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A review by grayjay
The Books of Jacob by Olga Tokarczuk
3.0
The Books of Jacob is a historical epic that takes place during the mid-18th century following the adventures of a Jewish heretical prophet and the followers who travel with him all over Europe throughout the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Ottoman Empire, and Moravia.
Jacob Frank's teachings are apocalyptic. He claims that the end times have arrived and the way to usher in the new order is to turn all the old laws upside down. His followers defile the Torah, reject property and marriage, embrace promiscuity, eat pork, and convert first to Islam, and then to Catholicism.
It is about belief, community, and tradition, and the testing of these spheres against new ideas and challenges.
It is very long, and there are many point of view characters, many of whom changed their names a couple times throughout the story adding to the confusion for the reader. I found it difficult to become attached to more than three or four. Not only that, but most of them are pretty unlikable people, with very few redeeming qualities.
I still enjoyed the book. It was just an interesting part of history that I didn't know anything about. The author does an excellent job of bringing these strangr historical characters to life, using her trademark vivid and poetic prose.
Jacob Frank's teachings are apocalyptic. He claims that the end times have arrived and the way to usher in the new order is to turn all the old laws upside down. His followers defile the Torah, reject property and marriage, embrace promiscuity, eat pork, and convert first to Islam, and then to Catholicism.
It is about belief, community, and tradition, and the testing of these spheres against new ideas and challenges.
It is very long, and there are many point of view characters, many of whom changed their names a couple times throughout the story adding to the confusion for the reader. I found it difficult to become attached to more than three or four. Not only that, but most of them are pretty unlikable people, with very few redeeming qualities.
I still enjoyed the book. It was just an interesting part of history that I didn't know anything about. The author does an excellent job of bringing these strangr historical characters to life, using her trademark vivid and poetic prose.