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A review by rebeccamm
Love & Treasure by Ayelet Waldman
2.0
This was my first time reading Ayelet Waldman and I really wanted to like Love and Treasure. My mom's parents are Hungarian Jewish Holocaust survivors, so my affinity for this particular Waldman book was strong. But...not strong enough to get me over what bugged me incessantly throughout all three narrative threads of this book.
Whether it's Jack's wartime feelings for Ilona, Amitai's modern-day treasure hunt with Natalie or Dr. Zobel's analysis of Nina, it's the men who take center stage in this book. Don't be lured by the idea of a strong-willed female writer having well-developed female characters. Instead, we get such tropes as hot-tempered redheads and confused Americans. At no point do any of the women actually get to tell their stories. Waldman leaves it to the men to drive the action, to reveal their feelings and motivations and make decisions about whom they love.
Perhaps my expectations were off, but I finished this book rather annoyed and not at all interested in reading any other of the author's works. A truly missed opportunity. I can only imagine how much richer, what a literary void this book could have filled if Waldman had given Natalie, Ilona, Nina and even Gizella the chance to speak!
Whether it's Jack's wartime feelings for Ilona, Amitai's modern-day treasure hunt with Natalie or Dr. Zobel's analysis of Nina, it's the men who take center stage in this book. Don't be lured by the idea of a strong-willed female writer having well-developed female characters. Instead, we get such tropes as hot-tempered redheads and confused Americans. At no point do any of the women actually get to tell their stories. Waldman leaves it to the men to drive the action, to reveal their feelings and motivations and make decisions about whom they love.
Perhaps my expectations were off, but I finished this book rather annoyed and not at all interested in reading any other of the author's works. A truly missed opportunity. I can only imagine how much richer, what a literary void this book could have filled if Waldman had given Natalie, Ilona, Nina and even Gizella the chance to speak!