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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
If I could give this book six stars, I would; it's a brilliant, beautiful, literary page-turner set in London in two time periods: the 1660s and the turn of this century. The narrative weaves back and forth between Ester Velazquez, a young woman who is permitted to scribe for a blind rabbi, and a pair of modern day literary historians who are trying to piece together Ester's story from a trove of documents discovered during a home renovation.
Huge kudos to the author, Rachel Kadish (who my wife’s college roommate and remains a close friend) for pulling off this masterpiece. I think many readers might get scared off by a nearly 600 page book with Jewish history and philosophy at its core. Above I wrote the oxymoron "literary page-turner" intentionally because this book is just that: magnificently researched and exquisitely written by Kadish, with twists, turns, and surprises all the way to the final page.
Huge kudos to the author, Rachel Kadish (who my wife’s college roommate and remains a close friend) for pulling off this masterpiece. I think many readers might get scared off by a nearly 600 page book with Jewish history and philosophy at its core. Above I wrote the oxymoron "literary page-turner" intentionally because this book is just that: magnificently researched and exquisitely written by Kadish, with twists, turns, and surprises all the way to the final page.
Loved it!
The history was interesting, the writing was great, and the story so compelling. Really enjoyed it. Will probably recommend to my book club.
The history was interesting, the writing was great, and the story so compelling. Really enjoyed it. Will probably recommend to my book club.
Super interesting book, but way too long for my brain at the moment.
Whenever I finish a story like this, I’m left a little bit melancholy. I can’t help but wonder if these sorts of tales will one day be antiques...if - in an electronic age - the notion of understanding and rebuilding a life by the words they wrote down will be an impossible concept.
I love books that explore the lives of women in societies and eras where they had to be subversive to have power: The Book of Longings, People of the Book, The Red Tent are all some of my favorite books. The Weight of Ink is one of those. Told through two time periods, a Jewish woman who, in the 1600s, despite women being forbidden to read or write, especially religious texts, scribes for a Rabbi blinded during the Spanish Inquisition, and the historians who discover her secret and her heresy, the author leads us to questions that will linger long after the book is finished. I knew nothing of the philosophical and religious debates of Europe in the 1700’s, but found the historical backdrop both informative and interesting. There are a few places I would have made different editing choices, but the book is exceptional and well worth the time to read!
Huh. There were parts of this that I really enjoyed and was fascinated by, and other parts that just seemed to drag on, and on. For me, the good outweighed the bad, but for someone else the entire thing might be an exercise in tedium. I found myself wondering in various places if people ever really reflected in that much ridiculous detail in a particular moment. Maybe some do? Maybe because I don't, I find such descriptions tedious in fiction? Still, I enjoyed the story of Esther's documents and their uncovering by modern researchers, fictional though they may be.
One thing that bothers me, though, is that everything I've read about attitudes toward homosexuality prior to the late-to-mid-1800's indicates that the prevailing belief was that it is something people do, not something that people are, yet we have Esther and others referring to a character's "nature" rather than his actions. It is a Jewish community, and perhaps there was a different prevailing attitude there, but otherwise this feels like a mistake to me. I liked the inclusion of the storyline, however, particularly since.
Cautiously recommended, but check out a sample first.
One thing that bothers me, though, is that everything I've read about attitudes toward homosexuality prior to the late-to-mid-1800's indicates that the prevailing belief was that it is something people do, not something that people are, yet we have Esther and others referring to a character's "nature" rather than his actions. It is a Jewish community, and perhaps there was a different prevailing attitude there, but otherwise this feels like a mistake to me. I liked the inclusion of the storyline, however, particularly since
Spoiler
it allows for a mostly happy ending for the characterCautiously recommended, but check out a sample first.
Great historical fiction! So we’ll written, I was amazed by how well the author created and intertwined different time periods. The story was great too, you just need a lot of time because it’s a long book (physical or audiobook). I’m happy I listened to it though!
It has been a long time since I've devoured a book like I did with this one. The pacing is invigorating, and the weaving of two stories separated by a few hundred years is impeccable.
challenging
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Death, Suicide, Terminal illness, Death of parent
Minor: Confinement, Infidelity, Racism, Grief, Car accident, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Classism