Jacob's Folly

by Rebecca Miller

Miller’s ingenious second novel is “transgressive, terrifying, tough, and very, very funny” (Tony Kushner).

In Rebecca Miller’s dazzling second novel, we meet characters separated by time but united in their desire to live a life of their own choosing, free from the constraints of community and tradition.

In eighteenth-century Paris, Jacob Cerf is a Jewish street peddler burdened by a disastrous young marriage but determined to raise himself up by whatever means he can. His richly observed life in Paris’s Jewish ghetto is radically altered when he gains entrance to the opulent world of the aristocracy and the freedom to create his own identity. More than two hundred years later, Jacob reappears in surprising form in the suburbs of Long Island. He soon becomes obsessed by a young Orthodox Jewish woman with a secret ambition. Determined to change her fate, Jacob takes it upon himself to entangle her with a conflicted volunteer fireman. As Jacob’s mischievous plans unfold, the burdens of duty and the pull of desire will twist the lives of all three.

Rebecca Miller explores the hold of the past on the present, the power of private hopes and dreams, and the collision of fate and free will. Transfiguring her world with a clear gaze and sharp, surprising wit, she brings Jacob’s Folly vividly to life.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Jewish, Book Club, Historical, 18th Century, Fantasy

384 pages, Paperback

First published March 5, 2013

About the author

Rebecca Miller is an American film director, screenwriter and actress, most known for her films Personal Velocity: Three Portraits, The Ballad of Jack and Rose and Angela, all of which she wrote and directed.

Daughter of playwright Arthur Miller and photographer Inge Morath.

Miller married the actor Daniel Day-Lewis in 1996.

Reviews

[Hannah Greendale (Hello, Bookworm) · Rating 3 out of 5]

If this had strictly followed Jacob as a fly, it might have been a favorite book of the year.🪰

This book features in my Spring TBR video on BookTube.🌷



Jacob's Folly concerns a Jewish man living in 18th century Paris who dies and reincarnates as a fly in 21st century America. The few chapters told from Jacob's perspective as a fly are an absolute riot and represent my favorite parts of the book. He's the first character to even come close to sounding like ST from Hollow Kingdom, and I'd have loved to read an entire novel from his perspective.

The story alternates between the past and the present, charting Jacob the fly's perverted musings and manipulative machinations as well as the events in the past that lead up to his death. Through its many characters, Jacob's Folly offers a thorough introduction to Jewish culture and how its traditions shape their daily lives.

I listened to the audiobook and greatly enjoyed it, especially the fly chapters, which had me laughing and giggling, but I admit that I struggled to follow the long list of characters. Perhaps if I had read a physical copy, I'd have found the branching list of characters easier to follow. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the book and was delighted by how Miller chose to end the book, bringing everything to a smashing conclusion. Definitely recommend!


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ORIGINAL POST 👇

Put simply: I want to read this book because it's narrated by a fly. 🪰

The story opens on a Jewish man living in 18th century Paris. He encounters some kind of disaster that presumably takes his life, then he wakes up two hundred years later reincarnated as a fly. Hah!

He lives as a fly in the Long Island suburbs of 21st century America, where his teeny tiny presence affects the lives of other characters. I love a good book with an unusual narrator, and this sounds like a fun one. I'm very curious to see how Miller will employ the use of her itty bitty narrator to enhance the story.

Also, can we take a moment to appreciate the book's cover? 😂 The significance does not escape me.

[Maricruz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dos estrellas y media.

Tengo la sensación de haber leído quizás no este libro en concreto, pero sí algunos muy parecidos. Historias con personajes muy bien descritos, que además son físicamente bellos, con alguna tragedia en su pasado o alguna dificultad presente en su vida que le da un lustre opaco a su belleza, esa grietita bien colocada para que no empalague tanta hermosura. Estos personajes están además rodeados de otros personajes secundarios también muy vívidos e individualizables. A falta de una palabra mejor, vamos a decir que es todo un tanto... espectacular. Quizás se deba a que la autora de esta novela, Rebecca Miller, es directora de cine. A mí me gustan las historias con menos destellos y más sustancia. Pero qué haces con los espectáculos. Pues ya que estás, los disfrutas.

Eso es lo que yo estaba haciendo con Jacob's Folly, al menos durante más o menos la mitad de la novela. Rebecca Miller escribe bien, su prosa tiene esa exuberancia sobre todo visual que te pone ante los ojos aquello que relata, el tipo de prosa donde las palabras «túrgido» y «pedo» son igualmente necesarias y tratadas con el mismo respeto. Pero llega un momento en que eso no es suficiente, porque empiezas a dudar un poco de para qué están esos personajes ahí, en medio de esa acción tan elocuentemente descrita. En la novela, Jacob, que en el siglo dieciocho era un vendedor ambulante judío, se ha reencarnado ahora en una mosca con capacidad para influir en el comportamiento de los otros dos protagonistas, Masha y Leslie. Con bastante mala idea en el caso de este último. No queda demasiado claro por qué tiene tanto interés en joderle la vida a este último, y si lo aclara en algún momento doy fe de que la idea no prende en la mente del lector como para justificar de manera suficiente todo lo que sucede. Ya que lo que sucede, en el último tercio del libro, es un poco Todo-esto-pa-qué. ¿A qué viene, por ejemplo, dedicarle las últimas diez páginas a un nuevo personaje que es tatatataranieto de Jacob, y que tampoco aporta gran cosa como no sea una pirueta argumental bastante sosa y prescindible? Como en las relaciones que descarrilan, empiezas incluso a resentirte de lo que dejaste pasar por alto al principio: ¿Por qué metes un indicio de que hay un misterio gordo y jugoso en la réplica del barco que construyó el padre de Leslie, si luego el misterio lo despachas casi de inmediato, en página y media, y encima es un misterio bastante cutre? Entonces tienes una visión de lo que la autora podría haber hecho por ti y no ha hecho. Quiero decir, a falta de crear una historia bien trenzada con estos tres personajes. Lo que podría haber hecho es olvidarse de la deslumbrante Masha y el cachas Leslie y todo ese ponerse a jugar con ellos como si fueran Barbie y Ken dándose un morreo, y centrarse en Jacob. Podría haber salido una novela de época sobre las peripecias de un aventurero judío en el París del siglo XVIII bastante resultona. Una especie de Barry Lyndon con un trasfondo de antisemitismo. Casi me relamo cuando lo pienso. Pues no, no ha podido ser.

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book! I am super pleased with the results of the “only read what you’re called to” challenge I’m doing. This one had been on my list for a few years, and had gently tugged at my brain every time I scrolled by it on my to-read list, but for some reason I ignored it. Well, joke’s on me, because this is the first book to earn the full five stars from me since July (when I read and loved Saga, Volume 3).

The book opens as the narrator gains consciousness, believing, after his death in the late 1700s, that he has been turned to an angel. After all, he can fly, and when he comes across a person, he is invisible to them and yet can read their life–he can see what they see, and read their thoughts, memories, feelings. But, alas, he is not angel but a fly. We follow the story as he tries to meddle in people’s lives and he fills us in on his life back in the Paris of the Enlightenment.

This book was a joy to read. The writing was great, and often funny. The narrator’s voice was perfect. I kept wanting to read passages of it outloud to Peter, even out of context. The characters were well-drawn, and the story was engrossing. I had a hard time putting this book down, reading almost 300 pages in a single day.

Often I dislike books where there are two timelines that are somehow connected, especially if one is historical. I’ve read several of that kind and I’m struggling to think of a single one that I actually liked. I try to stay away from them, so I’m glad that I didn’t realize this book was going to do that. Miller handled the multiple timelines really well, and one of them was historical, but for some reason it was completely able to avoid the pitfalls of whatever problem those books seem to suffer from–I guess I would say it’s that they’re contrived, focused on the wrong details, or feel consciously “educational,” and this book never dipped its toes into those waters. This book felt fresh and lively–and despite its lack of didacticism, I actually felt like I did learn about the time period.

The only caveat that I have is that this book pretty much swept me up, and I got kind of emotional–meaning, when I was prevented from reading it, I was kinda cranky. In short, I loved this book. I am definitely going to be hunting down Miller’s other work–including her films. Looking forward to it!

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

It may be that my high expectations of this book contributed to my lack of enthusiasm during and after reading it. I thought the premise was brilliant, and had so much potential. My biggest complaint was that I found the book boring. I couldn't bring myself to care about the characters, with the possible exception of Jacob during certain periods of his 18th-century life. I thought most of the characters were superficially developed, particularly Masha. I get irritated by portrayals of women as having some kind of inexplicable, sensual charisma. I don't know anyone like Masha, and in my experience, people are more complicated. I also found myself confused about Jacob as "fly": who was he, and what was his purpose in coming back? It would have made more sense to me if he came back to resolve something about his own life (maybe I missed something?) or bring something of value to the 21st century. So I couldn't understand why Jacob would return as a kind of half-hearted demon, who was trying to bring about the downfall of the other characters, but also seemed to care about them.

What I most enjoyed about this book was the attention to historical detail, and I felt that I learned a lot about the experience of the Jews in 18th century Paris. I also found it to be very well-written -- just not particularly engaging.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

The saying about being a fly on the wall really applies to Jacob's Folly!

I finished reading this book almost a week ago, but I'm still not sure what is my overall impression. I thought the book jacket had an interesting premise- that Jacob Cerf is a Jewish peddlar in Paris in the 1770's. And then he is reincarnated as a fly, only this time it's in the 21st century. He directly and indirectly influences the lives of two people, a heroic giant by the name of Leslie Sinzatimore, and an Orthodox Jewish teenager who longs for a forbidden life. The format of the novel skips to Jacob's 18th century Parisian memories to better understand who Jacob Cerf was. And also skips between Leslie's and Masha's contemporary stories.

For 90% of the novel I was obsessed with reading this book and finding out what happens. I couldn't ever guess what would happen next, which for me means I enjoyed it more than a predictable book. I don't want to give away the ending at all but it didn't seem to match the earlier book. And for this reason I went from thinking this is a 4 or 5 star book, to maybe a 3 or 4 star. As I'm writing this review I can't even decide how many stars to give it. So I think I choose 3 stars, even though it's well-written and entertaining. Will be curious to check and see other reader's impressions about this book.

[Thelma Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I turned to Rebecca Miller as a writer-director having interviewed her on stage for her latest film, the delicious "Maggie's Plan." While doing preparatory research, I discovered that she had written a historical novel about a Jewish man in 18th-century France. Jacob abandons his faith, assimilates into French culture, becomes a valet to an aristocrat intent on stripping away his Judaism, followed by an actor and libertine. And, then, of all things improbable and mysterious, Jacob, his memory intact, arrives in contemporary American as a fly on the wall. Literally, in an act of The Metamorphosis that recalls Franz Kafka. As the author of The Last Woman Standing: A Novel, which is Jewish historical fiction set in the Wild West, I was intensely curious to see what Miller did as an historical novelist. And I discovered that she was flamboyant in her choices, moving back and forth in time and weaving in a strong element of spiritual sci-fi or fantasy.

The most strange and wonderful scene - and I almost can't believe I'm confessing this -- is when the newly minted male insect Jacob discovers the sensual pleasures of sex a la fly. This is a flight of pure imagination and sensuality tinged with humor that I relished. This was not the historical novel I expected -- and that was a good thing.

The journey back and forth in time, from Jacob's assimilation into French culture to his omniscient view of the characters Masha, a devastatingly beautiful young Orthodox Jewish woman with Elizabeth Taylor eyes, and Leslie, a Long Island voluntary fireman with a rescue complex, is part romp, part psychological investigation, part theological exploration. What is it to be a Jew, a man, a fly -- long before and after the Holocaust?

It's an ambitious brew -- but not a seamless one. As a writer, I found the descriptive passages often dense with adjectives -- and, yet, some would call that lyrical. I wanted the story to have greater urgency but struggled to keep my attention as the contemporary characters floundered. Part of this also had to do with the author's need to describe in depth so many characters that were not critical to the story. Some scenes fail to carry the plot forward and only reinforce what we already know about tertiary individuals. And, perhaps, in the cases of Masha and Leslie, their actions are not quite organic to the characters that Miller constructs. In contrast, Jacob -- man or fly -- is a canny and fascinating main character from beginning to end, his adventures and his final fate both ring true.

Miller's radical folly takes the reader on an unexpected journey. It explores what it means to be a practicing Jew: both the restrictions of the laws to live by and the security of not floating aimlessly in a world without rules or the safety net of a large, extended family. Some individuals flourish in this environment -- others, like Masha, long to be free to express themselves but then find the world even a few blocks over from their front door a foreign country, a destabilizing frontier, at times wondrous and dangerous, sometimes in the same breath.

Fascinating and adventurous as the novel is, I would have appreciated more trust in the power of the original story itself, and more rigor it excising those parts that didn't serve the whole. When, in the concluding pages, Miller narrates the intervening family histories, the tales of Jacob's progeny from 18th-century France to contemporary America, she could easily have slowed down so that we could have savored the trenchant information. By making the brilliant choice to tell this tale from the point of view of a semi-omniscient fly, sometimes the author hops and buzzes around too much, not knowing where to land and where to fly over.

[jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hearing the plot of Rebecca Miller’s ebullient new novel, “Jacob’s Folly,” one might forgive a potential reader from wondering “now how is she going to pull that off?” While I’d normally shy away from any spoilers, in this case the marketing material and the even the book jacket have already spoiled the surprise – our narrator and guide Jacob Cerf died in 18th Century France and wakes up on modern Long Island. Seemingly invisible and blessed with a lovely set of wings, we might forgive Jacob for at first imagining that he’s returned as some sort of angel; imagine his disappointment when he realizes that he been reborn a fly? Not any fly mind you, but one blessed with perfect recall of his old life and the strange ability to see into the minds of two other characters (Masha, a beautiful yet unhappy twenty-one year old Orthodox Jew who yearns for more and Leslie, a fire fighter and father with a compulsion to always do the “right thing”). More than look into the minds of these characters, Jacob can “push” them subtly, making them do things that they might otherwise resist.

And thus armed, Jacob declares war on the All-mighty. And yes, despite the strangeness of the plot, Miller’s gifts for plotting and prose prove more than up to the challenge. In terms of prose, Miller’s beautiful exuberant metaphors and images, so filled with beauty and humor, remind me as no one so much as Martin Amis. Consider for example this scene of the most pedestrian of events, Leslie taking a leak in his: “Reliable, true Leslie Senzatimore stood on his square of new mown grass at the cusp of dawn, planted his feet far apart, leaned back, and aimed a glistening arc of piss straight over the fading moon. The heavenly body glowed, lassoed by his streaming ribbon, and maybe even claimed by a man who, at forty-four, had every reason to be content.” Miller’s prose don’t only open at that level, but hold on that taut note throughout the novel.

Yet more than her prose, Miller plots beautifully. She tracks multiple stories – those of Jacob’s manipulation of Leslie and Masha on the one hand and his recounting of his rise and fall in Paris on the other – while all the while maintaining a steady rhythm and full control of the work. At times as the novel gallops along, one pauses to wonder how it is she’s made it so easy for the reader to remain comfortably ensconced in the saddle.

In addition to the plotting, the fine characters, and the often hilarious prose, Miller’s novel also stands out as a work of ideas. While many fiction writers either seem unable to take religion and god seriously or worse craft theology thinly veiled as a story, Miller falls into neither pitfall. Instead she gives these philosophical questions their full deserved weight without letting that weight drown a very fine story.

One wonders what more can be said? With “Jacob’s Folly” Rebecca Miller has leaped to a rarefied tier of extraordinarily talented novelists. Yes, it is really that good.

[Lit Folio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant, Brilliant, Brilliant! For a good week or so, I could not keep my hands off this compulsively good read. I was transfixed by the rich, almost-too-good-in-some-spots prose-In fact, I can't help but see an uncanny parallel to another read, CLAIRE ANGE--which is altogether funnier in many ways but has similar threads--which I will not divulge here except to say both of these reads are superb.

But to get to this one:

Firstly, I am stunned by the unfavorable reviews here. I could not have been reading the same book. Although I found some slight lulls here and there in the more contemporary narrative of Masha, and finding the 18th century story of Jacob more compelling, I was still riveted, wanting to know how it all culminates. Actually, instead of seeing the disappointment that's usually the case with most contemporary fiction, the lead to the end here was spellbinding. The prose grows stronger and stronger and the plot, more enticing. An excellent read all the way through. And again, side by side, the richly metaphysical CLAIRE ANGE is a ripe partner to this.

Kudos, Ms. Miller. Your legacy--down to your famous Papa--would be proud.

[Diane Eidelman · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a tremendous book!! Fascinating how the author rendered the story. Who from Long Island can resist a book whose main character is a 17th century Parisian Jewish peddler who dies and is reincarnated as a fly in Patchogue? I loved every rollicking page and the symmetry of the characters. The writing is delicious, and very lyrical. Don't miss this one.

[Jody · Rating 2 out of 5]

The plot of the book is somewhat interesting, well described by others. Of the 3 parts the story that takes place in 18th century Paris was by far the most interesting, My 2 problems with this book are that the 3 parts don't hold together as a coherent whole and that is is badly written. I frequently found the author's choice of words to be so bad as to be jarring. "That evening bride and groom ....their happy smiles sweetening the memory sticks of all present". " As the two sexes beat a path to their requisite doors, I hovered in the air, torn." I feel that this book has gotten a lot of publicity because of the author's fame and family connections and not because of the quality of the writing.

[Ayelet Waldman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book doesn't necessarily fulfill its ambition, but it's better to strive and not quite succeed than not to try at all. It's fascinating and worth the read.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book! Clever, funny, very witty writing. So glad I read it!

[Sandra Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jacob Cerf becomes the pawn in a Parisian count’s bet that Jewishness can be shed. In a matter of months, the count transforms Jacob from impoverished street peddler to educated and well-mannered Parisian. Jacob is enjoying his comfortable circumstances, but unwilling to take the final step in the bet without a cut of the winnings. After some negotiations, the count relents and gives Jacob his portion of the prize. Jacob remains a close and trusted servant until an incident involving the count’s paramour sends Jacob running for his life. After a brief stint at homelessness, Jacob finds employment with a theater group and in no time at all advances from lackey to popular actor with a rival theater group. Once again Jacob is enjoying the finer things in life - often to excess. Jacob’s life of debauchery eventually catches up with him and he dies at just 31 years of age.

When Jacob "wakes" from his death, his surroundings are far different from the 18th century Paris he knew so well. Jacob hovers above a 21st century Long Island suburb and is under the mistaken impression that he’s been reincarnated as an angel. In one of the novel’s more hilarious moments (there are many), Jacob discovers that he’s not an angel, but a common housefly.
Jacob’s disappointment is assuaged when he realizes that he’s no ordinary housefly, he’s a housefly with superpowers! Jacob now has the ability to read others’ thoughts and memories and manipulate their actions. Jacob’s devious mind is delighted by this discovery and eager to put his talents to work. When he spies do-gooder Leslie, a married firefighter with a hero complex, he knows he’s got his man. That goody-goody needs to be taken down a few pegs and Jacob is just the fly to do it.

One day, while shadowing Leslie, Jacob spies Masha, a beautiful and obedient Orthodox Jew, and is instantly smitten. Masha has a secret desire to become an actress and Jacob is determined to see that her dream is realized, even if it means abandoning her religion. Jacob is having the time of his (second) life as he wreaks havoc in Leslie’s life and forces Masha to break religious taboos – leaving the young woman and her family in a constant state of confusion. In an attempt to force Jacob and Masha to behave out of character, Jacob arranges for them to meet. He soon regrets this action, first out jealousy over Masha and later when his actions have nearly disastrous results.

Author Rebecca Miller’s experiences as an actress and filmmaker give this unique novel a cinematic feel. Each scene is rich in detail and visual imagery. The characters are well-developed and likeable….especially the devilishly mischievous Jacob. Miller’s three narratives seamlessly intertwine and alternate between Jacob’s past and present without a hitch. The ending is sudden, but satisfying. Overall, a very enjoyable read!

[Jill Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rebecca Miller has done what very few novelists can do well - write two competing story lines, set in two very different times and places. Normally, one story is stronger than the other. Not in Miller's novel. In "Jacob's Folly", Miller flips back and forth between Paris in the mid-1700's and New York in current times, with a common housefly narrating the connections between the characters and the plot lines. But the housefly is not a normal housefly; he is Jacob Cerf, a French Jew who cast off his religion and family, and reinvented himself as an actor at the Comedie-Francaise before dying. Reincarnated into a housefly with some special powers, he is sent into the future to watch over two people. How he protects these two, Masha and Leslie, is the pivotal part of the story.

Miller's two modern characters, Masha Edelman, a young Orthodox girl living on Long Island and dreaming of a life as an actor and singer, and Leslie Senzatimore, a married boat restorer and the son of a suicide, will dance around each other. Both are dissatisfied with their lives; both are searching for a path to discover what they really want. Jacob the housefly will flit between Masha and Leslie as he fills in the reader of his own life, love, deeds, and misdeeds from his previous life in Paris.

Miller has written a novel with just a touch of magic realism combined with characters who are drawn with such a nuanced hand that they almost seem real. Even the secondary characters are so fleshed out that they never seem like caricatures or props who are there only to help move the plot(s) along. The strongest component to Miller's book is how Judaism - the love of the religion as well as it's practice - has changed with the centuries. But, in the end, this love of religion found first in Jewish Paris and then in Orthodox Long Island, can be traced from place to place. One of the most interesting minor characters was Jacob's cousin Gimpel Cerf, who visited Jacob's family in Paris. One of the first Hassidic Jews, Gimpel and his religious practices combining joy and observance, is, finally, at odds with the Paris family's own practice of a more intellectual observance and he is sent back to Poland.

Rebecca Miller is the daughter of playwright Arthur Miller and his last wife, Inge Morath. She is the wife of actor Daniel Day-Lewis - himself half-Jewish - and from what I've read, she was raised without much Jewish education or observance. However, in "Jacob's Folly", Miller is quite at home with Jewish history and religious practices. This novel, her fourth, I think, is one of the best novels I've read in the past five years or so. Miller's obvious love for her characters and the times they live(d) in is apparent throughout the novel. Superb.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A housefly as a narrator--was that really necessary? I was skeptical when I started the book, and I still wonder why the two stories had to be linked this way. The housefly adds a bit of absurdity, and a karmic angle. But why a fly?

Doesn't matter--this is a very enjoyable book. Great writing at a sentence level, a good balance of lightness and sadness. Plus it's all about the pull of secularism on Orthodox Judaism.

The housefly is Jacob, also known as Gebeck and "Le Naif." His story takes us to 18th century Paris--peddlers and depraved nobles and the theater scene. Over the course of his life, he gives up his religion. Jacob finds himself reincarnated as a housefly in modern day Long Island. Housefly-Jacob is obsessed with Masha, a young woman from a very traditional family. Masha wants to be an actress. She has the magnetic effect of a young Elizabeth Taylor (violet eyes, etc.). But, like Jacob, she's very religious, very observant . . . at first. One step at a time, she breaks many of the rules she was raised to follow as naturally as breathing.

Jacob's story has more drama, but Masha's introduces more interesting side characters. Leslie Senzatimore is our modern-day hero, a man who always does the right thing, even the noble thing. Great scenes of Leslie rescuing neighborhood cats, of Leslie confronting a man who rudely honked at him at a gas station. However, Leslie carries around a lot of baggage about his father's death. Jacob-as-housefly amuses himself by trying to make Leslie fall in love with Masha, trying to make Leslie behave badly, just because Jacob believes nobody can be as good as Leslie.

The reader is supposed to just accept that, as part of the housefly-narrator device, Jacob can instantly know people's deep secrets, can make them have certain dreams, can see the whole life story of a person whose name is written on a piece of paper Jacob happens to be standing on. Superfly? Except for a scene or two where Jacob experiences elevators or sees people on iPhones, his voice is the same as your standard omniscient narrator. I'm back to wondering, why a fly . . . .

[Girl with her Head in a Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jacob's Folly begins with one of the most bewitching opening paragraphs I can remember:

I, the being in question, having spent nearly three hundred years lost as a pomegranate pip in a lake of aspic, amnesiac, bodiless and comatose, a nugget of spirit but nothing else, found myself quickening, gaining form and weight and, finally, consciousness. I did not remember dying, so my first thoughts were confused, and a little desperate.

With that, the reader is catapulted into the world of Jacob Cerf, 18th century pedlar and Jew, but he now finds himself suddenly in twenty-first century America. Has he been reincarnated? Is he a guardian angel? An encounter with a mirror reveals the terrible truth. Jacob has returned to the earth in the form of ... a house fly. Yes, Miller quite literally has a fly on the wall narrator.

The novel explores the conflict between conformity in one's culture and the desire for personal expression. Jacob had traipsed around 18th century Paris with his box of wares, always feeling an outsider in a country where he barely spoke the language and his life was governed by what he was not allowed to do. While still a teenager, he was married off to a trembling and feeble-minded little girl Hodel, who is plagued by digestive distress, all of which served to compound Jacob's woes and leads him into rebellion against his faith. Finding himself in the twenty-first century, Jacob is still fixed in his desire to undermine the faith of others. He is the devil on the shoulder, the voice whispering telling people to do what they please. He is the buzzing fly in the room, distracting his subject from their better instincts.

For my full review:
http://girlwithherheadinabook.blogspo...

[Story · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 for originality and humour.

"I, the being in question, having spent nearly three hundred years lost as a pomegranate pip in a lake of aspic, amnesiac, bodiless and comatose, a nugget of spirit but nothing else, found myself quickening, gaining form and weight and, finally, consciousness. I did not remember dying, so my first thoughts were confused, and a little desperate."

So begins the tale of Jacob, 18th century Jewish peddler, petty criminal, valet, honeytrap and celebrated actor who is reborn as a 21st century housefly with perfect recall of his past live. As Jacob-the-fly buzzes about watching the dreamy, religious Masha (who longs to become an actor in spite of her orthodox religious beliefs), and the saintly Leslie (who lusts after Masha despite being a Family Man), he retells his own rollicking tale of life in 18th century Paris.

I enjoyed most of this story very much. Miller is an expert at creating characters who are divorced from their feelings and are stunned when they find themselves acting out of character. Jacob is an entertaining and lively narrator; nonetheless the story did drag for me in places and I sometimes had trouble keeping track of the minor characters who were less well-developed. Overall though, a very enjoyable read.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe 3.5 stars. I picked this up because I thought the premise was utterly original and clever. Despite not really liking most of the characters, especially the fly-narrator, I found myself more interested in the story than I might have expected as it came together. I found it interesting how Miller pulled the stories together at the very end. (Although I do agree with some other reviewers: didn't care too much about the utterly beguiling but blah Masha, not sure why as a fly Jacob could hear thoughts/know things/influence, and some other parts were just a little head-scratching.) I found myself impressed with Miller's writing; she is clearly gifted on many levels. Last, though, I didn't like some of the crudeness. Some was particularly far more than I wanted to know. Overall, I think Miller has great talent, and I was interested in the details about Jewish life in early Paris.

Read my full review, including a rating for content, at RatedReads.com: https://ratedreads.com/jacobs-folly-f...

[Lisa Zargarpur · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really loved the first half of this book. Jacob dies a peddler and finds himself reincarnated into the body of a fly. He doesn't believe this at first and assumes he is an angel. He has been given the ability to enter some humans' minds and see their family histories and their thoughts. He finds a human who interests him and hangs around her.

For me, the story declined as the girl's character (Masha) developed. I get tired of reading about characters who have some secret potential to be the most or best fill-in-the-blank ever. It works for Harry Potter and for Percy Jackson. But for me, as characters are developed for more if an adult audience, I want them to work a little harder at being secretly magnificent. I do not see the attraction- a bit like the Bella character from Twilight.

That said, the book was still enjoyable. I loved Jacob's voice and his character was to me, the most interesting of all.

[Judy Bart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this book in the beginning. It is written by the wife of Daniel Day-Lewis who has been on a lot of talk shows promoting it. Her research is impeccable and her writing is beautiful, but the story falls apart in the middle and never regains the umph it had at the start. It is two parallel stories, one about a Jewish peddler in the 1700's in France, the second about an Orthodox Jewish girl in present day New York. The peddler becomes reincarnated as a FLY, yes you heard me right, a fly, and he falls in love with the young girl. He puts ideas in the girl's head and steers her away from her family and Orthodoxy. Sounds ridiculous but it actually worked until the author forgot she was writing from the fly's point of view. The description of France in the 1700's is so detailed and fantastic, I wish the entire story had been set in that time period. So again, maybe a half a recommendation for this one.

[Deanna McFadden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adore Rebecca Miller's writing. It's amazing to me that this book is from the point of view of a 17th century man reincarnated as a fly in modern-day society, and that it actually works. While he's somewhat of a despicable character, I really loved the modern portions of this story--they contain what Miller does best, exploring the deep in betweens of society, what happens when you just don't fit in (as one of the POVs of this book is of a beautiful young extremely religious girl who finds a calling outside of her society).

I read this earlier in the year but didn't want to blog about it until it was actually for sale.

[Erika · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half of the book was intriguing and funny, and I cared about the characters. Then it fell apart; the characters became two-dimensional stereotypes, and the fly all but disappeared, only added in almost as though it were obligatory. I grew impatient with the parts that extolled Masha so much. It's boring to hear (or read) someone in love go on and on about how perfect the love object is. I felt like the author was in love with Masha and stopped painting her as a person. At the end, there were some neat tie-ins between the characters but not enough to save the whole middle part. What I loved the most was the insight into Orthodox Jewish life, both past and present.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

JACOB'S FOLLY is a great read. Author Rebecca Miller weaves the story of "Jacob" from his life as a Jewish man in Paris during the French Enlightenment through his re-incarnation as a fly in modern times. Carefully and cleverly, Jacob's life, his family and orthodox Jewish customs collide with the dreams of his five times rebellious great granddaughter, Masha. The story unveils his impoverished life in the 1700's, including mores, manners and customs of the time. A look into the current beliefs of members of a New York Hasidic community are lovingly included. This book will stay with me for a long time.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly loved this book - it has a mix of historical fiction and the metaphysical weirdness that I love so much. At first I didn't know how the historical fiction story related to the present-day story, but then you slowly realize that everything is interconnected. Brilliant writing.

That being said, I have to say that I really didn't see the point of Leslie's character (hence the 4 stars), other than to have him start the fire that would seem like the end of Masha's acting career. Regardless, his story arc was also well written.

I definitely am now curious about more of Rebecca Miller's works.

[jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very intelligent book; if you enjoy a turn of phrase and delicious wording as well as intriguing character development and a novel story and rich historical development, this book you will greatly enjoy! A wee bit ribald in places, but the story is compelling. Great insights into thing seriously Jewish are of interest to me as well. Again, I found Miller's powers of description alone worth the read!

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book very engaging and compelling but not transcendent. Definitely worth reading. Many twists and turns and incredibly visual.

[Arlene Miller · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read the first few pages. Fantasy just isn't for me. And this isn't really even fantasy.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Proof copy originally reviewed for Lovereading. Jacob’s Folly is a truly good read. The story is ably narrated by a Fly called Jacob! His story begins in eighteenth century France. Jacob at this time is not a fly but a young Jewish boy. In the present, Jacob has returned as a fly, initially believing himself to be an angel and possibly a demon. He isn’t at all convinced that being a fly is appropriate. However discovers that he can hear the thoughts and feelings of those around him.
Throughout the book the fly revisits and describes his early life. In his fly form he particularly takes to two humans; Leslie, an upright member of his community and family man and Masha, a young woman from a devoutly Jewish family. Jacob then tries to manipulate their thoughts and actions. The lives of these three people begin to intertwine with interesting results.

The novel is full of vivid descriptions and characterisations that made me understand Jacob and feel fully immersed in the stories. The Jewish traditions are explained and described in both the eighteenth century and twenty first. It is fascinating to read about how things have remained fairly unaltered within the religion for many people throughout history.

I was a few chapters in before I was completely hooked. Jacob, for all his faults is a charismatic being and this comes across in the narrative. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

[Nicola Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for our work’s book group and was pleasantly surprised with it.
I loved the premise and the first part of the book where we see all characters from the fly on the wall point of view was really interesting and original. I loved the descriptions of 1700’s Paris and the research that went into the Jewish faith was fantastic, it certainly taught me a few things I never knew and was really interesting.
Why this book lost stars for me was that half way through during the modern story narratives I felt Miller totally forgot she was writing from the fly’s point of view. He got the odd mention now and again but it felt like they were added in as an afterthought. Also as with so many other books I’ve read recently the ending felt rushed. Yes she ties everyone up so we see the link between them but it’s rushed and feels contrived.
I think Miller’s use of language is wonderful and she has certainly put a lot of work into this book but I do feel she gets the praise she does based on her paternal literary connection!
Not the worst book I’ve read, certainly enjoyed it enough to read in 3 days. I think if the book had been written more consistently and an ending given a bit more thought and time this could have been a 5 star book, but without these for me it is just a 3!

[Loren Z-Bowls · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a marvelous book. Vaguely reminiscent of Jerusalem in some ways albeit toned down comparatively by like 600%, simply because that book is more expansive than some galaxies. But this one brought me great pleasure and satisfaction and had me a bit connected in a personal way.

Tells the story of a reincarnated Jewish street peddler turned valet turned high ranking socialite turned housefly and his mischievous plans to at once bring down a modern good Samaritan and persuade a new Jewish lady of interest to toss tradition in favor of desire. Of course these lives eventually intersect, intertwined with our main character's recollection of his past life and its rise and perpetual fall from grace by way of death.

I found the young girl's story the most moving and interesting, being raised heavily Jewish, but overcoming the boring traditions of the past to pursue greater and more contemporary things. Thus a whole new world is shaped around her.

But all of it is great, I related to the historical narrative the main character rising above poverty and despair three times over. Ambitious, touching, droll, and highly insightful.
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