shrija

Before I get into my review, I think it's only fair to point out that I am not religious, so anyone reading this review will know that I am writing from that perspective. That being said, I really really enjoyed this book, and in no way felt "left out" or "confused" by the story of Dinah, from Genesis. I loved so many aspects of this book, it's hard to know where to start. First, I was glad that Dinah, as the son of Jacob, son of Rebbecca is important to Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. I like that the author chose to "flush out" the silent history of a woman from a biblical story that is relevant to all three faiths. Secondly, I really enjoyed the first person perspective of the novel - the prose is not archaic, but not rockstar pop fresh either. From the first chapter, Dinah's voice seems real, honest, and genuine. The way Dinah tells the story of her large family is done in a way that makes it easy to understand the characteristics of Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah, while also understanding their own sibling rivalries, hurts, and cares without it seeming overly complex. I was also able to flush out most of Dinah's brothers (though I'll admit that I was waiting for Judah to turn ugly, thinking he was actually Judas, but I took out my Timeline of the History of the World, and realized that I was only like 750 years off, phssha.) I was surprised at some of the twists the story took, and where it strayed from the standard biblical path (Shechem), but I really appreciated the perspective of the feminine, and a story that told you how the women of that era may have lived. It was done in a way that made that period real for me. It was a solid four star vote. I can't say exactly what is keeping it from five stars, but it just wasn't quite awesome - I never cried. It was a page turner, a very good story, it had an ending that was sastified me, and a main character that I will keep with me.

2023-06-22 05:55