Henrik M M itibaren Chichkheda, Madhya Pradesh, India
Forgive me for showing off a little -- I'm actually reading this in the original Hebrew. I know it was entirely unnecessary for me to point that out, but I'm excited about my new quest to improve my Hebrew literacy. Also, I wanted to let you know in advance that it will take me a long time to post my review! Ok -- here's my review. Reading this book was an interesting experience, on a variety of levels. When you read in a foreign language and you find yourself criticizing the book, it's not always clear whether it's a flaw in the book or whether there's something you're missing because of the language barrier. For example, it took me a long time to get into this book -- was that because it was a slow starter, or because it was written in Hebrew? Some of the characterization seemed superficial to me, and there were some minor holes in the plot -- again, was I just missing things because I skipped over some hard words/passages? I guess the only way to find out would be for me to read it in English, which I'm actually curious to do when it comes out (I think the translation is due to be published later this year). Basically, as I experienced it, the book had clear strengths and weaknesses. The love story from the War of Independence was definitely poignant and gripping, even in a foreign language. The motif of the doves was interesting and original, although I felt that some of the symbolism was a little heavy-handed. The "message" sent with the final dove was just plain weird -- bizarre, in my view, although definitely a creative plot twist. I felt that Yair's relationships with his brother and with his ex-wife could have been better developed, and that both of them should have been better fleshed out as characters -- I found them overly unsympathetic, and I think they could have been depicted in a more complex, multi-faceted way. It wasn't clear to me why Yair and Tirzah broke up the first time they dated. Etc., etc. Anyway, that's why I plan to at least skim it in English when it comes out so I can see how much of the above was simply a function of my limited Hebrew. I have to say (and I apologize in advance; I know this is probably too much information), this is the second full-length novel I've read in Hebrew and it feels so weird to read sex scenes in Hebrew! First of all, while you can sort of skim them in English if you prefer, you don't have that option when you're reading in a foreign language -- you end up processing every word, which makes reading the scene a very different experience. Also, it's lashon kodesh! I found myself gasping, "What!" whereas in English, I'm basically immune. Thirdly, at least based on the limited sample of two Israeli novels, Israeli novelists are quite earthy and graphic when it comes to these things. By comparison, American sex scenes seem almost metaphysical. Sorry -- I just had to share that.
Amazing book, a big eye opener. I finished this one in 2 days