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tschonfeld's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this very much. Just as good as the first one. Guess I'll have to try Rashi's daughters next!
dybbuk's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
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
5.0
A wonderful book of magical realism set in the days of the Talmud, using the magics described there and documented by archeology. It addresses an aspect of the time that was rarely written down: the women's magic, and from their perspective.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual content, Child death, and Animal death
Moderate: Sexual assault
cindypager's review against another edition
5.0
One thing that Maggie Anton's books share is that I can't put them down!
Her knowledge and imagination are the ingredients to these most compelling books featuring amazing women in the context of Jewish history.
Thank you, Ms. Anton.
Her knowledge and imagination are the ingredients to these most compelling books featuring amazing women in the context of Jewish history.
Thank you, Ms. Anton.
veryperi22's review against another edition
5.0
One of those times that i do so wish I've learned gemara.
Alternatively, a reference index in her (and Yochi Brabdeis') work would've been appreciated.
Alternatively, a reference index in her (and Yochi Brabdeis') work would've been appreciated.
itwassomethingabout's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
jskstarr's review against another edition
4.0
Good, but it felt like the last decade of Hisdadukh's life was rushed through, compared to the rest of the depth we had for her earlier life.
devrose's review against another edition
2.0
This book was just too unbelievable to me. What I like about Maggie Anton's books is that they bring male-centric periods of Jewish history to life from the woman's perspective. I just can't believe in demons as part of this world, let alone women's abilities to interact with and command them. I would feel differently about this book if I could read it as straight fantasy, but I can't.
elephant's review against another edition
4.0
Magic and mystery, passion and sorcery abound in this story of Hisdadukh and her second husband, Ravi, a rabbi learning Talmud together. They deal with demons, fight off evil and curses and heal people's hearts and bodies as they raise their family together in the Jewish community in the 4th century.
lizshayne's review
dark
informative
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book was, in some ways, a reverse of the first. The first 1/2 - 2/3s grabbed me and then it faded out and had…less to do other than get to the end. It feels like Anton has parts of her heroine’s life that just are easier to write and struggles with both youth and age.
It’s complicated to write characters whose stories are already written in very ancient texts and I love that she stuck so close to the texts and wish sometimes she’d let her characters drive.
It’s complicated to write characters whose stories are already written in very ancient texts and I love that she stuck so close to the texts and wish sometimes she’d let her characters drive.
ryuutchi's review against another edition
3.0
How I wanted to like this book. The concept is great-- historical fiction set in the middle east around the time of the destruction of the temple, and the rise of the Rabbis as a force to be reckoned with in Judaism, focusing specifically on the magic-practicing daughter of one of the great amoraim. And if the focus had stayed on Hisdadukh's learning how to use magic, and dealing with the politics of the era (Roman, Persian, Rabbinical and magical) it would have been great-- there are certainly moments of it. But the author focuses so hard on the romance between the protagonist and Rava (another prominent rabbi of the era, who historically married Rav Hisda's daughter) that all the actually interesting plot developments fall by the wayside. Like-- the main villain is seen once at the beginning of the novel, or maybe it's not her, but it never really comes up again. Rava slits someone's throat in a drunken fit during Purim, and then resurrects the guy, and it's NEVER MENTIONED AGAIN. The head enchantress turns out to be a lesbian, but it's hinted at once, is revealed and all the protagonist says is "oh, that's why Asmodeus' manly manly bits don't distract you."
So, basically, it have the potential, and never lives up to it, much to my disappointment. On the up side, i learned that during that era the smaller a guy's dick was, the more ideal it was considered. So there's that.
So, basically, it have the potential, and never lives up to it, much to my disappointment. On the up side, i learned that during that era the smaller a guy's dick was, the more ideal it was considered. So there's that.