The poignant, colorful, and unforgettable story of a young woman in early 20th-century Jerusalem who must choose between her faith and her passion, Jerusalem Maiden heralds the arrival of a magnificent new literary voice, Talia Carner. In the bestselling vein of The Red Tent, The Kite Runner, and A Thousand Splendid Suns, Jerusalem Maiden brilliantly evokes the sights and sounds of the Middle East during the final days of the Ottoman Empire. Historical fiction and Bible lovers will be captivated by this thrilling tale of a young Jewish woman during a fascinating era, her inner struggle with breaking the Second Commandment, and her ultimate transcendence through self-discovery.
My Thoughts:
As always the first thing that catches my eye is the cover and this one is just stunning. But aside from the cover, when I first read the summary for this book I was intrigued, being that I'm an Historical Fiction AND Bible Lover, I knew this book would have me engaged from the get go......and that it did.
You follow the story of Esther Kaminsky during the end of the Ottoman Empire in 1911. She is struggling while trying to balance her faith and her creative side, something which was not that acceptable during the period in which the Jews still viewed Israel as the right of the Messiah. She knows she's about to get married off and be forced to live within those rules but on the other hand the pull to be an artist is immense.
Unfortunately her mother gets sick and she decides to give up her dream of being an artist, a choice that haunts her for a very very long time.
The way the characters are written is so engaging and so endearing, you find yourself loving every single one of them, wanting to help them and sit with them for a spell. I found myself turning the pages slowly, savoring every single word and as I neared the end of the book I had this overwhelming bitter sweet moment, I wanted to see where it ended but I didn't want to say goodbye to Esther OR to the author.
This book was brilliant. I think one of the biggest things I noticed too was the traditions and the simple way things were done, and you know me I'm all about Simpler Times and often wish I could just turn back the clock and go back to when things were easier, simpler, truer.
Love this book and highly recommend it :)
Next stop on the tour:
Thursday, June 16th: Good Girl Gone Redneck
I received this book free from TLC Book Tours. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
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