The Spoon and the Sea: A Novel

by Rachel Caplin

"It's no surprise this gorgeous book was shortlisted for the Australian Vogel Literary Award. The Spoon and The Sea touches on every emotion - brilliant and evocative - following the tender-hearted journey of a mother and her estranged son. Caplin weaves an unforgettable story."
- Rochelle B. Weinstein, bestselling author of This Is Not How It Ends

Ashi has always lived between the Arab island of Zanzibar where he was raised by his father, and the Jewish heritage of his British mother, Rose, who left when he was a child. Now, as Rose slips into the haze of dementia, she and Ashi begin an emotional journey to trace the fragments of a life lived apart.

From the leafy streets of Golders Green to the battle-scarred streets of British Mandate Palestine, through the spice markets of Zanzibar and into the soul of Jerusalem, The Spoon and the Sea is a sweeping, intimate novel about the fragile threads that bind us across generations, time and distance.

Inspired by true events and named a finalist for The Vogel Literary Award, this novel explores the ache of separation, the power of storytelling, and the possibility of healing before time runs out.

360 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 2, 2025

Reviews

[Shira Daskal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written glimpse into memory, love, and loss.
I really enjoyed the quiet beauty and emotional precision of the writing

[adeline Bronner · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are few ways to speak of famillies, one gives me the creep because of its crude voyeurism, the other brings the belonging feeling to human history. Rachel Caplin offers the second in an heartbreaking, luminous novel.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shortlisted for the now defunct Vogel Award, The Spoon and the Sea is Rachel Caplin's debut novel.

The book is structured cleverly to enable the retelling of missing parts of the mother-son relationship.  As Rosa, Ashi's British-born Jewish mother is slipping into the fog of dementia, Ashi finds that trading memories from particular years triggers her memories.  Caplin handles the segues from past times and places into the present seamlessly.

Doors in my mother's mind closed and opened without warning, and it was incumbent upon me to accept that.

We moved back out of the gazebo, leaving her untouched bowl of tinned fruit for the excitable flies. The coffee would surely be cold already. The sun glided behind a puffy cloud with outstretched arms. I willed the warmth to come back for her.

Slowly, the cloud passed, and my mother’s skin glowed again. "Now tell me, how did you meet that woman of yours?” she said. “I love a good love story."  (p. 92)

In this way Ashi learns her story of falling in love at university — with a Muslim  from Zanzibar.  He discovers the impact of her decision to follow her heart — how his parents held hands over the wide valley of religion —and how it disappointed Rose's family who had expected her to be the first person from the Jewish community in Golders Green to graduate from Oxford.  She shares how easily her love for university life led her to neglect her family ties and to question the values of her community.

Rose became enamoured by how different the place was from Golders Green, a community known for uniformity and adherence to tradition. It could be inviting to those who belonged, but it often treated ‘change’ and ‘different’ as rotten words. Newnham College was hardly a diverse place, but Rose expanded her horizons here, making the acquaintance of young women from outside the fold.

After one month, Rose saw her new self as part of the Newnham landscape.

The leaves, already starting to turn red, would soon burst into full auburn plumage. The winter snowfall would then turn the grounds into a white fairy-tale. She loved the old rituals, the formal hall dinners where they dressed up and toasted in Latin, the boat races against Oxford, the way students treated the library like a temple.  (p.18)

In return, Ashi tells her about aspects of his own life.  He shares how the life that began in a life of privilege in Zanzibar with a non-observant Muslim father was fractured into a life of not belonging anywhere.

She shares how her life in Zanzibar led to her abandoning Ashi when he was still a boy.  She tells about her frustration at not being allowed to work because it would bring shame on the Chief Qadi [judge]. Where was the man who’d always encouraged her dreams of becoming a journalist at Oxford?

To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2026/01/26/t...

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Actual Rating = 3.75 stars)

This story chronicles a son caring for his elderly mother with dementia. Can they reconcile years of abandonment and pain before it's too late?

I came across this book in an article on Aish.com about writers dealing with Jew hatred, and the author's book stood out to me. I ordered it from the library, and I'm glad I did.

The Spoon and the Sea is a beautifully written story of the love between a mother and a son, despite years apart. I also learned about the uprising in Zanzibar (a thing I can't believe I didn't know about, as I have an MA in Middle Eastern studies).

[Ellyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Spoon and the Sea captivated me from morning until night. The family stories, the love, the history, the distances traveled, the family stories and life itself were so beautiful beautifully told in this wonderful book.

A line in the book will always stay with me

“We are nothing without our roots”.

This is a book to read, enjoy and treasure.

[Galina Vromen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book by a debut author who masterfully navigates readers through various times and places -- from British Mandate Palestine to London's affluent Jewish Golder's Green neighborhood, to Zanzibar and contemporary Jerusalem in a story of a separation and reconciliation between a son and his mother, who tells her story through clear moments amid her decline into dementia. Sensitive, rich writing and interesting characters. Hard to believe this is a debut novel...

[Abbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Writing with tears in my eyes. One of the best books I have read in recent years. A mix of family, history, and identity, this book took me on a physical and emotional journey. And it’s one that I won’t soon forget.

[Books With Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is easily one of my favorite reads of all time, I'll be handing it out to all of my friends ASAP!
beautifully written, informative, heart-warming and emotional, I devoured this beautiful novel so fast!
Please read this book, it's a story the world needs to know ♥️

[Meg Richman · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I loved about this book was the history embedded in it. Learning about the early days when Israel was becoming a nation, and the protagonist's journey through several African and Arab nations, looking for home, was fascinating.
The writing itself was good but not fantastic.

[Shana Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this read, it's heart warming and I felt I was part of the story. Beautifully written. Recommend to anyone looking for a good read.

[Phil Kenington · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully written story of family and history intertwined with the desire to uncover secrets from the past before it is too late.

[Terri Stiles · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Spoon and the Sea is a deeply emotional book that implores us to treat those around us with respect and gentleness and treasure their memories before they are gone.

[Helen Midler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful read that takes you on an emotional journey. Beautifully written. Recommended

[Lynne Golodner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book!! Fabulous. Gorgeous. Heart-wrenching. I could not put it down. A true work of art.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a wonderful surprise! I am definitely recommending it to my friends and those who love historical fiction.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful novel.