The Slaughterman’s Daughter is an impressive work of translated historical fiction that takes place across Poland in 1894. This colourful drama is reminiscent of Russian epics mingled with a good schtickle of dark humour and wit.

As a longer read, this book required commitment. Yet, despite its great scope and polyvocal narrative, it was by no means difficult to read. The story takes its reader on a journey in which Fanny, a Jewish slaughterman’s daughter, murders with her butcher’s knife in a quest of vengeance. On the way, we meet a multitude of people, from drunken, singing homeless men, to haughty Colonels and members of the Russian secret police. Having finished, I now have a deeper understanding and appreciation for Jewish culture and history that I had very little prior knowledge of.

This book was an epic story of Jewish people and what they went through in Belarus.
It had a very big scope, characters and a large span. It was long, but easy to read. I think it was well written, well built. It wasn't boring, or stagnant at any point.

If you like epic literary fiction stories, this is a good choice.

Thanks a lot to the publisher and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Slaughterman’s Daughter is one of the only books I’ve ever read which truly merits comparison to War and Peace in its scope and masterful characterisation. This epic historical adventure is told with expertly curated chaos and plenty of dark humour.

I always find longer reads require commitment, and The Slaughterman’s Daughter is no exception. However, the story never dragged – instead, the pages flew by. The patchwork storytelling crackles with life, the voices of each character bringing their world to life with nuance and vivacity. Every time I felt the narrative was going off on a tangent, it turned out to be perfectly weighted – a necessary detour. The meandering structure reminded me of literary greats such as Les Miserables, chaotic but always accessible. It’s an incredibly difficult style to pull off, but Iczkovits has managed it.

The Slaughterman’s Daughter is a wild ride from start to finish, a thoroughly enjoyable epic adventure.

Five stars to the cover too – that’s a real work of art!

For a story that takes the reader through the corridors of power, people and history of 19th century Belarus, that title is interesting! I had no idea what it meant until the end and then, it was an eye opener!
This is very hard to describe this novel. It reminded me of the feeling and of the atmosphere of the great Russian writers. War and Peace but more accessible. There’s certain lots of war and peace here too.

Set in what would become Belarus, this is the central story of a Jewish woman who is searching for answers. Now, I ‘m not going to pretend and say I know if she got them all or not,but when searching for on thing, she ends up finding out so much more.

In many ways, this was the story of the Jewish people. Kicked out and kept out of their home. Told they could take one path in life when they wanted another.I know nothing about the Jewish faith of the issues its people face, but this story shows you and helps you emphasis. Even at its core, take out the Jewish question and you still have a struggle to stand up for individual rights.

It’s ambitious, wide in scope, dazzling, beguiling and a work of some detail and determination. That cover does it proud.

This is a book that is going to mean so may different things to so many different people. But for me, the first book I’ve read that’s brought me some understanding of the Jewish culture and history - this will stay with me.