I liked it, but...The greatest strength of this book is the excerpts from Madame Daeng's memoirs. I enjoyed learning about the role she played in the...moreI liked it, but...The greatest strength of this book is the excerpts from Madame Daeng's memoirs. I enjoyed learning about the role she played in the history of Laos.
Yet I can’t say that I was completely enamored with The Woman Who Wouldn’t Die. The Dr. Siri series has been a pretty wild ride especially when it comes to the paranormal, but in this book the mystery's solution can be arrived at by employing the rather mundane Occam's Razor. (The simplest explanation is the one that will turn out to be true. ) This is a principle of logical reasoning that I would never have thought had any place in Dr. Siri's world where the improbable is almost to be expected. For me, it's a disappointment that a case that seems so intriguing should be resolved in such an ordinary way. There is also some unbearable cutesiness toward the end. So aside from Madame Daeng's memoirs, this book was disappointing.
I read books with an Amish background if they seem authentic and have plots that raise interesting issues. This is the first book I've read by P. L. G...moreI read books with an Amish background if they seem authentic and have plots that raise interesting issues. This is the first book I've read by P. L. Gaus. It had more German than I normally see in an Amish themed novel written by an Englisher. The only lapse from authenticity that bothered me in this book was an Amish man using Englisher slang regarding sex. I can see him knowing sexual slang from Rumspringer, but not actually using the slang in ordinary conversation. I didn't abandon the book at that point because I'd gotten involved with the plot.
I was interested in the Amish genetic study and other aspects of the novel, though I did lose interest when it turned into a standard serial killer kind of plot.(less)
Considering that Sukkot is a family holiday, Valler wondered why the Talmud would exempt women from dwelling in the huts constructed for Sukkot. The s...moreConsidering that Sukkot is a family holiday, Valler wondered why the Talmud would exempt women from dwelling in the huts constructed for Sukkot. The singular of hut in Hebrew is a Sukkah, and oddly enough the validity of the Sukkah belonging to Queen Helene of Adiabene is discussed in the Talmud. Valler deduces that women were not exempted from dwelling in the Sukkah during the Second Temple period when Helene of Adiabene lived.
There is mention in the Talmud of a type of Sukkah not built for the holiday called a Women's Sukkah. Valler thinks that this is a menstruation hut. There were never any menstruation huts in the land of Israel, but there were in Babylon due to Zoroastrian influence. This is shown in the novel Rav Hisda's Daughter by Maggie Anton. Not all Jewish families in Babylon confined menstruating women to huts in Anton's book, but some did.
There were several stories in this anthology that I considered particularly good.
The title "One Flew Over The Rainbow" points toward One Flew Over The...more There were several stories in this anthology that I considered particularly good.
The title "One Flew Over The Rainbow" points toward One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey. Readers shouldn't be in any doubt about the thematic emphasis of this story. Like Kesey's novel, it deals with the patients at a mental institution. Dorothy is one of them. The metaphoric use of characters from Oz might seem heavy handed to some, but I thought it was very apt. It's not for those who expect a story for children. This is a dark vision for adults.
"The Veiled Shanghai" by Ken Liu is more complex. It takes place in an alternate steampunk Shanghai in 1919 where all the residents are under police surveillance through a device called the "Panopticon". I ran a search for Panopticon and discovered that the 18th century philosopher Jeremy Bentham had the idea of creating prisons in which the prisoners were under constant surveillance. Of course, the technology for such a project didn't exist in the 18th century. It does exist now. There are an increasing number of contexts in which citizens are under surveillance. Ken Liu brings the Panopticon into reality in the early 20th century in his alternate Shanghai. Things begin to change when Dorothy Gee from our Shanghai arrives in the alternate version of the city and gathers companions who are parallel to the Oz characters. Liu also plays with elements of the history of China during this period. This is a very interesting and involving story.
"A Tornado of Dorothys" by Kat Howard utilizes the familiar Oz matrix, but it's a repeating scenario. Many incarnations of the characters are trapped in their roles in an infinite loop waiting for the Dorothy who can end it. I loved the way it was resolved. It was truly magical.
Although other stories in the anthology aren't on the same level as the ones I've mentioned, I do recommend it. Oz can be a mirror that reflects back what we see in it.
For my complete review including a link to further information about the Panopticon, see my May 2013 blog entry "Oz Reimagined: Toto, I Don't Think We're Over The Rainbow Anymore" at http://www.maskedpersona.blogspot.com (less)
I received this book from Net Galley. The central character is a lawyer who has been assigned her first homicide case. She is defending a woman of col...moreI received this book from Net Galley. The central character is a lawyer who has been assigned her first homicide case. She is defending a woman of color charged with the murder of her husband. It was an inter-racial marriage in a rural French community where all outsiders tend to be viewed with suspicion, but I anticipated that racism would play a role in the way that the accused woman is viewed. I thought that this book would grapple with some interesting issues.
I will say that Granotier has created multi-layered characters with complexity. Complex characterization doesn't necessarily make for sympathetic characters. There were only two characters in this book that I found sympathetic and neither of them was the protagonist, Catherine Monsigny. She didn't understand her client because of her own racism. It's true that all defense lawyers in France are hampered by France's legal presumption of guilt until proven innocent. Catherine Monsigny also has a tendency to leap to unwarranted conclusions which doesn't serve her well either as a lawyer or as an "investigator". I put this in quotes because she doesn't really investigate. She stumbles on evidence, but never examines it fully or investigates further. I feel that she displays poor judgement in both her professional and personal life. I would normally make allowances for her inexperience, but she doesn't seem to learn from mistakes. The plot strand dealing with a mystery in Catherine's past didn't raise my estimation of her acumen at all.
I don’t recommend this book for mystery fans. Catherine’s shortcomings irritated me. In fact, my opinion of her worsened over the course of the novel.
For my complete review which includes some interesting facts about French lawyers and the history of France, see my May blog entry "The Paris Lawyer: When Inexperience Tries My Patience" at http://www.maskedpersona.blogspot.com (less)
I received The Julius Romeros Extravaganza Part 1: The Bearded Girl for review from author Hayley Lawson-Smith whose publisher ASJ Publishing generous...moreI received The Julius Romeros Extravaganza Part 1: The Bearded Girl for review from author Hayley Lawson-Smith whose publisher ASJ Publishing generously provided the free copy in Kindle format. I am always happy to help indie writers of quality find their audience. This is a special pleasure when the book is unusual.
When I started the book I wondered what I was doing reading a book with characters that have ridiculous names like Hiffletrimp. Oh piffle! Was this a children's novel? I know that children often enjoy names of that sort. After a while, I understood that the author's purpose was satiric. Characters have ridiculous names when they are being held up for ridicule. I began to appreciate it more when I saw a parallel to a Gilbert and Sullivan story line. Like a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, The Julius Romeros Extravaganza pokes fun at conventional attitudes through reductio ad absurdum which means reducing them to absurdity.
I really began to enjoy The Julius Romeros Extravaganza when Abigail, the bearded protagonist, finally arrived where she was meant to be. I have read a great deal of circus fiction, and not all of it has been positive in its portrayal of the circus experience. Circus employees have not always been well-treated by their employers in fiction. Historically, real children were often exploited and abused as they were in many other child labor situations outside of the circus. So I would say that Abigail was remarkably fortunate.
This circus is radically different. One of the reasons why it's different is because of Julius Romeros, the owner of the circus. He is an extraordinary man. I was particularly impressed with his policy of having the sideshow performers master a skill. This makes them the equals of big top performers. Big top acts are skill based, but the sideshow is based on the display of individuals whose appearance is outside conventional norms. People come to gawk at them. This means that they are objects to the viewers, not human beings. When the sideshow performers have skills to exhibit, it makes the sideshow more entertaining. It also gives the performers some dignity, and a sense of accomplishment from being able to do something well. This increase in the quality of life for the sideshow performers made the circus a true refuge for these liminal human beings. This book demonstrates how a circus which travels from place to place can be a home for those like Abigail who suffer intolerance in the outside world.
For my complete review see my April 2013 blog entry "The Julius Romeros Extravaganza: Liminal Identity At The Circus" at http://www.maskedpersona.blogspot.com
I won The Lady and Her Monsters by Roseanne Montillo from Booktrib , a website that was originally solely devoted to book giveaways, but now also has...moreI won The Lady and Her Monsters by Roseanne Montillo from Booktrib , a website that was originally solely devoted to book giveaways, but now also has chats with authors and reviews.
I've always had a fascination with the contest among Byron, Percy Shelley, Mary Shelley and Dr. Polidori whose most enduring literary result was Frankenstein. So I was delighted that I won it.
The background of Frankenstein is scientific as well as literary. I am largely familiar with the literary aspects. I learned from this book that Mary Shelley's husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley, had a tremendous interest in the theory that electricity could resurrect the dead, and so did Byron's physician, John William Polidori. This was Victor Frankenstein's goal in Mary Shelley's novel.
Readers who know less than I about Percy Bysshe Shelley (not a son of a Bysshe, but actually the grandson of a Bysshe), Byron, Polidori and Mary Shelley's antecedents may find revelation after revelation in this book. So I would recommend The Lady and Her Monsters as an introduction to the milieu that precipitated Frankenstein. Anyone who wants to know more can find plenty of material whether your interests are literary or scientific.
For my complete review see my April blog entry "Mad Science: The Thoughts of Roseanne Montillo on Frankenstein and Mary Shelley" at http://www.maskedpersona.blogspot.com(less)
I very much enjoyed The Golden Lynx by C. P. Lesley. It takes place in 16th century Russia. Its protagonist is very unique. Nasan is an Islamic Tatar...moreI very much enjoyed The Golden Lynx by C. P. Lesley. It takes place in 16th century Russia. Its protagonist is very unique. Nasan is an Islamic Tatar among the Christians of Russia. Yet she refuses to confine herself to the expected women's role in either society. She is a liminal figure--caught betwixt and between. This is my favorite type of hero. Yet I have a basic disagreement with the author which is the main subject of this review.
I am very particular about swashbuckling heroes with or without masks. C.P. Lesley promotes this book as a novel about a Scarlet Pimpernel. To me, Scarlet Pimpernel means something rather specific. The Scarlet Pimpernel was created by Baroness Orczy. He was an English aristocrat who rescued French aristocrats from the clutches of the Jacobin rulers of revolutionary France who were executing aristocrats as counter-revolutionaries even if they had done nothing that was at all counter-revolutionary. The Scarlet Pimpernel spirited them out of France so that they could take refuge in England. I feel that if I want to broaden the definition of Scarlet Pimpernel to include a context outside of revolutionary France, there needs to be some elements in common with the original. The Golden Lynx rescues people, but they aren't really in the same category as those that the Scarlet Pimpernel rescues.
As is usually the case with anthologies, I liked some stories better than others. I decided to review my favorites. The stories that I'd rate most hig...moreAs is usually the case with anthologies, I liked some stories better than others. I decided to review my favorites. The stories that I'd rate most highly were: 1) "Southern Daughter" by Megan D. Martin which seemed to be a Southern belle story when it started out, but turned into something totally unexpected. 2)"Silent Suffragette" by Tara Chevrestt--Tara returns to the time period that she portrayed so well in Votes For Vixens. 3)"Without Borders" by Dianne Hartsock--A knock out punch noir near future tale that warns us of what may happen if some current trends continue.
I'm glad I had a chance to read this anthology during Women's History month. I'm sure that other readers will have different favorites. (less)
Although I don't normally read Christian fiction because I don't like novels that are too overtly didactic, I am very interested in books that deal wi...moreAlthough I don't normally read Christian fiction because I don't like novels that are too overtly didactic, I am very interested in books that deal with Afro-Natives. That's why I chose to read and review Abraham's Well by Sharon Ewell Foster which is the story of an Afro-Cherokee woman who was born a slave in a Cherokee family.
Armentia, the central character of Abraham's Well was brought up among the North Carolina Cherokees believing herself a part of the Cherokee nation. When most of the Cherokees were expelled from North Carolina and forced to walk The Trail of Tears to Oklahoma, Armentia and other Afro-Cherokees endured the same privations as full-blooded Cherokees. I should have realized this. I knew that the Cherokees were a slave-holding people and that there were Afro-Cherokees among these slaves, but I had never previously read or viewed any portrayal of the Trail of Tears that depicted Afro-Cherokees. When a minority is written out of history, no one imagines that they participated in events.
I'm glad that I read Abraham's Well because of its Afro-Cherokee perspective even though there was a great deal of sermonizing. I found the novel moving at various points, but I now want to read history on this subject. I expect to read Ties That Bind, a study about an Afro-Cherokee family by Tiya Miles in the near future.
This is an earlier work of Jorge Amado, so it isn't as sophisticated as the novels he wrote later in his career, but it is heartfelt and Amado's chara...moreThis is an earlier work of Jorge Amado, so it isn't as sophisticated as the novels he wrote later in his career, but it is heartfelt and Amado's characteristic themes are very much present.
We follow the adventures of Afro-Brazilian orphan Antonio Balduino in what is known as a picaresque novel . Like Don Quixote, the most renowned picaro, the central character tries to be a hero in a society where heroes don't exist. Over the course of the narrative, Antonio's idea of heroism changes, and he does become the hero that he set out to be.
The character named in the title, Jubiabá , is a Candomble priest and healer. He is a respected man who teaches Antonio some important lessons. The most emblematic concept that Antonio learns from Jubiabá is "the eye of mercy". Antonio eventually comes to the conclusion that "the rich had let their eye of mercy dry up". This statement about the wealthy doesn't just apply to Antonio's Brazil. It could easily apply to contemporary American politics.
Despite the rawness of Jubiabá, there is still much of value in this novel and I was glad that I read it. I look forward to reading Amado's Sea of Death which is supposed to be a very lyrical Candomble novel that focuses on the Lady of the Sea, Iemanja, a very beloved figure in Brazil.
For my complete review see my March 2013 blog post "Eye of Mercy, Eye of Transformation: Jorge Amado Envisions A New Society in Jubiaba" at http://www.maskedpersona.blogspot.com (less)
As other reviewers have said, the title is misleading. Synesthesia doesn't play a major role in this book. Yet it does illustrate that Hanna's perspec...moreAs other reviewers have said, the title is misleading. Synesthesia doesn't play a major role in this book. Yet it does illustrate that Hanna's perspective is different.
It was actually really hard for me to decide how many stars to give this novel. I can't say that I liked this book, but I also can't say that it was merely OK because it caused me to think about the ethical issues involved in Hanna's conduct. I judge ethics by the consequences of the action. Many would say that Hanna didn't have a choice, but I disagree. (view spoiler)[ It seemed to me that Hanna deliberately called herself and her skills to Hitler's attention in order to show how useful she could be to them. She didn't have to do that. She did it so she could save art, but she didn't think about the impact that this would have on human beings.The money that the Nazis realized through the sale of their looted art financed their blitzkreigs through Europe and their concentration camps. (hide spoiler)] I love art, but I place the lives of human beings first on the value scale. To me, it seemed that Hanna prioritized art above the lives of human beings. I understand why she gave art paramount importance. Art had played such a central role in her life. But I was seriously offended by the ending. (view spoiler)[Nazi collaborators should not get to be honored as heroes. There were genuine heroes in Germany in WWII who gave up their lives to defy Hitler's regime. (hide spoiler)] This was an interesting and provocative novel, but I rated it lower because I very much disagreed with the central character's actions and I wasn't sure that the author fully understood the implications since the ending was presented as a happy one.(less)
After reading Rav Hisda's Daughter by Maggie Anton , I decided that I needed to know more about women in the Talmud. I think the biggest revelation of...moreAfter reading Rav Hisda's Daughter by Maggie Anton , I decided that I needed to know more about women in the Talmud. I think the biggest revelation of this book for me wasn't about women. It was that Aramaic wasn't the language that everyone spoke during the Talmudic period as I had been taught. Only the literate upper class spoke Aramaic which is why the Talmud was written in it. Everyone else spoke Hebrew. This came up as the reason why Rabbi Yehuda's maid was the authority about the meaning of certain Hebrew words. This means that Mel Gibson's movie, The Passion of the Christ, which portrayed Jesus and his disciples (all common folk) speaking Aramaic was inaccurate. But more importantly, it means that the division between a rabbi and an ordinary person labeled "Am Ha'aretz" was linguistic as well as religious. Abrams tells us about Rabbi Chiyya Bar Abba visiting a village that was violating the laws established by rabbis right and left. She imagines that they wouldn't have listened to him. This would have been especially true if he tried to point out what he viewed as their errors in Aramaic which they wouldn't have understood. It seems to me that Rabbinic Judaism could not come to be practiced more widely until the rabbis and ordinary Jews shared a common language.
On the other hand, sometimes Abrams doesn't notice possibilities. For example, in the case of the unnamed woman in the Talmud who asked about Enoch, Abrams thinks that she was either a Christian or someone who wanted to explain the Jewish perspective on Enoch to Christians. As someone who had some ancestors who were Kabalists, I'm aware that in Jewish Kabalistic tradition Enoch became the archangel Metatron. He is very important to the Kabalistic approach. It was forbidden for women to study Kabala, but what if the woman mentioned in the Talmud who asked about Enoch defied that prohibition? This would be a very interesting possibility. I am wondering if Rav Hisda's daughter will be taking up the study of Kabala in future books of Maggie Anton's series about her.
The Women of the Talmud seemed rather limited to me. It didn't delve deeply into the topics that it covered. So I found it unsatisfying. I discovered that a single volume is available through interlibrary loan from a series published in Germany called A Feminist Commentary on the Babylonian Talmud. I requested it and look forward to seeing what it's like.
I was a teenage Jacobite whose imagination was fueled by Robert Louis Stevenson and Sir Walter Scott. The Jacobites were supporters of the Scottish St...moreI was a teenage Jacobite whose imagination was fueled by Robert Louis Stevenson and Sir Walter Scott. The Jacobites were supporters of the Scottish Stuart Kings after Scotland had formally become part of a new entity called Great Britain through the Acts of Union . I read a great many books dealing with The Battle of Culloden. In the Battle of Culloden the Jacobite cause was led to defeat by Bonnie Prince Charlie.
As an adult, I learned that many contemporary Scots thought the Stuart prince had been "a right Charlie" which is UK slang for being a fool. I began to question whether the restoration of the Stuart dynasty would have benefited Scotland myself. Had the Stuarts ever really cared about the Scots? Did any royal house care about more than maintaining its own power?
I knew that before the Stuarts ruled in Scotland there had been an earlier hero of the cause of Scottish independence who hadn't been a prince or even a nobleman. His name was William Wallace. His story was popularized in the Mel Gibson movie Braveheart . As a commoner in the 13th century, William Wallace never expected to rule Scotland. He simply wanted to end the tyrannical abuses of English rule. Surely from the perspective of this democratically inclined American, William Wallace made a far better iconic figure than the Bonnie Prince. Yet I had never researched Wallace or even read historical fiction about him.
Hazel West has written a William Wallace novel that I still haven't read called Freedom Come All Ye. I decided to read her second novel dealing with William Wallace, On A Foreign Field, because it has an unusual focus. The central character is an Englishman named Reeve Montgomery captured on the field of battle while he was fighting the rebel forces led by William Wallace. Like Reeve Montgomery, my perspective was changed—maybe not by William Wallace, but by Hazel West’s portrayal of him. I learned so much more than I expected from this book.
For my complete review see my March 2013 blog post "Playing Red Rover With William Wallace: On A Foreign Field by Hazel West" at http://www.maskedpersona.blogspot.com
Witchblade is responsible for getting me back into reading comic books as an adult. As a child I read Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Batman and Superman, bu...moreWitchblade is responsible for getting me back into reading comic books as an adult. As a child I read Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Batman and Superman, but I stopped reading comics at the age of twelve. I became a Witchblade fan as a result of the TV series that aired on TNT (2001-2002) starring Yancy Butler as Sara Pezzini, a New York City cop who was chosen by the Witchblade. The Witchblade is an ancient intelligent artifact that has chosen female wielders for thousands of years. Probably the most famous historical Witchblade wielder is one of my favorite historical personages, Joan of Arc, who was the subject of historical flashbacks in the TV series. The Witchblade unites with the wielder, and is said to balance the powers of light and darkness. The comic book and the TV series mainly deal with the contemporary wielder Sara Pezzini. The original publisher and owner of the franchise is Top Cow, but it has licensed other companies to publish Witchblade.
Most recently, Dynamite Entertainment published a six issue crossover series called Witchblade/Red Sonja which has been republished as a graphic novel. I admit that I didn't read the series when it was in print. Red Sonja is not a character that I've followed, but I selected this graphic novel for review from Net Galley because of my interest in Witchblade.
I liked the idea of incorporating Red Sonja into the Witchblade continuity. I also liked the fact that Sara Pezzini and Red Sonja were in a position to aid each other. Unfortunately, there was a big police procedural plot hole on the Witchblade end. It may sound strange that I can accept a cop who fights a supernatural villain with the aid of an ancient artifact allied across time with a prehistorical swordswoman, but can't suspend disbelief when contemporary police procedure isn't followed. I'm the sort of reader who is bothered by inconsistencies. I realize that if this particular error had been corrected, an additional issue would probably have been required to resolve the plot. Yet I think it would have been a better story.
For my complete review see my March 2013 blog post "Witchblade/Red Sonja Gets An A For Concept But The Implementation Isn't Completely Successful" at http://www.maskedpersona.blogspot.com (less)
I've been meaning to read this book about an Inuit girl who becomes part of a wolf pack. The wolves are amazingly well-portrayed. I've read that the a...moreI've been meaning to read this book about an Inuit girl who becomes part of a wolf pack. The wolves are amazingly well-portrayed. I've read that the author has done real life observation of wolves and it definitely shows. Julie is definitely liminal. This is anthropological term that means caught betwixt and between. She didn't seem to have a place in Inuit society and she couldn't stay with the wolves. I'd like to read the sequels.(less)
This was recommended to me as a New Zealand book dealing with Maoris. I had already read The Whale Rider by this author and seen the film.
I average t...moreThis was recommended to me as a New Zealand book dealing with Maoris. I had already read The Whale Rider by this author and seen the film.
I average the ratings that I've given all the stories when I read anthologies. Several stories were better than three stars for me. My personal favorite was "Fire on Greenstone" about a Maori widower who feels the presence of his wife. The greenstone is the pounamu of the anthology's title. The central character had a photo of his dead wife in which she wore a piupiu which is a grass skirt. I watched a video on You Tube about how the skirt is made. I feel like I learned some important concepts in Maori culture from this story. I was also moved by "The Whale", a sad story dealing with Maori assimilation.
After reading this anthology I decided that I wanted to read another novel by Witi Ihimaera and requested The Matriarchthrough inter-library loan.(less)
When I read an excerpt from The Deaf Mute Howls in the anthology Angels and Outcasts, I decided that I wanted to read the entire book. The deaf author...moreWhen I read an excerpt from The Deaf Mute Howls in the anthology Angels and Outcasts, I decided that I wanted to read the entire book. The deaf author Albert Ballin (1867-1933) sounded so inventive. Apparently, he never thought of himself that way. According to Douglas Baynton, who wrote the introduction, Ballin was disappointed with his life and its limitations.
Albert Ballin was a man who pursued a career as an artist and later as an actor in Hollywood. He believed that deaf sign language could be the mode of communication between directors and actors while in the process of making the movie during the silent film era. He even thought it possible that signing could become the universal language that would be understood throughout the world. This would involve a major paradigm shift. A population on the margins of society would move into the center. I feel that Ballin was a true visionary. Baynton says that Ballin had outsized aspirations. Most people do have smaller dreams. It seems to me that expectations tend to be shaped by background. If you are always surrounded by people who think you will accomplish nothing, you are delighted if you are able to prove them even slightly wrong with a small accomplishment that may only feel significant to you. If on the other hand, you come from a background of wealth and privilege as Albert Ballin did, you might think that you have the power to accomplish absolutely anything. Yet when it came to the promotion of signing for use by hearing individuals, Ballin was a movement of one.
The oralist movement that brought about the complete banning of sign language in deaf instruction arose in the late 19th century, and was in direct conflict with Ballin's efforts. When I read the excerpt in Angels and Outcasts I was baffled by Ballin's friendly relationship with Alexander Graham Bell who was a key figure in the oralist movement. Baynton solved the mystery. Ballin and Bell were both in favor of mainstreaming the deaf. They both thought that there should not be separate instruction of the deaf or a separate deaf culture. That was the basis of their positive interaction.
Yet Ballin wanted to mainstream signing. He thought that sign language should be taught to all students. He wanted to see a future in which deaf sign language is a lingua franca that facilitates communication between people who don't have any spoken language in common. Ballin calls hearing people learning how to sign in order to communicate with the deaf "the Bridge of Signs" which is really a marvelous image.
Despite his brilliance, Ballin couldn't manage to see or understand any perspective except his own. This is why he didn't realize that his dream of one universal sign language was impossible.
This novel deals with the daughter of a Talmudic figure who lived in Persia. The main character, Hisdadukh, is mentioned in the Talmud. It actually me...moreThis novel deals with the daughter of a Talmudic figure who lived in Persia. The main character, Hisdadukh, is mentioned in the Talmud. It actually means Hisda's daughter in Persian. Since relatively few names of women have come down to us from ancient Jewish sources, I would have assumed that the redactors of the Talmud had left her name out. Maggie Anton decided that Hisdadukh actually was her given name. I had a problem with this idea. She portrays Rav Hisda as a man who taught his daughter to read, consulted her about who she wished to marry, and had no problem with her sitting in on his Talmud classes. He must have had a great deal of respect for his daughter and her autonomy. So why would he have given her a generic name? That didn't make sense to me, but I got over it.
I got over it because I found this book brilliant and original. I am probably one of its ideal readers. An ideal reader of this book is someone who is educated in Judaism, interested in its history, and in women's historical practices.
Hisdadukh's studies in amulet making, and other Jewish magical practices set this book apart. They reveal a Judaism that is fundamentally different from the Jewish religion as it is currently practiced. I was taught that amulets were always regarded as superstitious among Jews, and that only the ignorant really believed in their power. Am Ha'aretz means someone who is ignorant in a contemporary Jewish context. In the context of this novel, it means someone who doesn't accept the authority of rabbis. Anton portrays these refuseniks as the majority of the Jewish community in Persia. In the time when Hisdadukh lived, the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem had been relatively recent. Rabbinic Judaism was an innovation that allowed Judaism to survive without a temple. I knew that, but I hadn't imagined that there could have been such tremendous resistance to this re-conceptualization of the religion. I should have. Historically, changes in religious outlook involve a slow process of evolution. They don't happen overnight. Occult folk traditions were also never completely eliminated from Judaism. My great grandfather considered astrology when he decided the date of my father's wedding. My grandmother did divination by reading the patterns of spilled chickpeas.
I think that readers who know little or nothing about Judaism may not understand or appreciate this book as much as I did. It seems to me that Maggie Anton assumes a certain amount of knowledge in her readers. For example, we are told that the Jews in Palestine during this period celebrated Tu B'Av as a holiday in which unmarried Jews can find mates. I ran a search on Tu B'Av and learned from the article on Tu B'Av on Wikipedia that in modern Israel it's the equivalent of Valentine's Day. Hisdadukh considered it an antidote to Tisha B'Av, the anniversary of the destruction of the Jewish Temple, which is still commemorated in modern times with a fast. Someone who is unfamiliar with the Jewish calendar would see the similarity between Tu B'Av and Tisha B'Av without realizing why they are similar. These names are actually dates. Tisha B'Av occurs on the 9th of the month of Av. Tu B'Av occurs less than a week later on the 15th of Av. This is not explained in the book. There are numerous details of Jewish life that aren't fully explicated for the general reader. That is the only weakness in Rav Hisda's Daughter that I can identify.
I consider this novel the best book that I've read so far in 2013. I will definitely want to obtain the sequels. In the mean time, I have a subject that I want to pursue in further research. I have just located The Women of the Talmud by Judith Z. Abrams and intend to read it by the end of March.
For my complete review see my February 2013 blog post "But Is It Really Jewish Magic?--Reading Rav Hisda's Daughter" at:
I like the Starbridge series concept. I've read and enjoyed two books dealing with a deaf Starbridge inter-relator. An inter-relator is like a diploma...moreI like the Starbridge series concept. I've read and enjoyed two books dealing with a deaf Starbridge inter-relator. An inter-relator is like a diplomat who becomes part of the culture and lives in their community.
This book takes a different perspective. It takes place at Starbridge academy, and it deals with an important archaelogical find in the vicinity of the academy. I am always interested in books that deal with archaeology.
One of the protagonists listed on the back cover is Serge LaRoche a musician who lost his hands in an accident. They had been replaced by prosthetic hands. Reading this, I was reminded of Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius who runs on prosthetic legs. I read his memoir, Blade Runner, last year. I was anticipating an inspiring tale of a differently abled musician who triumphed after what seemed like a career ending event. This was not that story. I found Serge sympathetic, but he was not the character at the heart of this novel.
I felt that Rob Gable, Starbridge Academy's psychotherapist, was the character on which the plot centered, and that he was the most compelling. His dedication to Starbridge and to the psychological well-being of its students was impressive. Without him, the other protagonist listed in the back cover blurb, a traumatized eleven year old telepath, would have descended into madness.
I thought of Silent Dances, a previous book in this series dealing with the deaf protagonist of this book recently when I read Angels and Outcasts: An...moreI thought of Silent Dances, a previous book in this series dealing with the deaf protagonist of this book recently when I read Angels and Outcasts: An Anthology of Deaf Characters in Literature. I hadn't known before that there was a sequel about her. I was glad to encounter her again, and see her reaction to another character who is hard of hearing and has a completely different perspective on deafness. I do think that Silent Dances had more character depth. This book was more action oriented, and Tesa was magnificent in an action role. (less)
The style of the author is closer to spoken English. As a result, the grammar is not completely correct. The library copy that I read contained corrections in pencil from a reader of the painfully correct school of grammar. Yes, it's true that the author was using "her" when she should have utilized "she" on many occasions, but "her" is more comfortable. As I listened to the corrected version of the sentence in my head, it sounded awkward. For better or for worse, common usage has changed. (less)
This is a fun read. I enjoy Phryne Fisher and I thought I would especially like a novel that deals more centrally with her as an aviator. Did I say "m...moreThis is a fun read. I enjoy Phryne Fisher and I thought I would especially like a novel that deals more centrally with her as an aviator. Did I say "more centrally"? Well, flying isn't quite as central as I would hope, but there are some wonderful scenes related to aviation.
There are some great side characters--particularly the artist sister of the flying school owner who is accused of murder. Phryne knows many independent woman professionals and I am always delighted to see them.(less)
Inspector Shan, once a crime investigator in Beijing, is now to quote him "an official damned inspector of dams" in Tibet. There were some wonderful c...moreInspector Shan, once a crime investigator in Beijing, is now to quote him "an official damned inspector of dams" in Tibet. There were some wonderful characters and some interesting Buddhist practices, but from a plot perspective, I could have wished for more believability. Readers are asked to swallow some incredible stupidity on the part of the Chinese regime in Mandarin Gate. I am willing to believe that Chinese government functionaries can be corrupt, but not idiotic. Chinese government decisions described in this book contradict what I know about their established policies. (view spoiler)[For example, I don't think it's probable that Chinese authorities would have re-located an entire street gang to Tibet without breaking them up. In the United States, authorities try to break up youth gangs by not allowing gang members to associate with each other as a probation requirement. In the case of the Chinese government,this is especially unlikely considering that Beijing normally breaks up the families of criminals and dissidents. The group of dissident intellectuals who were sent with their families to the same settlement is another example that contradicts this policy. (hide spoiler)] If policy had been followed, a number of the characters could not have played the roles they did. It boggled my mind that it didn't occur to the bureaucrats in Beijing that these particular decisions could cause them a great deal of trouble. I know that we are supposed to suspend disbelief for fiction, but there are limits. Pattison owes me new suspenders. My current set of disbelief suspenders are completely ruined.
As a huge supporter of wolves, my favorite story in this anthology was "His Wolf" by Lisa Tuttle. It's a story about a man who rescued a wolf, and a w...moreAs a huge supporter of wolves, my favorite story in this anthology was "His Wolf" by Lisa Tuttle. It's a story about a man who rescued a wolf, and a woman for whom rescuing a wolf mattered. I also liked "Man in the Mirror" by Yasmeen Galenorn about a woman who is making a new beginning in her life after the death of her husband.
Angels and Outcasts is an anthology of stories and excerpts focused on the deaf published by Gallaudet University. It came to my attention because Gal...moreAngels and Outcasts is an anthology of stories and excerpts focused on the deaf published by Gallaudet University. It came to my attention because Gallaudet has recently published a second anthology dealing with newer writing called Outcasts and Angels. For the first two sections of the anthology dealing with fiction by non-deaf writers, I mainly valued the introductions rather than the stories themselves. The introductions to each story explain how it reflected attitudes toward the deaf during the period when it was written. Although a number of the authors are well-known, their literary status didn't guarantee that they understood the deaf well enough to portray them in fiction.For some authors represented in this anthology deaf characters were symbolic. While it is the prerogative of writers to include symbolic characters, I was looking for stories about real people. I was putting myself in the place of deaf readers who might pick up a book focusing on a deaf character hoping to find someone who is like themselves or maybe even a role model who will inspire them. I have always looked for female protagonists who inspire me. I would have felt very depressed if I never found any.The section devoted to the writings of deaf authors contained the piece that I found most insightful. It was the excerpt from The Deaf Mute Howls by Albert Ballin. Ballin sounds like he was a brilliant and creative individual. I am now much more motivated to obtain a copy of The Deaf Mute Howls so I can discover more about his life.The Ballin excerpt alone made this anthology worth reading, but I am looking forward to reading Gallaudet's second anthology Outcasts and Angels.
This is a YA book for mature readers who don't flinch from reading about horrific violence against animals and human beings. It's about a very courage...moreThis is a YA book for mature readers who don't flinch from reading about horrific violence against animals and human beings. It's about a very courageous fourteen year old girl whose mother runs a sanctuary for bonobo apes in a country in chaos where bonobos are sold on the black market and routinely slaughtered. It's an extremely powerful book and an important one.
I also very much liked the interview with author Eliot Schrefer at the back of the book. I found it very insightful. I was very interested in what he has to say about why bonobos are so radically different from chimps, and the implications this has for humans. Schrefer was asked whether it's ethical to concern ourselves with the mistreatment of animals when humans are in crisis. He responded that the same people who are cruel toward animals will also be cruel to humans that they believe are lower status, and that it's essentially the same problem. Feminists have had the same insight about violence against women and children. People who are obsessed with their lack of power are deranged by it.
This is the last book I read in 2012 for the Around the World challenge, and I thought Schrefer was equally insightful about the problems of the Democratic Republic of the Congo where this book takes place. I do consider it my top read of 2012.
The Tent of Miracles is the second book I've read by Jorge Amado. The first was The War of the Saints which was recommended to me as a book with a pri...moreThe Tent of Miracles is the second book I've read by Jorge Amado. The first was The War of the Saints which was recommended to me as a book with a primary focus on the Yoruban spirit Oya who is widely known as Yansan in Brazil. I read The War of the Saints some time ago. It had tons of magical realism, but I remembered thinking at the time that I wanted more spirituality, ritual and folklore. That's when I was told to read The Tent of Miracles.
Although I had heard about the discrimination against Afro-Brazilian religions in the first half of the 20th century, I had not read about it before in either fiction or non-fiction. There are a number of scenes in The Tent of Miracles that depict instances of prejudice.
Yet religious discrimination is also shown in this book as being brought to an ignominious end. The central character Pedro Archanjo played a role in ending it. Archanjo says in this book that "One day the orixas will be dancing on the stage." The orixas are the spirits of Candomble, an Afro-Brazilian religion. This is a prediction that has come true in modern day Brazil.
I was very glad to learn so much about the history of Candomble and other significant aspects of Brazilian culture through reading The Tent of Miracles. I hope to read Amado's novel Jubiaba in the not so distant future.
One of the reasons why I enjoy reading books about the midwives of the past is because they operated outside of the conventional norms for women. They...moreOne of the reasons why I enjoy reading books about the midwives of the past is because they operated outside of the conventional norms for women. They also had knowledge of herbs. Herbalism and other traditional healing practices made them vulnerable to accusations of witchcraft as is shown in Love of Shadows by Zoe Brooks which I reviewed in October. Lizzie Boylston, like other historical midwives that I've encountered, didn't heed the opinions of others. She rode her horse astride as men did, and engaged in activities that were even more unacceptable in her social milieu.
Another aspect of this novel that I loved was the friendships between women. These were honest relationships that could be ambivalent. I appreciated that complexity. The presence of Abigail Adams as one of Lizzie's friends underlines the feminist emphasis of the novel. She is most remembered for telling her husband, who was to become the second President of the United States, to "Remember the ladies." For this alone, she is honored by modern advocates of women's rights.
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