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theoverbookedbibliophile's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
Unterzakhn by Leela Corman is a moving story that revolves around themes of social class, inequality, generational trauma, social convention and morality, family sisterhood and survival.
The narrative follows identical twins Esther and Fanya, daughters of Jewish immigrants, as they navigate their way through life – their childhood in the tenements of New York’s Lower East Side (circa 1910), the people they meet and the choices they make that lead them in different directions and how their paths cross over the years. The narrative also features a past timeline featuring their father and the events that led to his emigrating from his homeland.
There is a lot about this novel that is praiseworthy – notably, the sense of time and place beautifully captured and presented through the author’s remarkable artwork and how the author addressed several social and feminist themes from the era (many of which remain relevant in the present day). However, what keeps me from giving this a higher rating is that I found the narrative a tad uneven and thought that much of the story was lost in the time jumps. Though Esther’s storyline is well developed, we do not get to know Fanya as well as we do Esther. I also felt that the storyline revolving around their father could have been explored further. However, the supporting characters were well thought out and the narrative did flow well despite the tad disjointed/ abrupt nature of the story. I was invested in the sisters’ respective journeys and was immersed in the story from the very first page and finished it in one sitting.
I chose to pick up this graphic novel after reading Leela Corman’s Victory Parade, which I loved. Though I did not find this novel as well-crafted or intense as Victory Parade, overall, I did find it to be an emotionally impactful read.
annabellaaa4321's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
loverofeels's review against another edition
5.0
loved this depiction of jewish womanhood in the early 20th century. wonderfully expressive art and a heart-wrenching story.
historybowler's review against another edition
4.0
Closer to 3.5. The ending didn't sit right for me unfortunately.
spikeanderson1's review against another edition
4.0
Really really good. Right up there with The Rabbis Cat and Goloms Mighty Swing
nahanarts's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
pink_distro's review against another edition
4.0
super engaging art style and setting in 1910s new york. explores different visions of feminism and just a frank portrayal of the lives of poor jewish women of the time. emotionally taxing, well written, and has interesting insights on silence and support structures (or the lack of them)
jwinchell's review against another edition
2.0
Major gaps in the storyline made this book hard to follow.
vulturesaurus's review against another edition
2.0
Vivid artwork and a fast moving plot, but the gritty sensuality seemed exploitative. More often the sexual violence further objectified the characters rather than making them sympathetic or relatable.
barbarianlibarian's review against another edition
3.0
liked the art, liked the concept, but it was a little hard to follow at times