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3.3 AVERAGE
3.3 AVERAGE
The story’s momentum failed to keep me hooked and my emotional journey with Lena and Pearl became lackadaisical and eventually disinterest caused it to peter out.
I appreciated the scenes where Wachtel gave me room for reflection and time to understand her characters’ world, but those were overshadowed by time spent waiting for something (dare I say it considering the setting) meaningful. The continuous use of flashbacks and florid descriptions caused me to lose focus and my connection to the characters.
For example, at the beginning, the girls are on a camp-out in the backyard. From the time they climb into the sleeping bags until the next mention of the camp-out, there are 640 words. Most of these words are descriptive flashbacks. After pages and pages of backstory, I had lost interest in what would happen at the camp-out.
I’m a big historical fiction reader and noted that Wachtel was skilled in imparting the heartbreaking nature of this catastrophic history and in showing how it transformed her characters and generations following. There’s no doubt this is due to her parent’s legacy. I appreciated a well-researched novel, the ease with which I slipped into the setting, the focus on the importance of family, and the resilience of her well-crafted characters.
Unfortunately, I wanted more. Faster.
I was gifted this copy by Little A and was under no obligation to provide a review.
I appreciated the scenes where Wachtel gave me room for reflection and time to understand her characters’ world, but those were overshadowed by time spent waiting for something (dare I say it considering the setting) meaningful. The continuous use of flashbacks and florid descriptions caused me to lose focus and my connection to the characters.
For example, at the beginning, the girls are on a camp-out in the backyard. From the time they climb into the sleeping bags until the next mention of the camp-out, there are 640 words. Most of these words are descriptive flashbacks. After pages and pages of backstory, I had lost interest in what would happen at the camp-out.
I’m a big historical fiction reader and noted that Wachtel was skilled in imparting the heartbreaking nature of this catastrophic history and in showing how it transformed her characters and generations following. There’s no doubt this is due to her parent’s legacy. I appreciated a well-researched novel, the ease with which I slipped into the setting, the focus on the importance of family, and the resilience of her well-crafted characters.
Unfortunately, I wanted more. Faster.
I was gifted this copy by Little A and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Lena’s parents are holocaust survivors who lost their first child, Ruby. Lena wants to bake with her mother (Anya), but the memories are too strong and Anya shuts her out. Lena struggles to find a space in her life where she doesn’t fear disappointing someone.
I really liked the premise of this story and the first chapter had me hooked, but with a 2024-perspective, I really wanted her to find a counselor or just be honest with her mom (and vice versa). Their insecurities made it really hard to stay focused on the book.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Though short, this novel is completely absorbing. It is about a Jewish family in the 1960s and 1970s in Brooklyn. There are Anya and Josef who have lived through a world of pain and suffering before their move from Poland to America. Then there is their daughter Lena, who is the main character of the novel as she grows up, gets married, and pursues baking. The POV is third person and shifts back and forth between Anya and Lena.
I love the depth of the characters of Lena and Anya, and I cried during their heartbreaks. I did not expect the layers of World War II that would be involved in this story. Without giving too much away, Wachtel does an amazing job of weaving the trauma of the war in the daily lives of Anya and Josef. Lena was an interesting character, trying to juggle her husband, a career she does not like, and a contentious relationship with her parents. At times the parent-child relationship is frustrating, but this makes it far more realistic, adding layers to the story.
The description of the book made it seem like the central plot is a conflict surrounding her best friend Pearl, but when reading the novel, most of the pages are spent around Lena's marriage. This is not to say the mystery of Pearl does not lead to a plot twist, but it was a bit different than I expected. There are moments that are confusing for a few moments, which are likely a result of slight pacing issues. It is also a little unclear at times whether scenes are dreams or not, and while this could contribute to the twist, it didn't feel like that. However, the story was still interesting throughout and only docked one star from the novel.
This is the first novel I have read by Wachtel, but I will definitely be tracking down some of her other novels!
Thank you to Net Galley for providing me an ARC!
I love the depth of the characters of Lena and Anya, and I cried during their heartbreaks. I did not expect the layers of World War II that would be involved in this story. Without giving too much away, Wachtel does an amazing job of weaving the trauma of the war in the daily lives of Anya and Josef. Lena was an interesting character, trying to juggle her husband, a career she does not like, and a contentious relationship with her parents. At times the parent-child relationship is frustrating, but this makes it far more realistic, adding layers to the story.
The description of the book made it seem like the central plot is a conflict surrounding her best friend Pearl, but when reading the novel, most of the pages are spent around Lena's marriage. This is not to say the mystery of Pearl does not lead to a plot twist, but it was a bit different than I expected. There are moments that are confusing for a few moments, which are likely a result of slight pacing issues. It is also a little unclear at times whether scenes are dreams or not, and while this could contribute to the twist, it didn't feel like that. However, the story was still interesting throughout and only docked one star from the novel.
This is the first novel I have read by Wachtel, but I will definitely be tracking down some of her other novels!
Thank you to Net Galley for providing me an ARC!