Louisa

by Simone Zelitch

This award-winning novel takes readers to postwar Israel, introducing them to a mother and daughter-in-law with an unusual relationship and offering a unique perspective on Jewish identity and experience.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Israel, Hungary, Jewish

Paperback

First published September 4, 2000

Reviews

[Davida "Davi" · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book immensely at first because it was a historical fiction novel, and then because it does center on a a lot of Jewish issues (World War 2 in Europe, Zionism in the 20s, 30s and 40s, and then the early stages of the State of Israel). But then I realized there was more to the book - the characters are compelling and realistic in general and for the time and setting, and the relationships between them are complex and interesting. Some of the relationship aspects strain credulity - it is a retelling of the Book of Ruth, so why would a German daughter-in-law go with a Jewish mother-in-law to the new State of Israel? But why did a Moabite daughter-in-law go with a Hebrew mother-in-law back to the land of Israel? And that is part of the mystery of the book, is how the characters deal with other people acting in a different way. I think someone who does not know a lot about Jewish or Israeli history would learn a lot from this book, but you'd have to be openminded. And I hope you are because the book is really good.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Louisa is a "lost book" that can be found and bought on Amazon.com for a penny, but in no way should be lost upon readers. It's a beautifully written story that turns the tables on the concept of the holocaust by juxtaposing a German girl in post-WWII Isreal. The girl's trials with wanting to convert to Judaism and being discriminated against for her national origin articulate an obvious and overlooked fact: that hatred is similar despite who is hating, and it is never justified, and always blind.

Be this as it may, it is not the story's main focus. Our narrator, Nora, is a Hungarian Jew who joins the countless Diaspora after the war. Her journey and struggle reflect a sort of hopeless resignation forced upon the psyches of those whom this travesty was inflicted.

The book is written in coherent and well-crafted passages, and Zelitch brings us catchy one-liners throughout that emphasize the tragedy of being human, and in relation, the beauty.

[Kelly Lamb · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started out really disliking this book. It moved slow, and I wasn't feeling like I really knew any of the characters. Also, some lines in the book are in German/Hebrew/Arabic/etc. and whereas most authors would be sure to have a translation in there for you somewhere, this book often did not. This only left me frustrated, wondering what the character said. Towards the end, the action and surprises picked up a bit, but I had trouble really getting into it at this point. It's also helpful if you have some knowledge of Christianity going into this book...unfortunately I don't have much!

[Mimi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very intrigued by the setting and setup of this novel - immediate post-World War II Israel, and Christian daughter-in-law following the Jewish protagonist respectively. However, I didn't love the way the book unfolded - jarring movements in the timeline, characters who changed names, an odd relationship between cousins, and quite frankly a fairly boring storyline.

[☮Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a little strange in that it's supposed to be about Louisa, but I'd say 75% - 85% is about the narrator, Louisa's mother-in-law Nora, and her fixation with her cousin Bela -- endless pages recounting the letters they exchanged, and the letters Nora wrote but never mailed. Louisa's character, like the others, was difficult to understand or empathise with. The background to the story was interesting in that it focused on the allure of the Palestine region prior to it becoming Israel. Most of the characters in the book except for Louisa are Jewish, and eventually end up in Israel. The story goes back and forth between time periods and I found this and the unusual character names very confusing.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got about 3/4 through this on a trip out west. I have to admit that sometimes endings just don't interest me. It's the story of a Hungarian Jew who is sheltered by the daughter of a Nazi (Louisa) married to her daughter. Son dies, Louisa and the protagonist emigrate as refugees to a young Israel. More chaos awaits them, and the story spins off in several directions, chronicling the history of a cast of characters over the course of 30 or 40 years. The scope is huge, but I wish that it was a little more stripped down. I started reading it because Simone Zehlitch teaches at community college in Philly and I want to take her class in the Spring. I think I will try some of her earlier novels.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard going

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good idea. Terrible execution.

[Lynnette]

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