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A review by bandysbooks
Kantika by Elizabeth Graver
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
tense
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
I recently found this book while scanning the new release audiobook section on Netgalley and I'm so glad I did. While I had heard of the author previously, I had yet to read their writing. What a spectacular introduction this was!
Kantika is a multi-generational story about a Jewish family that spans a large chunk of time and several continents. We initially follow Rebecca, who comes from a well to do family in Istanbul. After financial difficulties, the family moves to Barcelona and further difficulties see Rebecca sent to New York (via Cuba) for a arranged second marriage. Rebecca finds herself with her hands full due to her young disabled step daughter who has previously been coddled and protected from the outside world.
First of all, I enjoyed Rebecca and Luna both as characters immensely. They are both stubborn and strong, but in different ways. I saw them as sort of parallels of each other and I think that's why Rebecca is so determined to help Luna succeed. All of the other characters were well done too, but Rebecca and Luna and their relationship really shines in particular/
I loved how this book discussed so many important topics. It covered immigration to the US in a way that was factual to the time, but also still resonates with modern day. It talked about the rising antisemitism across Europe and the fears that came with it. It talked about sexuality and the importance of honesty between romantic partners. It talked about the way we set expectations for people based on our perception of their abilities. I'm sure there were quite a few other important themes, but those were just a couple that stood out. This book was genuinely packed with meaning.
I'll admit that I was nervous when I saw how much time and how many places this book spanned, but my nerves were all for nothing. This was an extraordinarily ambitious project, but Graver managed it well. I never felt like the book dragged or got clunky. It included enough detail and time in each location to allow the reader to settle in.
One other thing that was a bonus for me was the inclusion of language. I have not had the chance to hear Ladino before, but as a fluent Spanish speaker, I found it easy to understand the phrases and songs written in Ladino. The differences in pronunciations and occasional unfamiliar words were so interesting and I could see all the ties into modern Spanish. I don't know if this would be quite so interesting for someone who does not speak Spanish, but I was pretty fascinated.
If I am nitpicking, the only real critique I have is that the first half of the book is perhaps a bit slower than the second half, but I personally did not see that as a problem. I enjoyed taking my time to understand who Rebecca was, what was going on, and the challenges she faced.
All in all, if you are a fan of character focused novels, multi-generational sagas and/or historical fiction, I highly recommend this book. I will certainly be on the lookout for books by Elizabeth Graver in the future.
As for the narration of the audiobook, I found it really well done. I can only base this comment on my fluency in Spanish and my understanding of how Ladino is different, but I thought the narrator sounded very good when pronouncing words in Ladino. It is not an easy task to switch back and forth between languages, but the narrator did it flawlessly. I also thought she brought all of the characters to life quite well. If you are a fan of audiobooks, I'd definitely recommend the audiobook version if only to hear the proper pronunciation.
*Thank you to Netgalley, Elizabeth Graver, and Metropolian Books for this Audio- ARC. This in no way affects the objectivity of my review.
Kantika is a multi-generational story about a Jewish family that spans a large chunk of time and several continents. We initially follow Rebecca, who comes from a well to do family in Istanbul. After financial difficulties, the family moves to Barcelona and further difficulties see Rebecca sent to New York (via Cuba) for a arranged second marriage. Rebecca finds herself with her hands full due to her young disabled step daughter who has previously been coddled and protected from the outside world.
First of all, I enjoyed Rebecca and Luna both as characters immensely. They are both stubborn and strong, but in different ways. I saw them as sort of parallels of each other and I think that's why Rebecca is so determined to help Luna succeed. All of the other characters were well done too, but Rebecca and Luna and their relationship really shines in particular/
I loved how this book discussed so many important topics. It covered immigration to the US in a way that was factual to the time, but also still resonates with modern day. It talked about the rising antisemitism across Europe and the fears that came with it. It talked about sexuality and the importance of honesty between romantic partners. It talked about the way we set expectations for people based on our perception of their abilities. I'm sure there were quite a few other important themes, but those were just a couple that stood out. This book was genuinely packed with meaning.
I'll admit that I was nervous when I saw how much time and how many places this book spanned, but my nerves were all for nothing. This was an extraordinarily ambitious project, but Graver managed it well. I never felt like the book dragged or got clunky. It included enough detail and time in each location to allow the reader to settle in.
One other thing that was a bonus for me was the inclusion of language. I have not had the chance to hear Ladino before, but as a fluent Spanish speaker, I found it easy to understand the phrases and songs written in Ladino. The differences in pronunciations and occasional unfamiliar words were so interesting and I could see all the ties into modern Spanish. I don't know if this would be quite so interesting for someone who does not speak Spanish, but I was pretty fascinated.
If I am nitpicking, the only real critique I have is that the first half of the book is perhaps a bit slower than the second half, but I personally did not see that as a problem. I enjoyed taking my time to understand who Rebecca was, what was going on, and the challenges she faced.
All in all, if you are a fan of character focused novels, multi-generational sagas and/or historical fiction, I highly recommend this book. I will certainly be on the lookout for books by Elizabeth Graver in the future.
As for the narration of the audiobook, I found it really well done. I can only base this comment on my fluency in Spanish and my understanding of how Ladino is different, but I thought the narrator sounded very good when pronouncing words in Ladino. It is not an easy task to switch back and forth between languages, but the narrator did it flawlessly. I also thought she brought all of the characters to life quite well. If you are a fan of audiobooks, I'd definitely recommend the audiobook version if only to hear the proper pronunciation.
*Thank you to Netgalley, Elizabeth Graver, and Metropolian Books for this Audio- ARC. This in no way affects the objectivity of my review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Sexual content, Ableism, Antisemitism, Confinement, Death of parent, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, and War