pnina Mazal obsession with cats: “She likes them”... I mean, i like cats too, but i would never live with hundreds of them nor let them give birth on my disabled brother giant stomach (speaking of: we understood, he’s fat. How many time you need to repeat that?).
Should we talk about the passing years? In the space of two paragraph can pass equally thirty minutes, five months or six years (for instance Pnina Mazal and David love story: they get married and suddenly they have been trying for a child for six years; and then again he’s dead and she’s eight months pregnant... okay?).
And i could go on like above as much as you like, but it’s useless. The only thing i really liked (and that validate the two stars instead of one) is Sarah and Edward relationship.
Pity.
P.s. This was my first Shifra Horn; I think I’ll give a chance to at least another one of hers, because reading other disappointed reviews lead me to think she’s something.
Also, I read the book in Italian so probably some was lost in adaptation.
leorejoanne's review
5.0
A wonderful family saga.
This is yet another book which I have read in just a few hours, but it wasn't due to simple content or easy language. It was just so magical and facinating. Exactly the kind of books I like.
It is not a fantasy book, but it has an element of fantasy which goes through it in a way which reminds me of 'one hundred years of solitude'.
This book was aritten by an Israeli author, and although it tells the story of an Israeli family, and of Jerusalem throughout four generations, it has the feel of an English book which has been translated into Hebrew.
20.3.07
This is yet another book which I have read in just a few hours, but it wasn't due to simple content or easy language. It was just so magical and facinating. Exactly the kind of books I like.
It is not a fantasy book, but it has an element of fantasy which goes through it in a way which reminds me of 'one hundred years of solitude'.
This book was aritten by an Israeli author, and although it tells the story of an Israeli family, and of Jerusalem throughout four generations, it has the feel of an English book which has been translated into Hebrew.
20.3.07
polyhy_14's review
4.0
Set in Jerusalem, this book deals with the lives of 5 generations of women. Beautifully written, this author is the Jewish equivalent of Isabel Allende.
wannabemensch's review
5.0
This has been sitting in my bookcase for ages. Ages and years. And it was wonderful, chock full of my favorite things: generational stories, magical realism, Judaism, and a fairy tale feel. The only thing it needed was an epistolary chapter, and I would've declared it perfect. ;)
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