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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
I wasn't keen on the narration, but the story was first rate!
*4.5 stars.
This was a wonderful book. The author clearly put a LOT of work into the historical detail in the book, and the characters were well developed. The (3rd person) prose is intimately close to the POV characters, sometimes a little claustrophobic with a slightly melodramatic feel to it, but that did add to the experience. The description of place - sights, sounds, smells, feelings - was pretty awesome too. I loved Ester and Helen, not so much Aaron, but that was intentional and there's no denying he had an arc. I loved the exploration about religion and belief, and the peek into what life was like in the 1660s in England, and learning some Jewish history that until now I knew literally nothing about. I also found the intriguing mystery of the historical pages irresistible.
There are a few niggles I have, such as the odd comment about what Americans and the English are stereotypically like, that confused me. I think most were from Aaron's POV (the American's), about the English, which kinda made sense maybe (one sees "British" stereotypes - and comments about the "British" - in American TV shows, movies, on YouTube, after all), but not all were from Aaron. It made it feel very much written by an American (I'm English). I also thought that
I've seen other reviewers mention the issue with the white cotton gloves. I too had heard they should not be used for handling old papers, so I googled, and I think it's possible that in 2001 the cotton gloves were still widely in use (especially when you consider that) - I found this article from the National Archives, published in 2013: The gloves are off
There is so much more to say about the merits of this book, but to conclude, this was an awesome read.
This was a wonderful book. The author clearly put a LOT of work into the historical detail in the book, and the characters were well developed. The (3rd person) prose is intimately close to the POV characters, sometimes a little claustrophobic with a slightly melodramatic feel to it, but that did add to the experience. The description of place - sights, sounds, smells, feelings - was pretty awesome too. I loved Ester and Helen, not so much Aaron, but that was intentional and there's no denying he had an arc. I loved the exploration about religion and belief, and the peek into what life was like in the 1660s in England, and learning some Jewish history that until now I knew literally nothing about. I also found the intriguing mystery of the historical pages irresistible.
There are a few niggles I have, such as the odd comment about what Americans and the English are stereotypically like, that confused me. I think most were from Aaron's POV (the American's), about the English, which kinda made sense maybe (one sees "British" stereotypes - and comments about the "British" - in American TV shows, movies, on YouTube, after all), but not all were from Aaron. It made it feel very much written by an American (I'm English). I also thought that
Spoiler
the fact there were two Patricias at the library turned all archivists/librarians etc into a stereotype, amusing though it was. Not helped by the awful way Aaron thought about the other librarian Anne, about whom I was hoping we'd find out more and he'd realise his arrogant ass was wrong about her! That never happened, which was a real shame.I've seen other reviewers mention the issue with the white cotton gloves. I too had heard they should not be used for handling old papers, so I googled, and I think it's possible that in 2001 the cotton gloves were still widely in use (especially when you consider that
Spoiler
Helen, an older woman, is a stickler about them, and there's a passage at one point which describes the problem the gloves gave her, along with her shaky hands, and her worry about damaging the papers, which may be hinting at the fact that these days they're not used any moreThere is so much more to say about the merits of this book, but to conclude, this was an awesome read.
This book was a struggle for me. I almost gave up on it several times and only persisted because it was recommended by a friend. I wanted to like the character a Ester and her story, but it was too convoluted for me. Or perhaps it was the back and forty in time between Ester’s story and Helen and Aaron’s stories. None of them were likable characters, and their stories weren’t very interesting. A big meh for me.
Stopped at 40%. Nobody in the book club finished it. We wanted to appreciate the concept and prose, but it progressed far too slowly. Points for research and use of language.
An incredible and immersive novel. 5 stars isn't enough for this one!!
l love a historical fiction that travels between different time settings and Rachel Kadish does a phenomenal job at this.
I was instantly taken in by the stories, both set in London, of two intellectually driven women. Helen, the almost retired academic in the early 2000s & then a female scribe from Amsterdam named Ester, in the 1660s (just before the great plague). I loved the juxtaposition of the partnership between Ester and the blind Rabbi, then Helen and the young American graduate student, Aaron.
The Weight of Ink is easy to absorb yourself in and is one of the best books I've read in a long while. For readers who enjoyed People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks!
l love a historical fiction that travels between different time settings and Rachel Kadish does a phenomenal job at this.
I was instantly taken in by the stories, both set in London, of two intellectually driven women. Helen, the almost retired academic in the early 2000s & then a female scribe from Amsterdam named Ester, in the 1660s (just before the great plague). I loved the juxtaposition of the partnership between Ester and the blind Rabbi, then Helen and the young American graduate student, Aaron.
The Weight of Ink is easy to absorb yourself in and is one of the best books I've read in a long while. For readers who enjoyed People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks!
I had a really hard time getting into the book. At 40% I gave up
While I had difficulty beginning the book, eventually I could hardly put it down. Interesting characters and plot lines. Well worth the time!!
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
No thanks. I was so bored. I don't even remember what happened.
adventurous
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated