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Daughters of Iraq

by Revital Shiri-Horowitz (Goodreads Author)

3.9 of 5 stars 3.90 · rating details · 86 ratings · 35 reviews

“Daughters of Iraq” is the compelling story of three women from the same family. It is the story of emigration from Iraq to Israel as experienced by two sisters: Violet, whom we learn about through a diary she kept after being diagnosed with a critical illness, and Farida, whose personality unfolds through her relationship with her surroundings, and with herself. The third...more

Paperback, 288 pages

Published April 7th 2011 by Horowitz Publishing (first published March 26th 2011)

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Jun 22, 2011 Beth Barany rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: author-friends, general-fiction, historical-fiction

What a touching story! I loved how the three stories wove together, and how the story was told with grace and love.

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Aug 04, 2012 Alisha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Really enjoyed this story. It was nice to read through the eyes of the different characters. It's a story of survival, love, family, death and soul searching. I love historical, realistic fiction. This was a nice surprise for me. The characters were very well-rounded and I could easily connect with each one. I could feel what they were feeling. It was also interesting to learn about Jewish people in Iraq and some of the things that happened to the characters and the culture in general during the...more

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Feb 22, 2013 Christoph Fischer rated it 5 of 5 stars

"Daughters of Iraq" by Revital Shiri-Horowitz is a touching and informative read, the story of three women from the same family as they live as Jews in Iraq and Israel.
The story is told in alternating episodes jumping between three eras: Iraq in the 1940s and its seemingly happy Jewish community as it falls apart after the creation of Israel. Jews become the object of hate and most emigrate to Israel. Then life in Israel in the 1950s as the newcomers to the state realise they have lost their ho...more

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May 25, 2012 Wanda Panda Hartzenberg rated it 5 of 5 stars

So let's get something straight, I love reading fiction. It is primarily my reading material of choice. I am blond, shallow and easily entertained. That said I am also not a total idiot. So at times I really get lost in a narrative that opens up a new world to me. The Daughters of Iraq is one such book. The narrative, coursing over generations, sometimes in diary form etc draws the reader into a life and a world I have little if no knowledge about. For some reason or another it never occurred to...more

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Apr 02, 2012 Melissa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, kindle-free-download

I enjoyed the way the naration of this novel changed, how it crossed generations and country borders. In these pages one learns about the power of family and history and the way we are connected to those who came before us. Really, well written and enjoyable - as well as insightful, I feel as I need to do a bit more research into the history of Iraq and the middle east in general.

"I must point out that in those days, women like my grandmother were considered peculiar; wandering through the villa...more

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Sep 28, 2011 Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars

A novel of three women who were staunch believers in their families and their religion.

Daughters of Iraq allows the reader into the lives of Farida, Nao, and Violet. Their lives were shared through everyday situations, through diaries, and through memories. Each woman had a dream of her own, but they all had their family and their religion as the base of all of their dreams. You learn how each woman is different yet the same. The descriptions of the characters in terms of physical as well emotio...more

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Sep 14, 2011 L_manning rated it 4 of 5 stars

Daughters of Iraq tells the story of Iraqi Jews from the points of view of three women. Sisters Violet and Farida grew up in Iraq. They lived a fairly good life until the politics of the region drove them to Israel. They had to make new lives for themselves. The third woman is Violet's daughter Noa. Born in Israel, Noa is discovering about her past through a diary written by Violet. These three stories are woven together with past and present combining to tell a marvelous tale of love, family, a...more Daughters of Iraq tells the story of Iraqi Jews from the points of view of three women. Sisters Violet and Farida grew up in Iraq. They lived a fairly good life until the politics of the region drove them to Israel. They had to make new lives for themselves. The third woman is Violet's daughter Noa. Born in Israel, Noa is discovering about her past through a diary written by Violet. These three stories are woven together with past and present combining to tell a marvelous tale of love, family, and endurance.

This book is a translation from the original Hebrew, so I feel there are times that it doesn't read as smooth as you would expect. However, this did not bother me. I had a bit of a hard time getting into it in the beginning as each chapter seems to change narrators and time periods. Once you get adjusted to this, you really get drawn in. I found there to be a quiet sureness to the plot. There are no twists and turns or startling revelations. Instead you get an amazing story of three women who are living remarkable lives, even if they may not appear so to the rest of the world. I especially felt for Noa, who is really embarking on a journey of self-discovery through school work and life. When her Aunt Farida gives her Violet's diary, Noa is able to learn even more about mother and her past.

One common theme for all three women was discovering their true home. Violet and Farida were torn from their home country and the life they knew so well. In Israel, things were much harder. They even lived in a tent for a while. Meanwhile, Noa has in some sense been running away from her home. When her mother was ill, she couldn't seem to face the reality of it. Noa never really understood herself or what it really meant to be "home." Her mother and aunt help her to discover this through their words. I found this book to be so interesting. I am not that familiar with the time periods covered in these countries. I really can't imagine being forced to leave your home because of your religion, and yet this family and many others were. I think this book will be of great interest to people who enjoy reading about history and/or strong women making their way in the world. It was a great book.

Book provided for review.(less)

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Sep 01, 2012 Uvi Poznansky rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a story spun across several generations, weaving the voices of three woman of the same family, entwining memories and reality between two different locations: Iraq and Israel.

As you read the chapters--each one a short burst of one of the three voices--you begin to compose them, to fit the threads into a complete design. Violet's voice is the first one you hear, and it comes from the time of her childhood in Iraq. Told in first-person narrative, it resonates with humor and with the spiri...more

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Oct 01, 2011 Heidi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Life, Death, Love, Loss, Growth. In Daughters of Iraq, author Revital Shiri-Horowitz tackles these issues and does it with astonishing grace and skill. Told in the alternating narratives of three different women from the same family, Shiri-Horowitz takes us from Iraq to Israel, from Loss to Living and from merely coping to truly existing.

Noa Rosen has lost her mother and is still reeling from that loss. A twenty-something student in Israel, she is seeking meaning and understanding. When she is g...more Life, Death, Love, Loss, Growth. In Daughters of Iraq, author Revital Shiri-Horowitz tackles these issues and does it with astonishing grace and skill. Told in the alternating narratives of three different women from the same family, Shiri-Horowitz takes us from Iraq to Israel, from Loss to Living and from merely coping to truly existing.

Noa Rosen has lost her mother and is still reeling from that loss. A twenty-something student in Israel, she is seeking meaning and understanding. When she is given the diary that her mother kept during her illness she discovers that there was much about her mother that she never knew.

Violet Rosen has come to the end of her life. As she struggles with leaving her beloved husband and children behind, she finds a way to share her story with them after she’s gone. Through the pages of her diary we learn of her immigration from Iraq to Israel. The diary is a Godsend for her daughter, Noa, after her loss, but it is also healing to Violet.

Farida Sasson is also dealing with loss. She is a widow and is having a hard time coping with an emptiness that has enveloped her since her children have left home and her husband has passed away. She finds strength in her family and in food and she loves to indulge in both. When she sees her niece struggling to cope with life after her sister’s death, she decides she is ready to give her the diary. Through the pages of this diary she hopes that Noa will also learn the importance of family.

I greatly enjoyed Daughters of Iraq. I was very impressed with the author’s ability to alternate voice and completely jump around between time periods and locations with ease. The pace of the book was wonderful and I found it hard to put down. I found the story to be very touching. The pages of Violet’s diary were especially memorable to me. I found myself turning pages faster and faster during her stories of a privileged existence in Iraq to a much more challenging life in Israel. I was deeply moved by the descriptions of her withering body and her coming to terms with it. I also found this book to be educational. While it is a novel, it is based in historical fact and much of this history I never gave much consideration to. I would strongly recommend this book and I’m very glad that I read it.

This review was first published on http://pagesofgold.blogspot.com (less)

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Sep 21, 2011 Zohar - ManOfLaBook.com rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

“Daughters of Iraq” by Revital Shiri-Horowitz is a fictional story of three women from the same family. It is a story of emigration seen through the eyes of two of the women and one who is first generation Israeli.

Sisters Farida and Violet’s family was being forced to move from Iraq due to their religion. This event, which occurred in the 1950s, shaped their lives and changed them forever. Noa, Violet’s daughter also feels the effects of this event and the stories of her mother an...more “Daughters of Iraq” by Revital Shiri-Horowitz is a fictional story of three women from the same family. It is a story of emigration seen through the eyes of two of the women and one who is first generation Israeli.

Sisters Farida and Violet’s family was being forced to move from Iraq due to their religion. This event, which occurred in the 1950s, shaped their lives and changed them forever. Noa, Violet’s daughter also feels the effects of this event and the stories of her mother and aunt shape the way she makes decisions in modern day Israel.

“Daughters of Iraq” by Revital Shiri-Horowitz is a well written account of Jewish Iraqi family who is forced to immigrate to Israel from Iraq in the 1950s. While the book was a bit difficult to start, but once I got the rhythm, pacing and jumps in time I started to truly enjoy the story. While the book is billed as fiction/historical fiction it almost reads like a memoir.

The story is presented in several formats. One of the two sisters, Violet, who has passed away after being sick is being remembered through her journal entries. We get to know Violet’s sister, Farida, through her own words and her surroundings. Violet’s daughter, Noa, a university student, goes through a spiritual journey throughout the book dealing with love, loss and looking for some sort of meaning in life.

The book’s theme is love in various ways. Love between parents, siblings, couples, aunts, daughters, sons and even ex-lovers.

I also found it very interesting to read about the extreme change of going from a life of luxury in an upscale neighborhood in Baghdad to a tent in Israel. While the option of living in an Israeli tent is much better than a Baghdadi grave it is still a culture shock, especially for your teenage girls.

I thought the sections which tell the immigration story were fascinating and the sections about Noa, the Israeli born daughter of the immigrants interesting and unique. I don’t think sons and daughters of immigrants realize how much their parents have sacrificed. Giving up everything just to give their children a chance at a better life, leaving everything familiar and going to a foreign place knowing full well you’ll never belong.

Disclaimer: I got this book for free.

For more reviews and bookish thoughts please visit: http://www.ManOfLaBook.com (less)

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May 31, 2012 Malika Gandhi rated it 5 of 5 stars

A splendid read, Revital Shiri-Horowitz brings the reader into a personal weave of love and hope. The story delves deep into the heart, allowing the reader to re-live those moments of their past, when they dreamt and later, remembered those they cared about.

Violet is the mother of Noa and Guy and wife to Dan. She speaks to us via a journal. Farida is Violet’s sister and tells us about her past – of her love for Eddie and of her never ending loneliness. Noa, Violet’s daughter, speaks of her achin...more A splendid read, Revital Shiri-Horowitz brings the reader into a personal weave of love and hope. The story delves deep into the heart, allowing the reader to re-live those moments of their past, when they dreamt and later, remembered those they cared about.

Violet is the mother of Noa and Guy and wife to Dan. She speaks to us via a journal. Farida is Violet’s sister and tells us about her past – of her love for Eddie and of her never ending loneliness. Noa, Violet’s daughter, speaks of her aching heart and guilt as she thinks of her dying mother and of her current life and aspirations.

The story begins in Baghdad, Iraq in 1940 when Violet was a young girl who was beaten by her then, respected father, for telling a lie and being rebellious. It then moves on to Farida in the second chapter where we see her going about her life, making okra patties for her grandchildren and contemplating her visit to the hair salon. She remembers her childhood days with her nephew, Eddie and sister Violet and how they used to frolic around after sneaking away from school. Noa comes next, an adult yet still a young girl at heart as she remembers her past – her mother’s cancer and her going away. We learn a bit about these three women and the story moves on.

The introduction is thought out well and urges the reader to carry on reading to the next chapter and the next, never slowing down. There is never a dull moment in this book; the personal conflicts are vital to the stories as the reader gets to know and understand and fall in love with Violet and Farida’s family, especially Eddie.

Revital writes with confidence and smoothly, unravelling the sequences of the past and present without getting the reader confused. The chapters are short and to the point which makes reading very easy.

Of all the characters, I loved Farida the most for her sense of humour, her compassion, her witty sayings and her abundance of love and for her love for food. She is a colourful character and a lovely women.

Daughters of Iraq is a book which must be read. The sharp intelligence of these three women; their heartaches and strong emotions are reflected in todays’ men and women. It is contemporary, yet historical. I would recommend reading this book, for the beautiful story telling and for the first hand insights of the Iraqi women.
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Aug 27, 2011 Evangeline Han rated it 4 of 5 stars

The jumps in the story’s year timeline was confusing initially. Readers are brought to Violet’s childhood world, Farida and Noa’s present world, the time the family migrated to Israel, and Violet’s illness period. After the first few chapters, I got used to the jumps and reading the book became easier. Although this book is a fictional novel, the telling of the story made it sound hauntingly real. As I read, I had to remind myself that I was reading a historical novel, and not a nonfiction biogr...more

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May 07, 2012 Suzanna rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Suzanna by: Amazon.com

I'm willing to believe that this book lost something in translation. It also apparently lost a lot in publication to Kindle. The last chapter cuts off abruptly with several pages of apparent notes from a copyeditor; queries about character names and words in Arabic and Hebrew. I wish the translator had taken the time to clarify these.

The daughters of Iraq of the title are two sisters and the grown daughter of one of the sisters. Noa is a 26 year old student who feels abandoned by her mother's de...more

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Nov 07, 2011 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am so happy that I was invited to join in on the blog tour for Daughters Of Iraq. This book takes the reader on a journey through a period of history that many did not know existed. After the Second World War the world began to learn about the torture European Jews had to endure. But how much do we know about those Jew's living in the Middle East around the same time. They too ended up being pushed out of there homes and many escaped to Israel, including the characters in this book.

This book...more

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Jul 23, 2011 Lori rated it 1 of 5 stars

I didn't like it and from the sparse information given on the cover I have made the assumption that the English version is a translation from the orignal which was written in Hebrew.

If this is the case, I think it was just a horrible translation job. It was a jarring and disruptive narrative. Explaining things isn't necessary and I could never get involved in the story because I was always being pulled out of it by these interruptions.

There was no smoothness or poetic grandeur to the flow. I f...more

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Jun 16, 2012 Alejandro Canton-Dutari rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read this book as a historical family saga describing relocation from Iraq to Israel. I must admit that I am partial to themes such as the present one.
It was interesting to read some chapters written in first person and others as a narrative. The former I felt more compelling than the latter.
My favourite character was Farida, and her continuous “A blessing on your head, ”impelled my imagination to complete the phrase with “Mazel tov, Mazel tov,” as sung in Fiddler on the Roof.
I was surprised b...more

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May 28, 2012 Shira Reiss rated it 5 of 5 stars

Having been to Israel, I had heard how immigrants arrived in Israel and lived in tents. However, this book that gave the personal accounts of the women who arrived from Iraq: sisters, Farida and Violet and then Violet's daughter, Noa, gave me a deeper understanding of the hardship of the immigration and a peek into a world of the Iraqi Jews and how they lived before arriving in Israel. What a shame how the entire culture of the Iraqi Jews that had existed for centuries is now gone. I am sorry no...more

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Jun 15, 2011 Ey rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Daughters of Iraq introduced me into the world and traditions of a culture I had never thought to enter into. What a shame it took me so long. I used to think of Iraq, Israel as just words, a place, you know what I mean? I now see the people and some of their history. I was drawn into the story by characters who shared their lives as if they were never a part of a fiction. The use of their native language really cinched it for me. I liked the way Revital Shiri-Horowitz flicked the story from pas...more

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Jun 21, 2011 Georgina Young-ellis rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Daughters of Iraq swept me up into the lives of the three Jewish women from whose point of view I came to understand the struggles of transplanted refugees from Iraq to Israel. I was fascinated with every aspect of the story. As an American with little understanding of the culture, or the struggle Iraqi Jews went through, I could not get enough. This book opened my eyes and brought me into a world completely different from my own by means of the flawless narrative and wonderfully drawn character...more

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May 31, 2012 Sandy Wolters rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A heartwarming family tale of love and loss.

I feel the need to start this review out by stating that DAUGHTERS OF IRAQ by REVITAL SHIRI-HOROWITZ is more than just another novel. This is family storytelling at its best. Every once in a while, you come across a book that the author has put her whole heart and soul into and is able to convey every emotion flawlessly to the reader. This is one of those very special books. I was completely absorbed by the stories of Violet, Farida and Noa and I felt...more

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Nov 12, 2011 Margaret rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Being from an ethnic back round myself and having heard stories from family members of how it was back home I felt like I was hearing them again while reading this book. It gave me a warm feeling of family and tradition. It enriches our lives to remember and pass on to future generations. The endurance of the women in this story is amazing. There is a sense of pride and hope that you are left with.

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Jul 25, 2011 Matt Posner rated it 5 of 5 stars

I bought this book for my wife who eagerly read it, telling me how interesting the characters were and how much she was learning. I don't usually read this kind of book, but I began reading and got hooked too. This is a rare glimpse into the lives of women in a community most of us never heard about. Dare I call it "The Joy Luck Club" for Iraqi Jewish women? Great read!

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Sep 29, 2011 Cristina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, owned

The book was so much more than I expected. The story revolves around 3 women, two sisters, Farida and the deceased Violet, (we hear from her via her diary) and Violet's daughter, Noa. It is a story of family, hurt, love, forgiveness and growing up.
I believe this book will especially appeal to women who like inspirational books, historically based books, those who like to learn more about other cultures and women of the Jewish faith. I must ask you not to pass it up because you feel that if you...more

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Jun 05, 2012 Kathy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was drawn into the lives of Violet and Farida before the time of Saddam Hussein. I never thought of Israeli's in Iraq and how they were treated. I loved how the author went back and forth in time to present day with Noa and her life without Violet, her mother, who left behind a diary of her life. It was a touching love story of family seen through the eyes of these three women.

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Oct 23, 2012 Jo rated it 5 of 5 stars

What a wonderful book. So well written you felt as if you were there. Having read lots of books about Ashkenazi Jews it was refreshing to read from the Sephardi middle eastern perspective. I am gutted its finished.

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Jul 25, 2011 D.J. Weaver rated it 5 of 5 stars

Learned much about the country that I never knew. Interesting interaction of characters. Well written and interesting. I different kind of read.

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Jul 12, 2012 Patricia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: novel, kindle

The family of wealthy Jews living in Iraq who are forced to immigrate to Israel after the establishment of the State on Israel.

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Jul 25, 2011 Pam Howes rated it 5 of 5 stars

A very well written story. The author certainly knows her stuff. I would recommended this book highly. Well worth the read.

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Jun 13, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

really enjoyed this story of a jewish iraqi family who emigrated to israel. i felt the story ended abruptly though.

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Oct 01, 2012 Summer Lane rated it 2 of 5 stars

this book jumps everywhere and has a very unsatisfying ending. author should have told from fewer perspectives and taken more time to develop the characters.

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Congratulation to the winner of a free copy of the book "Daughters of Iraq"	1	2	May 24, 2012 11:26am
Middle East/North...: Daughters of Iraq - A novel	8	21	Mar 04, 2012 08:14am
The Indie Exchang...: Comment to win a free eBook/pBook! DAUGHTERS OF IRAQ by Revital Shiri-Horowitz	4	23	Nov 23, 2011 09:51am

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About Revital Shiri-Horowitz

Revital Shiri-Horowitz was born and raised in Israel. As a kid, she wrote poetry and short stories, and wrote in her journal up until she met her husband. She never imagined that one day she'd be a published author in multiple languages, and in so many countries, and even continents.

Revital went on to earn a BA in Hebrew Literature and Geography from Tel Aviv University, an MA in Geography from Ha...more

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