Quirky and original. A recommended purchase for collections where offbeat fiction is popular. Will likely appeal to readers of Robin Sloan.

This was such an exiting read. From the contrasting personalities of the Lilienblum’s to their dynamics as a family, everything seemed very intriguing. The subplots created real life-like chaos. I loved that. As well as the secondary characters and everything they added to the story. Not only did the narrative provide a constant sense of intimacy (it truly felt like i was witnessing everything unfold) but it also showed the different ways all of the family members experience life itself and the lengths they are willing to go for each other.
I’m looking forward to read more of Iddo Gefen’s works.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Astra Publishing House for the ARC.

This is my second Gefen book (also translated by Daniella Zamir, who again did a great job) and it is delightfull. A mix of magical realism, some fantasy and some scifi, it blends into an odd story but in a good way.
Eli is a 22 y old living in what was meant to be a ski resort in the south of Israel. His father runs a hostel nearby, and his mother is an inventor. She stumbles on a way to make sand into water. Together with his sister, the four form a start up “Cloudies”.
Because of them working together and some of their earlier memories and experiences revealed, it shows very layered and universal themes within families.
The book has a nice languid pace, but not too slow. As readers we get to peel back a layer of the proverbial onion, so with every chapter things make a little more sense. It also poses very interesting philosophical questions on ethics, personal vs group responsibilities. Delightfully atmospheric.

What a quirky weird book and I say this with great admiration.

I love stories centred around families and this is a really fun one, while I didn’t quite find it satirical I did still really enjoy it and found the humor solid. This is also translated so sometimes I do think satire gets lost in mix.

A few plot pieces could of used some toughening up but overall a really wonderful read.

What an absolutely delightful odd mix of magical realism and reality. I devoured this book quickly and it kept up late reading into the evenings!

This book is special. It’s quirky and whimsical and funny and ridiculous in the best way. It’s heartfelt.

The Lilienblum family lives in a remote part of the Israeli desert, near the world’s largest erosion crater. Boaz, the father, owns a hostel-like lodge. It’s a tough way to support a family; the trickle of tourists who cross the threshold are lured by the intrigue of a long-unsolved missing person case, not the beauty of the landscape. This Cliff community is seen as backwards and it’s the least likely place for a tech startup to flourish. So naturally, that’s where the story takes us. What follows is a beautiful story about family, love, friendship and finding oneself. That Iddo Gefen manages to tell such a story while satirizing startup culture is pure creative genius.

I loved every moment of this book and wasn’t ready for it to end! Even though it's only March, I can confidently say this will be one of my top reads of the year!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Astra Publishing House for the ARC. Mrs. Lilienblum’s Cloud Factory will be out 4/1.

This is great!! I love Iddo Gefen's work, this has a wonderfully quirky, magical realist sensibility that is very cool and a great follow-up to Jerusalem Beach.

Iddo Gefen is an amazing writer. His characters are fascinating and also identifiable. It is Gefen's humor that makes Mrs. Lilienblum's Cloud Factory difficult to put down. Sarai Lilienblum is an inventor who lives in the Israeli desert with her family. When video is ciruclated of her cloud machine that makes rain she is showered with attention. Business offers come pouring in. Gefen skillfully documents the development of Sarai's start-upthat is run by her daughter Naomi. Her husband Boaz mostly stays out of her way. Boaz is more concerned with the mystery of a missing Irish hiker and Sarai's son Eli gets caught up in that mystery too. Mrs Lilienblum's Cloud Factory is a great follow up to Gefen's first book, Jerusalem Beach. Hopefully there will be more novels to follow.

This was a very unique read and one I would love to read again! It was all the things I needed in a book. Would recommend

This was my first book by Iddo Gefen, and it was truly special!

The story revolves around a family living in the desert of southern Israel. The main character, Sarai Lilienblum, is a talented inventor who mysteriously disappears from their family lodge. Her latest invention, which transforms desert sand into rain clouds, goes viral on the internet. As a result, the entire family begins working on producing the cloud factory.

Each family member either has to give up their job and life or sacrifice their happiness to start this venture. We see that no one is perfect, and they each face their struggles. I believe that this is what makes a family; they are all trying their best despite putting aside their own needs. It’s about love and friendship which every human needs!

I loved this book, and I can’t wait to read more of his work. Daniella Zamir did a fantastic job translating it. The vibes this gave me were definitely Charlie and The Chocolate Factory.

Thank you to Netgalley for my ARC.