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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
challenging
informative
inspiring
mysterious
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
This is the 2nd book in. Row that I just couldn’t finish. Maybe I’ll pick it up again in the fall. Summer calls for fluff!
The story is interesting but needs to be told at a faster pace. Slow moving, a lot of description that is repetitive. I will look for other books on the subject
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism
A great historical fiction with an interesting split perspective
This has some of my favorite things--historical fiction + modern storyline, strong female protagonists, nerding out about books and history, religious history--but unfortunately it was a slog. I liked Helen, the wry and no-nonsense aging history professor suffering from Parkinson's, but she was quickly overwhelmed by other characters from the 2 storylines. In the modern storyline, Helen is quickly butted out by Aaron, her young graduate student assistant, whose story I didn't enjoy as much. We get their two backstories, and Helen's didn't make much sense to me. She has this great love in Israel when she's 20, and then just...dwells on it for 40+ years? It felt like an odd way to explain her obsession with Jewish history. I get it ties in with the whole work-over-love thing Ester has, but it wasn't believable to me.
In the 1600s storyline, Ester just didn't do it for me. She seems so meek and unsure when dealing with her brother at the beginning, and then all of a sudden she's this brilliant intellectual and pillar of strength. I didn't like how the author attempted to tell the story through letters, but then gave up on that and then just told the story in depth. Too much depth, maybe. I found myself skipping ahead at parts since I felt I was reading the same stuff over and over again. There were a few interesting moments, especially when the plague hits London, but that comes like 75% of the way through the book.
The last 20% was pretty good, and I think that if I were more patient I would enjoy this more.
In the 1600s storyline, Ester just didn't do it for me. She seems so meek and unsure when dealing with her brother at the beginning, and then all of a sudden she's this brilliant intellectual and pillar of strength. I didn't like how the author attempted to tell the story through letters, but then gave up on that and then just told the story in depth. Too much depth, maybe. I found myself skipping ahead at parts since I felt I was reading the same stuff over and over again. There were a few interesting moments, especially when the plague hits London, but that comes like 75% of the way through the book.
The last 20% was pretty good, and I think that if I were more patient I would enjoy this more.
I am at the Newton Free Library listening to the author, Rachel Kadish, describe her process for writing The Weight of Ink, and remembering how wonderful the book was. If you haven’t already, read this book!
DNF I don't need to read Possession by A.S. Byatt again except about Jews so what? This book was meticulously designed for Jewish book clubs. If I wanted to read the history of Jews and the plague and England and the inquisition and Shakespeare and the Jews etc.I would rather just read the straight up history rather than this cutesy peek-a-boo. How many ways did I not like the book? The tone, the characters, the ripped off plot just about covers it.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-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:
No
The plot and characters are great. The writing is a little flowery for my taste. Like a romance novel.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-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
Loved the history, loved the narrative, loved this book.