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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
I really liked this book but I listened to it and it was over 20 hours. It took months to finish and I got confused by some of what was going on. It might be better to read it than to listen to it. It reminded me of People of the Book
slow-paced
The book was super slow. The author wrote long chapters. The only way I could finish it was to only read the modern day chapters.
I listened to this and really enjoyed it. I loved the back and forth through time and the scholarly subject matter and feel of it.
An Intellectual Read Rich with Jewish History & Philosophy
I am happy I read this book but also happy to be done with it. The book is quite lengthy and full of some complicated text on Jewish history, philosophy and language from the 1600s. It was an interesting read that flips back and forth between modern day historians working on the story of a woman who they are trying to uncover and learn more about. The main character is a young woman in the 1600s who faces many hardships but finds freedom in writing, thought and philosophy. The other main plot line dives into the relationship between a younger history student and his colleague, an aging woman. The writing itself was a bit dense and at times tough to get through. Would really only recommend to folks deeply interested in history and philosophy.
I am happy I read this book but also happy to be done with it. The book is quite lengthy and full of some complicated text on Jewish history, philosophy and language from the 1600s. It was an interesting read that flips back and forth between modern day historians working on the story of a woman who they are trying to uncover and learn more about. The main character is a young woman in the 1600s who faces many hardships but finds freedom in writing, thought and philosophy. The other main plot line dives into the relationship between a younger history student and his colleague, an aging woman. The writing itself was a bit dense and at times tough to get through. Would really only recommend to folks deeply interested in history and philosophy.
Mine is a mind often unencumbered by the dizzying heights of truth philosophy provides despite my fondness for sitting at the mountain’s foot to stare into it’s crowns.
This novel was a delight to read. It took me longer than I would have liked to develop a serious interest and could have ended with a quicker stride. My biggest note is that it often took too many words to express small ideas; I often found the shadow wisdom wished to cast belonged to a much smaller token therein made larger with the light fiction provides.
I was not overly moved by Aaron not Helen - but Ester gripped my mind and did not let go. I hesitated to start this novel and am happy that I did.
This novel was a delight to read. It took me longer than I would have liked to develop a serious interest and could have ended with a quicker stride. My biggest note is that it often took too many words to express small ideas; I often found the shadow wisdom wished to cast belonged to a much smaller token therein made larger with the light fiction provides.
I was not overly moved by Aaron not Helen - but Ester gripped my mind and did not let go. I hesitated to start this novel and am happy that I did.
A complex narrative with rich historical detail. Five-stars for the seventeenth-century parts, and I could take or leave Aaron's sexual exploits in present day.
Brilliant book. Very creative. I got lost in some of the details. And have questions about the ending. This was read for my book club and should be a great discussion.
Overall, enjoyable, very educational read. The characters are great, sensitively drawn, and descriptions are precise and multisensory. TBH, I could live without the entire modern story line, much as I liked Helen and the Patricias, and the whole academic mystery and competition thing. I'm not a fan of the split time narrative. Ester's story alone would be plenty.