The author dedicated the book to her grandmother and named the main character after her. Despite coming form along line of "Jerusalem maidens" the author's distain for the Haredim is clear. While the book was well written and the story moving there were several glaring mistakes that any "shomer mitzvot", whether Modern Orthodox, Haredi or even "Conservative" would recognize: 1- Avram would not have read his bar mitzvah parashah on Friday night, the Torah is not read at night, but Saturday morning. 2- It is tefillin that he would have received for his bar mitzvah, and Esther would have made him a tefillin bag. By Ashkenazi tradition, he would not need a tallis until marriage. 3- According to the Gemarah, it is the wife who has conjugal rights, so Nathan, if he was learned and "worldly" should have been satisfying Esther and not surprised by her orgasm. The editing for grammar and spelling was perfect, so how did these glaring mistakes get by? Family, heritage, religion, God, faith, history all in the Holy Land fall upon Esther, a Jerusalem Maiden expected to be A Woman of Valor. With all of our differences, I feel so connected to her and the lifelong struggle between being who you are and who you are expected to be. Like this main character of a book, we all experience life from within ourselves and are surrounded by very real, very complex people and circumstances. Her 'relationship' with God is an honest belief and responsibility blended with cautious questioning and confusion. The author so clearly sets out the landscapes of Jerusalem, Jaffa and Paris to explain the emotional and physical struggles Esther moves between. Once again, I'm sent to the internet to view all she sees, including the art of this period and especially Soutine...an art that is not easy to understand, just as life is not the simple journey we expect. After finishing last night, I was frustrated at the ending and the epilogue. I had to reread it again today and accept the author's decisions--just as I rethink my own life and have to accept past decisions. I read up on this author which helped me appreciate her work even more and will definitely read her other books. Not a member of a book club, this is one that makes me crave discussion with other women. Must say Thank You~
