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linaleigh's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
tinysealoot's review against another edition
1.0
I didn't love this book, it look me way too long to read it. I loved the voice of Hanna and Her storyline, It was the only saving grace of this novel for me. I was struggling to read through a lot of the chapters.
jbabiarz's review against another edition
3.0
Brooks is a great writer. I liked the dialogue and progression of the story, though some of the sections were more interesting than others. If I could, I would give 3.5 stars.
chery's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
“I have spent many nights, lying awake in this room, thinking that the haggadah came to Sarajevo for a reason. It was here to test us, to see if there were people who could see that what united us was more than what divided us. That to be human being matters more than to be a Jew or a Muslim, Catholic or Orthodox.”
Going through different emotions between the chapters, though some flashbacks don’t make sense to me, until I reached the original artist of the haggadah’s point of view. An honest life that she lived, as a Muslim, aligned beautifully with her intentions to capture the Jew’s account of God’s creation and the life of the Jewish family who took her refuge and eventually loved her as their own, enabling the creation of a cultural heritage that lives to this day—worthy of the importance of its history to be displayed in a museum—even after five hundred years. Her story is what inspired me the most, as it was both tragic and touching, but it was a relief to know that in the end, we didn’t meet her demise, as she found her own safe place among the Jewish family whom she cherished her whole life, or so it seemed.
The clarity in the book’s chapters may not be as easy to link from one to another as to explain what’s told in the haggadah until we read Zahra Al-Tarek’s A White Hair (Seville, 1480), but I think that’s what made it even more grand, nearing the end. I love the way each place was described so vividly, as if Brooks herself had ever paid a visit. The clear depiction, down to even the most obscure details, was so elaborate that I had to take my time to appreciate the whimsical sensations, so tangible, as if I were also transported back to a certain place at a certain time. I highligted a lot of lines because they feel so close to me I could almost touch and absorb all of it with my senses.
Furthermore, though it may sound irrelevant from the rest of the review, Hanna’s relationship with her mother gave me somewhat uncomfortable feelings as I could imagine how troubled a child could be if she were treated the way Hanna was, and it was a tense-emotional moment, unfortunate for both of them to live separately after everything. Still, it feels lacking in coherence to the high-profile job Hanna took to preserve the haggadah that I feel out of it sometimes. That aside, I would say I’ve enjoyed the book thoroughly, though if I am to be honest, I still like Horse—her most recent work—better.
The clarity in the book’s chapters may not be as easy to link from one to another as to explain what’s told in the haggadah until we read Zahra Al-Tarek’s A White Hair (Seville, 1480), but I think that’s what made it even more grand, nearing the end. I love the way each place was described so vividly, as if Brooks herself had ever paid a visit. The clear depiction, down to even the most obscure details, was so elaborate that I had to take my time to appreciate the whimsical sensations, so tangible, as if I were also transported back to a certain place at a certain time. I highligted a lot of lines because they feel so close to me I could almost touch and absorb all of it with my senses.
Furthermore, though it may sound irrelevant from the rest of the review, Hanna’s relationship with her mother gave me somewhat uncomfortable feelings as I could imagine how troubled a child could be if she were treated the way Hanna was, and it was a tense-emotional moment, unfortunate for both of them to live separately after everything. Still, it feels lacking in coherence to the high-profile job Hanna took to preserve the haggadah that I feel out of it sometimes. That aside, I would say I’ve enjoyed the book thoroughly, though if I am to be honest, I still like Horse—her most recent work—better.
lisagray68's review
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
ktmp2112's review against another edition
2.0
The story line was fine, but there are some graphic/violent scenes that seemed unnecessary... I would not suggest reading this if you are sensitive to sexual assault
sallydoig's review against another edition
emotional
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
burneb01's review
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-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? No
4.5
tanya_the_spack's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent book. The weakest parts were the ones set basically modern day. I really didn't care what happened to Hanna, and the ending drama felt like it sort of came out of nowhere, like the author thought some sort of twist was necessary. However, the parts in the past, tracing the different little pieces, were so fabulous that they made up for the weaknesses. Lovely prose, too.
mwalters19's review
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0