DNF'ed after eight chapters, and I only pushed myself through those in order to assure myself that it wasn't a rocky start that would get better. It didn't get better. The writing is stilted, as if trying to be Fiddler on the Roof but with more "enlightened" characters. There's a lot of info-dumping in the first several chapters, giving information about shtetl life - and many of the historical details are wildly inaccurate, including the way arranged marriage is portrayed, the way sexuality is portrayed - down to the shaving of a girl's head on the night of her wedding, which is a fairly modern practice and was not done in the shtetl except for the most ardently Hasidic families. For such a highly acclaimed historical novelist, this one is a stain on Kagan's record.

Very well written, heartbreaking story of the trials of Michal, a very young Jewish girl who sees a lot of tragedies starting with the destruction of her village in a pogrom. The first in a series, we follow Michal as she grows up and not only has to survive horrible conditions, but also we watch her growing as a woman. Highly recommended for women's interest reading, historical fiction, book clubs.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC #sponsored

When I selected this book, I thought it was going to take place during WW2/the holocaust. The story actually begins in 1919, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I have read close to 100 pieces of historical fiction that take place during WW2, but this is the first book I've read that gives a glimpse into what occurred prior to that devastating time.

I learned quite a bit about Jewish lifestyle, beliefs, and customs; much more than most works of historical fiction touch on, especially pertaining to romantic relationships. Additionally, reading about the pogroms that took place in Siberia against the Jewish people were heartbreaking.

The main character, Michal, endures more heartbreak in her young adult life than most people who live to be 70 years old endure. She makes several questionable decisions in her early adult years that left me scratching my head and actually yelling out loud at her!

The ending of the book was definitely a cliffhanger that I didn't expect. The destiny of many of the main characters was left up in the air.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion/review.

Roberta Kagan once again delivers memorable characters with her historical fiction novel, Michal’s Destiny. Michal, raised in Siberia, Russia, is a young Jewish girl of 15 when her father tells her that he has arranged her marriage. Terrified, but being a dutiful daughter, she marries Avram, who ends up being a wonderful man. They are married for only a short time when the unthinkable happens, and her life changes drastically and horrifically. Now she escapes Siberia with Taavi, who rescued her from certain death. They eventually move to Germany, where they are certain life will be better. Unfortunately, their past overshadows their future, and their young love is not strong enough to survive. I love the characters, and look forward to Book 2!

Michal’s Destiny by Roberta Kagan is once again a genuinely great historical fiction book. It is an immensely powerful and gripping WW2 story of Hope and Love. The book keeps you engaged as the powerful story unfolds as Michal and her family are separated after Michal and Taavi move to Berlin. I loved all the characters in Michals Destiny, and you feel their pain and Love as Michal and Taavi split up then find each other once again only then to be torn away when they both end up in prison camps after Taavi tries to save his daughters fiancé who is being beaten outside their home.
Taavi not worrying about his own safety tries to intervene then the police arrive, but they do not arrest the perpetrators for murder but Taavi for being Jewish. When Michal goes to see what happened to Taavi she is detained as well.
This book is engaging and focuses on Jewish history The book is professionally written, and the characters are well developed. The characters continue to grow and change. The book is beautifully written with real heart and honesty and is a beautiful and moving story about survival and kinship Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

When a Cossack pogrom shatters her small village in Siberia, Michal is forced to leave her home and embark on a journey to Berlin with the man she thought she wanted. Facing love, loss, and heartache, Michal harbors a secret that threatens her every attempt at happiness. Over the next fourteen tumultuous years, during the peak of the Weimar Republic, she learns she is willing to do anything, including going against her Jewish background, to have the love she longs for and to protect her family. But it is now 1933. Life in Berlin is changing, especially for the Jews. With Adolf Hitler's rise to chancellor, dark storm clouds loom on the horizon, threatening to change everything for Michal forever.

I was not familiar with Roberta Kagan's work but was caught up in this book from the first page. She writes about WWII and especially the Jews, and she left you hanging at the end of this book and I immediately went online and requested the second book to finish Michal's story. After reading about the author's other books, I know I will be looking for more. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting my request for this book (and the next one!). I highly recommend it to anyone that likes to read historical fiction about WWII.

Take a journey back in time with Roberta Sagan. Discover the struggles endured by the Jewish people in Russia. Learn how an escape to Berlin might not have been a great idea. Consequences for decisions made pave a path to the future for Michal.

Michal was only fifteen when she was forced into an arranged marriage with a stranger. It was not Taavi, the young carpenter she stared at in the village but a complete stranger that she met on her wedding day. The reader learns of the struggles of the Jewish people by reading Michal's story. The reader learns of some the traditions of Even worse the reader learns of the horrors brought on them by the Russians. I cried so many tears. The nausea was real.

Michal's survival was surprising. To be saved by Taavi was fate. Their survival won't be easy, but thankfully Taavi has a plan. Months after the attack on their village, Taavi and Michal were fleeing Russia for good. Taavi had a job waiting for him in a carpentry shop. They were on a train to Berlin.

Michal and Taavi's story tells a story of struggle, broken hearts, survival and second chances. The reader experiences a Germany I never knew about after World War One. The reader experiences the changes in Germany; as Hilter becomes more influencial. It was very frightening. Forget reading a textbook, the realism of this story will impact the reader in a profound way.

Early WWII and the years leading up to all the horrors and nightmares the Jewish people faced and endured from the pograms of Russian Siberia to Hitlers's Germany are abley described in this heartrending story of Michal, Avram, Taavi and others. Author Roberta Kagan has certainly crafted her narrative after her usual professional style, attuned to the emotions of her endearing characters and the unfettered ruthlessness of those who hated Jews. It was a captivating read which brought those years to life for me, not that that is what one would want to retrace. Therefore, some readers may find some of the trauma chronicled difficult to handle.

~ Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger ~
September 2024

Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent to me by NetGalley and the publisher.

Hauntingly beautiful story. I love that the author explains what certain Yiddish words are - it makes for a seamless reading. I seriously read this in about 12 hours as I could not put it down! I became extremely attached to all of the characters, they were incredibly relatable and it felt real. Parts were emotionally hard to read due to the nature of 1930/40's Germany and the events leading up to the Holocaust.

The character development was beautifully done and I loved watching Michal's growth from being a super religious teenager in Siberia to becoming a woman. I am very much looking forward to reading the next book in the series. This is a MUST read!!

This book has the potential to be this beautiful, powerful story about a young woman surviving the unthinkable in two different countries. However, this book feels like it has been written by a high schooler. The writing is very simplistic. The characters are flat. There are very little dialogue scenes, mostly just overarching narrative. It was confusing to try and keep track of how much time had passed. And then, when we reach 1933-35 as Hitler is taking over, all we get is a factual explanation of his rise to power and don't get to view it from our characters POVs. The dialogue itself was so stilted and did not feel natural at all.

I can't recommend this book, because despite the heavy material, I couldn't take it seriously. I was unable to get drawn into the story. Holocaust stories are some of my favorite stories, and this one disappointed.

Review goes live September 16

Okay I have very mixed feelings about this book. All in all I found the story itself fascinating and I was so invested in what happened to all of the characters. However it was an extremely fast paced book. It spans around 20 years and it felt like as soon as an event had happened it was over and we were onto the next thing - it made it hard to feel much emotion for the characters. It was also all tell and no show which again made it hard to connect.
(Review also on goodreads & storygraph)

Michal's Destiny by Roberta Kagan is Book One in the series by the same name. It takes place over the span of 1919 to 1938.

Siberia in 1919 is the setting of Michal's forced wedding as a teenager to a boy a year older. Michal's new husband was thoughtful and kind. But their lives were destroyed during the Cossack pogrom. Jews did not have a homeland and were despised everywhere. The story continues as Michal flees to more civilized Berlin. But Hitler establishes a choke hold on much of the world. By the late 1930s, Michal experiences horrific changes such as poverty, homeless shelters and Kristallnacht. Her family changes as well.

Kagan writes heart-tugging Historical Fiction, always thoroughly researched. However, sad to say, this novel did not rip my heart out as her other books have. The premise, setting, plot and characters are fascinating but the story feels similar to others. I did not enjoy the romantic relationships. For me the most profound aspect was the history, especially the Cossack pogrom, as horrific as it was. Jewish traditions such as shaving the new bride's hair and wedding etiquette are intriguing.

My sincere thank you to Book Whisperer and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this engrossing novel. This author remains an automatic read for me.

Harrowing and yet beautiful. I found myself saying "Geth out before it's too late!" I have not read Roberta Kagan before but will certainly be looking out for her other books.
Thank you Netgalley for introducing me to this author

Michal’s Destiny by Roberta Kagan

I enjoyed reading book one of Roberta Kagan’s serious Michal’s Destiny.

After a horrible pogrom in 1919 in Siberia, Michal losses her first husband, Avram and runs away to Berlin with Taavi whom she marries there. As the years go by, they have two daughters Alina and Gilde. But then in November 1938 just as Alina gets engaged to Benny, Kristallnacht takes place and Benny is killed, Taavi is arrested and when Michal goes to the police station to find out where Taavi is she does not return home to her daughters. The two girls go to live with Michal and Taavi’s good friends Lotti and Lev, who are more like family then friends.

I cannot wait to read the next book and find out what happens to Michal, Taavi, Alina and Gilde.

I would like to thank Net Galley and Book Whisperer for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Michal’s Destiny by Roberta Kagan takes us to a part of history that has been written about numerous times. It’s the 1930’s in Germany. Michal, who is Jewish, is brutally assaulted during a pogrom in her homeland of Siberia and her husband is killed. She was saved from the assault by Taavi, someone she had eyes for both before and after her arranged marriage. They flee to Germany to start a life in a new place. Michal, however, cannot get over what happened to her and cannot be a proper wife to Taavi. They go their separate ways before she realizes she is pregnant.

Much happens in both of their lives while they are separated but after many years, Michal is forced to return to Taavi. They become very much in love and make a great life for themselves and their family. That is until Hitler takes over and the persecution of the Jewish people starts.

I liked the book, the writing, and the story that was told. However, the story ends and my reaction is “WHAT”? I was left hanging with no idea where it would go or what would happen. I know the second book will be out soon and of course I am anxious to read it to find out what happens next, but I was a little disappointed at the way this one ended.

I would like to thank Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read this pre-release.

I am a huge Roberta Kagan fan but honestly this one isn't one of my favorites. The brilliance of the authors stories is that although they are similar in theme she always finds a way to make them unique in the development of the characters and that is where the issue with this book lies for me. I usually connect right away with the main character but I am struggling with doing so with Michal. I also found the story dragging just a tiny bit and felt there were some unnecessary fillers. Overall I would rate the book 3.5 stars rounded up. I will continue on with series - that is a no brainer for me! Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thanks netgalley for providing me with a copy ofnthis terrific book, have read all of Roberta Kagans books and this one is as excellent as the previous ones,
Siberia 1919 and Michal lives with her religious family and has been told they are arranging a marriage for her to a man she has never seen.
She hopes for happiness with her new husband.
But fate is not kind to her, and her life will be threatened by the Cossacks and the Nazis, her family are split apart from the war.
Is Michal never to have happiness.
Great book and look forward to,reading the next one in the series Family Shattered.

Having read most, if not all, of Roberta Kagan’s previous novels, I approached Michal’s Destiny with a desire to read and learn something new and different from her previous novels. Although this book begins with life in Siberia and vividly describes a pogrom and destruction of a Jewish village, it follows the two main characters to Germany and becomes a tale similar to others we have read before. However, the story captures the reader’s attention immediately and has them intrigued by their resourcefulness. It is impossible to read this book without having a lump in one’s throat and I thank NetGalley and Book Whisperer for the opportunity to read and review this novel prior to its publication.

Really enjoyed this book. Fast paced, emotional and I can’t wait to see what comes next.Thansk for the Net Galley read

I enjoyed this book overall. I liked some of her other books better. This book was good though and I read it quickly!