Set in Israel amongst a Persian-Jewish family who immigrated to the country in 1950, this short novel tells the story of Micha, who at the age of nine was chosen to be the bridesman at his Uncle Moshe’s wedding. The bride was a young orphan, an outwardly timid girl whom the family had chosen as she seemed to fit the bill for their disabled brother. She would be biddable, they thought. A few years later, Micha and his family emigrate to the US and have little contact with the rest of the family. Then 25 years later Micha gets a call from Adella, now transformed into Adel and nothing like the girl he remembers. Micha is now a ghost-writer and Adel wants him to write her memoir. As she starts to divulge all that happened after Micha’s departure, Micha is confronted with a past very different to the one he thought he knew and has to readjust his own memories. It’s a vivid portrait of a traditional Jewish family, caught between their home customs and the new demands of a secular state. There’s a twist at the end, which I didn’t find totally convincing, but in the context of the rest of the novel I was willing to suspend my disbelief. I very much enjoyed the book, finding it well-written, well-paced and insightful about family relationships and the possibility of challenging and changing one’s destiny. A great read.

I requested this book because I wanted to learn about Israel's culture, for I've never read any story set around Israel or its culture. The blurb seemed kind of mysterious to me.

It starts really well. Adella's first visit, told through a nine years old boy Micha (as a flashback). Adella's life, her struggles, Micha's family, and the way Mitcha bonded with Adella. The writing was smooth.

But as the story switched back to the present, I began to lose interest after a few pages. Because it turns into a dull monologue, going nowhere. I failed to understand what this story wanted to convey. Or whatever it was, I was no more interested.

I couldn't connect with Adella, which was a disappointment because her character seemed promising.

It didn't really work for me, but it's a short book so if you enjoy slow reads, it might interest you.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the copy.