Daughters of Iraq

by Revital Shiri-Horowitz

“Daughters of Iraq” is the compelling story of three women from the same family. It is the story of emigration from Iraq to Israel as experienced by two sisters: Violet, whom we learn about through a diary she kept after being diagnosed with a critical illness, and Farida, whose personality unfolds through her relationship with her surroundings, and with herself. The third character is Noa, Violet’s daughter and a student, a young woman in her twenties who is searching for meaning. Noa embarks on a spiritual quest to the past, so that she can learn how to build her life in the present and the future.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle East, Fiction, Judaica, Israel

288 pages, Paperback

First published March 26, 2011

About the author

Revital Shiri-Horowitz was born and raised in Israel. She never imagined that one day she'd be a published author in multiple languages, and in so many countries, and even continents, but she is a pride author of four books: "Daughters of Iraq" (2008), "Hope to See You Soon" (2014), It's Just Your Imagination - Growing up with a narcissistic mother - Insights of a personal journey" (2018), and "How to Hunt a Bear" (coming out in Janurary 2022).


Based in Seattle, Washington, and in Israel, Revital is the mother of four boys, married to Amnon for twenty years, writes poetry, coach, and support daughters of narcissistic mothers. She is a member of Goodreads.com and SheWrites.com.

Revital loves hearing from her readers and enjoys giving presentations to readers groups and book clubs and other groups.


ABOUT REVITAL'S PRESENTATIONS
Revital Shiri-Horowitz is an experienced teacher and presenter to Jewish communities and audiences. Using her own life story, her family story, and excerpts of her novel, Revital Shiri-Horowitz generates a warm and uplifting experience for the listener. Her overall mission is to connect her audiences to their roots.

Reviews

[Georgina Young-ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daughters of Iraq swept me up into the lives of the three Jewish women from whose point of view I came to understand the struggles of transplanted refugees from Iraq to Israel. I was fascinated with every aspect of the story. As an American with little understanding of the culture, or the struggle Iraqi Jews went through, I could not get enough. This book opened my eyes and brought me into a world completely different from my own by means of the flawless narrative and wonderfully drawn characters, whom I came to know and love. Daughters of Iraq will move you and enchant you. I can't recommend it highly enough.

[ManOfLaBook.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Daugh­ters of Iraq” by Revi­tal Shiri-Horowitz is a fic­tional story of three women from the same fam­ily. It is a story of emi­gra­tion seen through the eyes of two of the women and one who is first gen­er­a­tion Israeli.

Sis­ters Farida and Violet’s fam­ily was being forced to move from Iraq due to their reli­gion. This event, which occurred in the 1950s, shaped their lives and changed them for­ever. Noa, Violet’s daugh­ter also feels the effects of this event and the sto­ries of her mother and aunt shape the way she makes deci­sions in mod­ern day Israel.

“Daugh­ters of Iraq” by Revi­tal Shiri-Horowitz is a well writ­ten account of Jew­ish Iraqi fam­ily who is forced to immi­grate to Israel from Iraq in the 1950s. While the book was a bit dif­fi­cult to start, but once I got the rhythm, pac­ing and jumps in time I started to truly enjoy the story. While the book is billed as fiction/historical fic­tion it almost reads like a memoir.

The story is pre­sented in sev­eral for­mats. One of the two sis­ters, Vio­let, who has passed away after being sick is being remem­bered through her jour­nal entries. We get to know Violet’s sis­ter, Farida, through her own words and her sur­round­ings. Violet’s daugh­ter, Noa, a uni­ver­sity stu­dent, goes through a spir­i­tual jour­ney through­out the book deal­ing with love, loss and look­ing for some sort of mean­ing in life.

The book’s theme is love in var­i­ous ways. Love between par­ents, sib­lings, cou­ples, aunts, daugh­ters, sons and even ex-lovers.

I also found it very inter­est­ing to read about the extreme change of going from a life of lux­ury in an upscale neigh­bor­hood in Bagh­dad to a tent in Israel. While the option of liv­ing in an Israeli tent is much bet­ter than a Bagh­dadi grave it is still a cul­ture shock, espe­cially for your teenage girls.

I thought the sec­tions which tell the immi­gra­tion story were fas­ci­nat­ing and the sec­tions about Noa, the Israeli born daugh­ter of the immi­grants inter­est­ing and unique. I don’t think sons and daugh­ters of immi­grants real­ize how much their par­ents have sac­ri­ficed. Giv­ing up every­thing just to give their chil­dren a chance at a bet­ter life, leav­ing every­thing famil­iar and going to a for­eign place know­ing full well you’ll never belong.

Dis­claimer: I got this book for free.

For more reviews and bookish thoughts please visit: http://www.ManOfLaBook.com

[Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A novel of three women who were staunch believers in their families and their religion.

Daughters of Iraq allows the reader into the lives of Farida, Nao, and Violet. Their lives were shared through everyday situations, through diaries, and through memories. Each woman had a dream of her own, but they all had their family and their religion as the base of all of their dreams. You learn how each woman is different yet the same. The descriptions of the characters in terms of physical as well emotional is phenomenal...that definitely is the strong point of the novel. Shiri-Horowitz's writing is flawless.

I really enjoyed learning about each woman. You will be able to clearly visualize each one of them as their stories unfold. A few poignant pages that contained a letter from Noa's father could apply to any son or daughter and will make you do some strong intro-spection....it actually brought tears to my eyes. Learning about the immigration from Iraq to Israel and information about the Jewish holidays and celebrations was truly educational.

The only negative for me was that I couldn't keep all the characters straight, but the author thoughtfully placed a glossary indicating which character was which and in what chapter they were introduced. She also had a dictionary with explanations of the words and expressions used throughout the book.

The book definitely held my interest, and even though the difficulty of identifying who was who did cause a stumbling block for me, I am rating the book a 5/5 simply because of the exceptional content and lesson learned from each of the women. I eventually did figure out the connection between everyone. ENJOY!!!

[Beth Barany · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a touching story! I loved how the three stories wove together, and how the story was told with grace and love.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book about family relations, friendship, love and continuity in a world where values and family stories are preserved and cherished.

[Regina Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Jewish family of prominence living in Iraq in the 1940's decides to flee to Israel to escape progoms initiated after the establishment of the Jewish state. Most of the story is told through the perspectives of three of the family's women - the two sisters, Violet and Farida, and Violet's daughter, Noa. The sisters arrived in Israel as young women and experienced all of the events familiar to any female coming of age - first loves, marriage, etc. Yet, they have the added stress of the forced emigration as well as the resulting disintegration of the family unit.

I had a very difficult time deciding what to rate this book. Opposite of what I normally do, I'm going to start with what bothered me so I can end on a high note. If you follow my reading reading you know I adore works by non-Western writers. Maybe that hindered my experience here because it drove me nuts that the characters had western names (Daisy, Violet, Eddie, Ruthie, Georgia, etc). It also felt as if Shiri-Horowitz was writing for young audiences, yet some of the situations would not be appropriate for that age group. But, it also my be a result of the translations, as the work was originally written in Hebrew. For these factors, and some of my praise, I think this would be an excellent book for someone with a new interest in Middle East authors.

But, there was a lot to love. Often, in a book like this, the characters are heroic and larger than life. However, this is simply a family's story, and one full of love. They experience many of the same things and feelings that others around the world experience. There is love, pride, tragedy, and healing. What I loved the most was the weaving of Jewish culture (and descriptions of food!) without being didactic or making a political statement. I'm no expert, but from what I understand about Jewish culture family is central and educating subsequent generations on history (both Jewish and family) is at the center of family life. Violet was once a rebellious and head strong woman who came to find happiness in a marriage that produced two children. When she was diagnosed with terminal cancer she began to keep a journal that hoping to fill in the next generation of the family's history. That resonated with me not only having recently attended a Seder (of which they make many comparisons) but because I, too, lost my mom to cancer. Violet's feelings were raw, desperate, and full of love. Finally, again without hitting you over the head with political statements, this is the best work I've seen that brings home the importance of the nation of Israel to Jews - "Next year in Jerusalem."

If I were to be completely objective I would probably say that this was a solid three work. But, having some things that truly spoke to me personally I had a real visceral response to the work. But, if you like a good story and are new to Middle Eastern authors this is probably the book for you.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life, Death, Love, Loss, Growth. In Daughters of Iraq, author Revital Shiri-Horowitz tackles these issues and does it with astonishing grace and skill. Told in the alternating narratives of three different women from the same family, Shiri-Horowitz takes us from Iraq to Israel, from Loss to Living and from merely coping to truly existing.

Noa Rosen has lost her mother and is still reeling from that loss. A twenty-something student in Israel, she is seeking meaning and understanding. When she is given the diary that her mother kept during her illness she discovers that there was much about her mother that she never knew.

Violet Rosen has come to the end of her life. As she struggles with leaving her beloved husband and children behind, she finds a way to share her story with them after she’s gone. Through the pages of her diary we learn of her immigration from Iraq to Israel. The diary is a Godsend for her daughter, Noa, after her loss, but it is also healing to Violet.

Farida Sasson is also dealing with loss. She is a widow and is having a hard time coping with an emptiness that has enveloped her since her children have left home and her husband has passed away. She finds strength in her family and in food and she loves to indulge in both. When she sees her niece struggling to cope with life after her sister’s death, she decides she is ready to give her the diary. Through the pages of this diary she hopes that Noa will also learn the importance of family.

I greatly enjoyed Daughters of Iraq. I was very impressed with the author’s ability to alternate voice and completely jump around between time periods and locations with ease. The pace of the book was wonderful and I found it hard to put down. I found the story to be very touching. The pages of Violet’s diary were especially memorable to me. I found myself turning pages faster and faster during her stories of a privileged existence in Iraq to a much more challenging life in Israel. I was deeply moved by the descriptions of her withering body and her coming to terms with it. I also found this book to be educational. While it is a novel, it is based in historical fact and much of this history I never gave much consideration to. I would strongly recommend this book and I’m very glad that I read it.

This review was first published on http://pagesofgold.blogspot.com

[L_manning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daughters of Iraq tells the story of Iraqi Jews from the points of view of three women. Sisters Violet and Farida grew up in Iraq. They lived a fairly good life until the politics of the region drove them to Israel. They had to make new lives for themselves. The third woman is Violet's daughter Noa. Born in Israel, Noa is discovering about her past through a diary written by Violet. These three stories are woven together with past and present combining to tell a marvelous tale of love, family, and endurance.

This book is a translation from the original Hebrew, so I feel there are times that it doesn't read as smooth as you would expect. However, this did not bother me. I had a bit of a hard time getting into it in the beginning as each chapter seems to change narrators and time periods. Once you get adjusted to this, you really get drawn in. I found there to be a quiet sureness to the plot. There are no twists and turns or startling revelations. Instead you get an amazing story of three women who are living remarkable lives, even if they may not appear so to the rest of the world. I especially felt for Noa, who is really embarking on a journey of self-discovery through school work and life. When her Aunt Farida gives her Violet's diary, Noa is able to learn even more about mother and her past.

One common theme for all three women was discovering their true home. Violet and Farida were torn from their home country and the life they knew so well. In Israel, things were much harder. They even lived in a tent for a while. Meanwhile, Noa has in some sense been running away from her home. When her mother was ill, she couldn't seem to face the reality of it. Noa never really understood herself or what it really meant to be "home." Her mother and aunt help her to discover this through their words. I found this book to be so interesting. I am not that familiar with the time periods covered in these countries. I really can't imagine being forced to leave your home because of your religion, and yet this family and many others were. I think this book will be of great interest to people who enjoy reading about history and/or strong women making their way in the world. It was a great book.

Book provided for review.

[Evangeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

The jumps in the story’s year timeline was confusing initially. Readers are brought to Violet’s childhood world, Farida and Noa’s present world, the time the family migrated to Israel, and Violet’s illness period. After the first few chapters, I got used to the jumps and reading the book became easier. Although this book is a fictional novel, the telling of the story made it sound hauntingly real. As I read, I had to remind myself that I was reading a historical novel, and not a nonfiction biography. The accentuation of the unnatural way English was spoken in certain conversations made the story all the more realistic. Readers are acquainted with the story and its characters through various ways: family conversations, Violet’s diary, phone conversations, and letters. While I got to know quite a bit of Farida and her character personalities, I wished a more in-depth glimpse of Violet was given. One part in the book particularly stood out for me. The death of Violet and Farida’s nephew, Eddie. The very random way he died tells us that heroes don’t always die heroic and/or dramatic deaths. Overall, I thought that the length of Daughters of Iraq was too short for its type of story. I wanted to get to know each of the characters more before the book ended and wasn’t entirely satisfied with the happily-ever-after hints at the ending. But nevertheless, the historical aspect of the plot kept me enthralled with the story. It was interesting reading about the lives of Iraqi Jews and their migration to the new state of Israel.

[Wanda Hartzenberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

So let's get something straight, I love reading fiction. It is primarily my reading material of choice. I am blond, shallow and easily entertained. That said I am also not a total idiot. So at times I really get lost in a narrative that opens up a new world to me. The Daughters of Iraq is one such book. The narrative, coursing over generations, sometimes in diary form etc draws the reader into a life and a world I have little if no knowledge about. For some reason or another it never occurred to me that Jewish people could live in Iraq, that Iraq did not feel the same pressure as did most of the world during WWII or any of the other myriad aspects addressed in this book.
The characters in this book is utterly amazing, those touched upon in third person narrative etc all do so with an openness and a frankness that I really enjoyed. These are not mass murderers; these are people, friends, family, and neighbors. Their flaws although apparent and at times appalling (I had the world's worth of respect of Noa's grandfather) and their successes, which shone through, one thing remained true. This is a story about real people, people who get mistreated by their spouses, who gets killed due to a bicycle accident. People who will be remembered due to the way they dealt with life. Something has got to be said about the everyday heroes who live, and prosper in life without being a hero with a cape. I loved this book and would recommend it to any reader who wants to break free from the norm. I give it a resounding 5 * review.

[Sandy Wolters · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartwarming family tale of love and loss.

I feel the need to start this review out by stating that DAUGHTERS OF IRAQ by REVITAL SHIRI-HOROWITZ is more than just another novel. This is family storytelling at its best. Every once in a while, you come across a book that the author has put her whole heart and soul into and is able to convey every emotion flawlessly to the reader. This is one of those very special books. I was completely absorbed by the stories of Violet, Farida and Noa and I felt the love in the words as I read them. I took my time with this book. I savored every word and emotion and didn't want it to end. Through Ms. Shiri-Horowitz's words, I felt the joy and the pain of these women. I was very touched by this book.

We learn of Violet as a vibrant child and then woman through the family stories that her sister, Farida, shares with Violet's daughter, Noa. We learn of Violet as a mother through Noa's recollections and through Noa's pain and guilt of losing her. Then we are treated to something so special by the author. She introduces Violet to us and her family as a woman through her diary that she writes to her loved ones as she lay dying from cancer.

This book is full of hardship, joy, pain and through the amazing storytelling ability of RIVITAL SHIRI-HOROWITZ, we as the reader feel it all. I laughed. I cried. This is an amazing book and I will most definitely be reading it again.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so happy that I was invited to join in on the blog tour for Daughters Of Iraq. This book takes the reader on a journey through a period of history that many did not know existed. After the Second World War the world began to learn about the torture European Jews had to endure. But how much do we know about those Jew's living in the Middle East around the same time. They too ended up being pushed out of there homes and many escaped to Israel, including the characters in this book.

This book makes you think, love, laugh, and cry. I felt like I was truly entering there world and making friends with them all. The storytelling is captivating and left me wanting to follow Noa further as she discovered things about her family's past forcing her to deal with present issues.
As you read the book the characters become more and more real. The story reminds you that while you may not always know everything about your family's past the one thing you can be sure of is the love they have for each other, even if it is not always so obvious.

I really enjoyed this book and I think it is a must read for everyone. A true hidden gem.

[Wulfwyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was so much more than I expected. The story revolves around 3 women, two sisters, Farida and the deceased Violet, (we hear from her via her diary) and Violet's daughter, Noa. It is a story of family, hurt, love, forgiveness and growing up.
I believe this book will especially appeal to women who like inspirational books, historically based books, those who like to learn more about other cultures and women of the Jewish faith. I must ask you not to pass it up because you feel that if you are not Jewish you will not have an interest in it. If you do you will be missing an excellent book that could enrich your own life regardless of your religion.

* I received this book from the author who requested an honest review. I was not compensated for it.*
For a more in depth review please see my blog.

[Ey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daughters of Iraq introduced me into the world and traditions of a culture I had never thought to enter into. What a shame it took me so long. I used to think of Iraq, Israel as just words, a place, you know what I mean? I now see the people and some of their history. I was drawn into the story by characters who shared their lives as if they were never a part of a fiction. The use of their native language really cinched it for me. I liked the way Revital Shiri-Horowitz flicked the story from past to present and back again, while smoothly sharing bits of history. I could just picture it as a movie. I recommend this book to everyone.

[Literary Chanteuse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being from an ethnic back round myself and having heard stories from family members of how it was back home I felt like I was hearing them again while reading this book. It gave me a warm feeling of family and tradition. It enriches our lives to remember and pass on to future generations. The endurance of the women in this story is amazing. There is a sense of pride and hope that you are left with.

[Matt Posner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book for my wife who eagerly read it, telling me how interesting the characters were and how much she was learning. I don't usually read this kind of book, but I began reading and got hooked too. This is a rare glimpse into the lives of women in a community most of us never heard about. Dare I call it "The Joy Luck Club" for Iraqi Jewish women? Great read!

[Catherine Yezak · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good story. You find out what life is like for 2 generations of Jewish women who lived and loved during World War II and Sadam Hussein's reign. It was interesting to see Farida, Violet, and Noa evaluate their lives based on what they are having to face. Whether it is love or the loss of life, these women prove how strong we really are!

[D.J. Weaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learned much about the country that I never knew. Interesting interaction of characters. Well written and interesting. I different kind of read.

[P.C. Zick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Revital Shiri-Horowitz's Daughters of Iraq gives a glimpse into a world that I’ve never explored or even considered. Once the veil parted, the visions held on the other side bathed me in their golden halo of reminiscences.

I know enough about the history of the Middle East, including both Iraq and Israel, to know that its historical story overflows with themes of war. Daughters of Iraq leaves the wars alone for the most part except for Eddie, who fights a losing battle for Jews living in the Muslim Iraq.

Jews in Iraq almost sounds like an oxymoron, but through Ms. ShiriHorowitz’s telling of the story through generations, I learned that the Jewish culture in Iraq was rich and colorful, and most of the Jews forced to leave did not want to go. The many who fled to Israel remembered their lives in Iraq as magical and rich. Even though safe from persecution, Israel didn’t provide the same culture as they one they left.

Once the family entered Israel, they were separated into different kibbutz’s and instead of living next door to one another or even in the same house, the family unit was fractured and splintered. When Eddie and his grandmother finally leave Iraq to find the rest of the family, they must save for years in order to find an apartment where they can all live. It’s a world away from their lives in Iraq.

Ms. Shiri-Horowitz tells the story through the narration of two generations. The two sisters, who grew up in Iraq with a mother very much the head of the household and very concerned with social standing, tell their story through reminiscing by an aging and alone Farida and through the journal of Violet, who writes her memories down for her children, as she lies dying of cancer. As Noa reads her mother’s journal six years after Violet’s death, and she listens to Aunt Farida tell her story of life in Iraq. Through the delving into a past Noa has never experienced, she finally recognizes life-changing truths about her family.

The descriptions in this book transported me to that time and place in Iraq before the Jews became unwelcome residents. Ms. Shiri-Horowitz gives the reader a true taste of the culture’s smells, tastes, and textures.

I recommend this book if you enjoy learning about a different culture, if you enjoy reading descriptive literature, and if you enjoy discovering how a family finally discovers the true meaning of home. You won’t be disappointed with The Daughters of Iraq.

[Uvi Poznansky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story spun across several generations, weaving the voices of three woman of the same family, entwining memories and reality between two different locations: Iraq and Israel.

As you read the chapters--each one a short burst of one of the three voices--you begin to compose them, to fit the threads into a complete design. Violet's voice is the first one you hear, and it comes from the time of her childhood in Iraq. Told in first-person narrative, it resonates with humor and with the spirit of a rebel. Then you meet Farida: hair imbued with kitchen smells, body stout, breasts sagging over a gargantuan belly. She is Violet's sister, who gives generous maternal love to Noa, Violet's daughter. Farida and Noa's voices, while authentic and strong, are told in the third-person narrative; which sets them apart from Violet's voice. The author designed this by intention, as you discover once Violet's diary comes to light.

It is through reading this diary that Noa comes to realize her bond to her mother, whose life was cut short, and whose absence is sorely felt. The diary helps Noa get in touch with her heritage: the history of the women in her family. In the end, it is not only Violet and Farida who are daughters of Iraq (by birth), but by virtue of the memory, so is Noa.

The cover shows a layers of sand in the background, which brings to mind violet's words: "You see this sand? it's the gold that covers our floors like a carpet." So are her memories of home in Iraq, of palm trees, of aromas... In the foreground of the cover are translucent bottles, holding the figures of the woman of this family, and the aroma of words, of sensual reminiscences.

5 Stars.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about three women, two of whom emigrated from Iraq to Israel. Violet and Farida are sisters who fled Iraq in the 1940s. The third character is Violet’s daughter Noa.
The story jumps from 1940 Iraq to modern day Israel with a journal written by Violet interwoven into the two stories.

Between Farida’s stories told to her granddaughter and niece, and Violet’s desperate attempt to leave something of herself for her children as she faces death from a terminal disease much too soon the lives the girls lived in Iraq and the lives they lived as teenagers and young women in Israel are revealed.

This book was a lovely little window into their lives written so that each woman, and her cast of supporting actors, felt real and quite likeable.

For me however, the diary from Violet to Noa and her brother Guy was the most poignant. This is undoubtedly because my mother is facing what is essentially a terminal disease and there is so much we have not said to each other. I loved the diary because I envied Noa. It was also a clever devise to allow a dead character to tell her bits of the story in the first person.
This book also touches on the politics of Iraq and Israel and the anti-Semitism felt by the family (and other Jewish people) in Iraq.

A book which may be written off as for women only, this book is much more than chic-lit. It is an interesting, well crafted, tender story of women just trying to be happy and make the best of what life throws them.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the way the naration of this novel changed, how it crossed generations and country borders. In these pages one learns about the power of family and history and the way we are connected to those who came before us. Really, well written and enjoyable - as well as insightful, I feel as I need to do a bit more research into the history of Iraq and the middle east in general.

"I must point out that in those days, women like my grandmother were considered peculiar; wandering through the villages and selling one's wares was not considered suitable work for women. Those who made a living in this way were treated as social outcasts, but my grandmother wasn't concerned with honor and status; she worried about how to feed her children. She didn't want to be a burden on her family, which was poor to begin with." - Location 467

"We never felt lonely. We experienced everything together: sadness, joy, hardship, prosperity." -Location 1059

"...to feel that no matter where they go, their home will always be there, in their heart. That's what we call roots. And thank God, we have strong roots." - Location 2523

[Christoph Fischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Daughters of Iraq" by Revital Shiri-Horowitz is a touching and informative read, the story of three women from the same family as they live as Jews in Iraq and Israel.
The story is told in alternating episodes jumping between three eras: Iraq in the 1940s and its seemingly happy Jewish community as it falls apart after the creation of Israel. Jews become the object of hate and most emigrate to Israel. Then life in Israel in the 1950s as the newcomers to the state realise they have lost their homes and some of their previous identity. And last life in Israel in the 1980s for the next generation.
The writing moved me with its melancholic tone and all characters are beautifully created and lovable.
the theme of migration and its effect on the women is very insightful and gave me a lot to think about. Jewish people of various national and cultural identities having to blend together, overcome language barriers and re-define themselves in a new society that has stripped them off their previous status.
This book is rich in so many ways, I can only recommend you pick it up and read it.

[S R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having been to Israel, I had heard how immigrants arrived in Israel and lived in tents. However, this book that gave the personal accounts of the women who arrived from Iraq: sisters, Farida and Violet and then Violet's daughter, Noa, gave me a deeper understanding of the hardship of the immigration and a peek into a world of the Iraqi Jews and how they lived before arriving in Israel. What a shame how the entire culture of the Iraqi Jews that had existed for centuries is now gone. I am sorry now that I had not known the information in this book as I would have asked that generation of immigrants to tell me their stories when I had attended university in Israel. I became swept up in all of their stories and could not put the book down. I had no idea that there had been a Jewish underground in Iraq. Wonderful! Thank you for writing a book that opened me to a history that I had not known previously existed.

[Dima Asaad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daughters of Iraq introduces the life of a Jewish family in Iraq, focused specifically on three women, Farida, Violet, and Noa. The journey starts in Baghdad and reaches to Israel, and so I traveled with it. Farida and her sister Violet have witnessed both the life in Baghdad and Israel whereas Noa, Violet's daughter, is not only from a different generation; she has only lived in Israel. Still, human beings' struggles are both different and similar. Thus, Violet found a way to communicate with Noa's life through allowing her to search for answers in her diaries. Love is evoked beautifully when telling the story of these three women whether it was love between a man and a women, a daughter and a mother, or a daughter and a father. Daughters of Iraq is not only an enjoyable story; it provides lessons, lessons about love embodies depth and maturity.

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this story. It was nice to read through the eyes of the different characters. It's a story of survival, love, family, death and soul searching. I love historical, realistic fiction. This was a nice surprise for me. The characters were very well-rounded and I could easily connect with each one. I could feel what they were feeling. It was also interesting to learn about Jewish people in Iraq and some of the things that happened to the characters and the culture in general during the war. That was a new world for me and I enjoyed learning. I look forward to future writings from this author.

[Dina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a powerful story, weaving together at least three stories:

1) The story of 3 generations, 2 of which immigrated from Iraq to Israel and the third born in Israel, and their lives prior to immigration, the first few years after arrival and the more modern times (late 1980s).

2) The story of relationships in a family, especially among the women of different generations

3) Dealing with death in a family and the legacy the mother left to her children through her journal about her earlier life. The later encouraged me to start writing such a journal while I am still healthy so that my children can understand my path and their background.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was drawn into the lives of Violet and Farida before the time of Saddam Hussein. I never thought of Israeli's in Iraq and how they were treated. I loved how the author went back and forth in time to present day with Noa and her life without Violet, her mother, who left behind a diary of her life. It was a touching love story of family seen through the eyes of these three women.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book. So well written you felt as if you were there. Having read lots of books about Ashkenazi Jews it was refreshing to read from the Sephardi middle eastern perspective. I am gutted its finished.

[Linda Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story has interesting insights into a fictional Iraqi Jewish family transplanted to Israel with some of their family history included. The relationships among the women were touching and realistic.