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Parallel Lines
"Vivid, powerful, and impressive." –Jewish Chronicle
"Riveting and well-crafted." –The Jerusalem Report
Imagine coming of age surrounded by terror and militancy. Tamar, Nour, and Rivki all live in Jerusalem, and all are on the cusp of adulthood, but in a city of tribal culture and an intractable conflict, it is almost inconceivable they will ever meet, let alone become friends. Then, one night, during yet another cycle of violence, their paths cross just as a terrorist decides to carry out an attack on the light rail train.
Parallel Lines explores the devastating emotional and physical toll of war, ethnic conflict, and religious codes on young people growing up in the holy city. This fictional account of Jerusalem's unholy conflict captures the pain and angst from all sides through the eyes of three unlikely heroines.
"Riveting and well-crafted." –The Jerusalem Report
Imagine coming of age surrounded by terror and militancy. Tamar, Nour, and Rivki all live in Jerusalem, and all are on the cusp of adulthood, but in a city of tribal culture and an intractable conflict, it is almost inconceivable they will ever meet, let alone become friends. Then, one night, during yet another cycle of violence, their paths cross just as a terrorist decides to carry out an attack on the light rail train.
Parallel Lines explores the devastating emotional and physical toll of war, ethnic conflict, and religious codes on young people growing up in the holy city. This fictional account of Jerusalem's unholy conflict captures the pain and angst from all sides through the eyes of three unlikely heroines.
338 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 15, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
May 27, 2023
I was immediately drawn in to the stories of the three young protagonists. The author paints a clear picture of life in Israel - the sights, smells and emotions - and weaves an exciting (and sometimes shocking) tale how ordinary people can be heroes without realising. I would highly recommend this book!
August 16, 2023
An absolutely amazing book. I couldn’t put it down. I wonderful representation of a very difficult conflict.
May 15, 2023
This is a must! Parallel Lines by Ruth Marks Eglash
Beautifully written. The three characters really become real. The true situation of what is happening in Israel today is portrayed without bias.
So when I literally relished every moment reading each chapter. Feeling as if the characters were my personal friends, I also saw the dilemma of ordinary young people living in Israel/Jerusalem today.
I would recommend this book to all, regardless of age or gender.
Beautifully written. The three characters really become real. The true situation of what is happening in Israel today is portrayed without bias.
So when I literally relished every moment reading each chapter. Feeling as if the characters were my personal friends, I also saw the dilemma of ordinary young people living in Israel/Jerusalem today.
I would recommend this book to all, regardless of age or gender.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2023
One of the best books I’ve read! Ruth Marks Eglash is a prolific writer!
June 17, 2023
Parallel Lines by Ruth Marks Eglash
I had the privilege of accessing an early copy of this book through my internship, and boy, do I feel like a lucky duck for it! 🦆 Who would’ve thought a novel about Israel-Palestine written by a former Fox News journalist would turn out to be one of my favourite books of 2023?
Parallel Lines tells the story of three teenage girls coming of age in Jerusalem in vastly different worlds: a secular Jewish girl named Tamar, a Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) girl named Rivki, and a Palestinian living in East Jerusalem named Nour. Their lives come into contact one day during a terrorist attack on the light rail train, which they are all riding for different reasons.
Eglash captures the pains of being blank slates growing up in a place of intense tribalism and fragmentation. A common theme in the story is how most people are born similar, and the differences between them are mostly artificial and created through conditioning and circumstance. Eglash’s research into the worlds of Haredi Jews and Palestinians in particular impressed me, as the author is herself a secular Jewish woman journalist, but she managed to humanize and flesh out both worlds. I also appreciated how none of the three characters were tokenized for their identities, and each had unique characteristics and storylines that went beyond stereotypes of their ethnicities or religious beliefs. For example, Nour aspires to be a fashion designer, and Rivki has chronic illness and a desire to rebel, but also a deep love for her family.
I wish I could’ve seen the girls’ stories intersect a little bit more, because for me, the most interesting parts of this book were when the characters encountered people outside their insular bubbles. I also appreciated the focus on young women as protagonists, showing how innocent people get dragged into ideology, but sometimes I found the author made her protagonists a little too innocent and tempered. Nevertheless, I was impressed by this meticulously researched book about teenage angst persisting in a conflict zone.
Overall: 🐑 🐑 🐑 🐑 🐩(4.5 sheeps)
Read If You Liked 📚 : Apeirogon, The Lemon Tree, Letters To My Palestinian Neighbour
I had the privilege of accessing an early copy of this book through my internship, and boy, do I feel like a lucky duck for it! 🦆 Who would’ve thought a novel about Israel-Palestine written by a former Fox News journalist would turn out to be one of my favourite books of 2023?
Parallel Lines tells the story of three teenage girls coming of age in Jerusalem in vastly different worlds: a secular Jewish girl named Tamar, a Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) girl named Rivki, and a Palestinian living in East Jerusalem named Nour. Their lives come into contact one day during a terrorist attack on the light rail train, which they are all riding for different reasons.
Eglash captures the pains of being blank slates growing up in a place of intense tribalism and fragmentation. A common theme in the story is how most people are born similar, and the differences between them are mostly artificial and created through conditioning and circumstance. Eglash’s research into the worlds of Haredi Jews and Palestinians in particular impressed me, as the author is herself a secular Jewish woman journalist, but she managed to humanize and flesh out both worlds. I also appreciated how none of the three characters were tokenized for their identities, and each had unique characteristics and storylines that went beyond stereotypes of their ethnicities or religious beliefs. For example, Nour aspires to be a fashion designer, and Rivki has chronic illness and a desire to rebel, but also a deep love for her family.
I wish I could’ve seen the girls’ stories intersect a little bit more, because for me, the most interesting parts of this book were when the characters encountered people outside their insular bubbles. I also appreciated the focus on young women as protagonists, showing how innocent people get dragged into ideology, but sometimes I found the author made her protagonists a little too innocent and tempered. Nevertheless, I was impressed by this meticulously researched book about teenage angst persisting in a conflict zone.
Overall: 🐑 🐑 🐑 🐑 🐩(4.5 sheeps)
Read If You Liked 📚 : Apeirogon, The Lemon Tree, Letters To My Palestinian Neighbour
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2023
“Parallel Lines”: A Novel by Ruth Marks Eglash – A Review by a neighbor and close acquaintance of the writer and a mother who brought up her children in Israel.
Ruth Eglash, the author is a well-known journalist and has surveyed many aspects of life in Israel including the on-going friction between Jews and Arabs. She strongly stipulates to the idea that a journalist should not convey their own opinions.
In her novel Parallel Lines, the lives of three teenagers from different backgrounds are depicted: Tamar a Jewish secular Jew, Rivki from the Haredi community and Nour, an Arab girl living in Eastern Jerusalem. It is amazing that throughout the book, Ruth has managed to maintain her impartiality; the reader cannot discern if or which side the author supports.
The girls live in different areas, have their own friends and loving families so theoretically should not have to be in a continuous dilemma visa-versa the society in which they live. But that is their life in Israel; they are forced to determine their values and live up to them, values which often differ from those of other members of their own community. The moral of the story is that the girls discover that they are not much different from each other and could in fact be true friends.
I finished the book in one sweep (It is an easy read and the fact that our internet crashed did contribute to freeing up time!) as Ruth has introduced just enough suspense to keep you reading in order to find out what happens next.
The book shocked me into understanding the internal struggle children, including my own, living in a city in continuous conflict must go through in having to come to terms with whom they are. There is also much room for soul-searching after finishing the book. Perhaps because of this, I did feel that the book was too intense. Ruth Eglash, not only the author but the reporting journalist is there.
Ruth Eglash, the author is a well-known journalist and has surveyed many aspects of life in Israel including the on-going friction between Jews and Arabs. She strongly stipulates to the idea that a journalist should not convey their own opinions.
In her novel Parallel Lines, the lives of three teenagers from different backgrounds are depicted: Tamar a Jewish secular Jew, Rivki from the Haredi community and Nour, an Arab girl living in Eastern Jerusalem. It is amazing that throughout the book, Ruth has managed to maintain her impartiality; the reader cannot discern if or which side the author supports.
The girls live in different areas, have their own friends and loving families so theoretically should not have to be in a continuous dilemma visa-versa the society in which they live. But that is their life in Israel; they are forced to determine their values and live up to them, values which often differ from those of other members of their own community. The moral of the story is that the girls discover that they are not much different from each other and could in fact be true friends.
I finished the book in one sweep (It is an easy read and the fact that our internet crashed did contribute to freeing up time!) as Ruth has introduced just enough suspense to keep you reading in order to find out what happens next.
The book shocked me into understanding the internal struggle children, including my own, living in a city in continuous conflict must go through in having to come to terms with whom they are. There is also much room for soul-searching after finishing the book. Perhaps because of this, I did feel that the book was too intense. Ruth Eglash, not only the author but the reporting journalist is there.
June 15, 2023
Pathos and Hope!
In Parallel Lines, Ruth Marks Eglash weaves an engrossing story of three sixteen-year-old Israelis, following very different, but parallel paths in their quest to escape the constraining tribal mores they have been raised to observe. Tamar is a liberal, educated Jewish girl, caught between radical friends who want to go beyond peaceful protests and her own instincts to judge people on their own merits. Nour is a highly educated Palestinian girl, daughter of a college professor whose expectations are not in line with her own fervent ambitions to become a fashion designer. Rivki, from an ultra-conservative Orthodox family of Hariden Jews, refuses to accept the path laid out by her family of an arranged marriage and suffocating future. Each faces traumatic events that shape their personal belief systems and bring them into conflict with their families and friends. Parallel Lines grabs the reader from the first page, and never lets go.
Eglash subtly introduces the reader to the cultural worlds inhabited by residents of today’s Israel, challenging us to throw off our preconceived notions and prejudices. It becomes as much a sociological analysis as it is an enthralling five star story, right up to the thrilling and hopeful conclusion when the three tales merge. I was reminded of a quote by Pearl S. Buck: “In this unbelievable universe in which we live, there are no absolutes. Even parallel lines, reaching into infinity, meet somewhere yonder.”
Bill Schweitzer, author of Doves in a Tempest
In Parallel Lines, Ruth Marks Eglash weaves an engrossing story of three sixteen-year-old Israelis, following very different, but parallel paths in their quest to escape the constraining tribal mores they have been raised to observe. Tamar is a liberal, educated Jewish girl, caught between radical friends who want to go beyond peaceful protests and her own instincts to judge people on their own merits. Nour is a highly educated Palestinian girl, daughter of a college professor whose expectations are not in line with her own fervent ambitions to become a fashion designer. Rivki, from an ultra-conservative Orthodox family of Hariden Jews, refuses to accept the path laid out by her family of an arranged marriage and suffocating future. Each faces traumatic events that shape their personal belief systems and bring them into conflict with their families and friends. Parallel Lines grabs the reader from the first page, and never lets go.
Eglash subtly introduces the reader to the cultural worlds inhabited by residents of today’s Israel, challenging us to throw off our preconceived notions and prejudices. It becomes as much a sociological analysis as it is an enthralling five star story, right up to the thrilling and hopeful conclusion when the three tales merge. I was reminded of a quote by Pearl S. Buck: “In this unbelievable universe in which we live, there are no absolutes. Even parallel lines, reaching into infinity, meet somewhere yonder.”
Bill Schweitzer, author of Doves in a Tempest
July 8, 2023
I highly recommend this book. I read it in one sitting and could not put it down.
In 2015, Israel's president at the time, Reuven Rivlin, gave a speech that has become known as "The Four Tribes Speech," in which he warned that Israeli society is divided to its detriment and that its many fragments live the highly disparate lives of the secular Jews, ultra-Orthodox Haredi Jews, national religious Jews, and Arabs.
Parallel Lines is, first and foremost, the story of three young women from three of these segments of society. But, it is also a story about the intractability of the Israeli and Palestinian and the secular and Orthodox Jewish problems. It asks the same question I have been asking myself for the past sixty-plus years: Why can't people just set aside their differences and get along? I know this is a simplistic question in the context of these two conflicts. Still, it is the key question if the participants in the conflicts could ever set aside their eye for an eye modus operandi.
As we read the book, we are shown the high cost of being both the oppressed and the oppressor and that both sides would benefit from finding a new nonviolent way forward.
In 2015, Israel's president at the time, Reuven Rivlin, gave a speech that has become known as "The Four Tribes Speech," in which he warned that Israeli society is divided to its detriment and that its many fragments live the highly disparate lives of the secular Jews, ultra-Orthodox Haredi Jews, national religious Jews, and Arabs.
Parallel Lines is, first and foremost, the story of three young women from three of these segments of society. But, it is also a story about the intractability of the Israeli and Palestinian and the secular and Orthodox Jewish problems. It asks the same question I have been asking myself for the past sixty-plus years: Why can't people just set aside their differences and get along? I know this is a simplistic question in the context of these two conflicts. Still, it is the key question if the participants in the conflicts could ever set aside their eye for an eye modus operandi.
As we read the book, we are shown the high cost of being both the oppressed and the oppressor and that both sides would benefit from finding a new nonviolent way forward.
May 27, 2023
Absolutely loved this book! A must-read for anyone trying to get their head around one of the most confusing, intractable and multi-faceted conflicts on earth. Eglash skillfully immerses the reader into the heart of Jerusalem, which serves as a microcosm of the emotional and physical devastation caused by ethnic conflict. She delves into the complexities and the result is a truly captivating and thought-provoking story.
What sets Parallel Lines apart is its ability to humanize the pain and angst experienced by all sides involved. She seamlessly weaves together the stories of her three protagonists and reveals their resilience in the face of adversity.
As a reader, I was fully invested in the lives of these three unlikely heroines. It's a powerful testament to the strength of the human spirit and the potential for friendship and connection to transcend the barriers imposed by a divided society. Recommended!
What sets Parallel Lines apart is its ability to humanize the pain and angst experienced by all sides involved. She seamlessly weaves together the stories of her three protagonists and reveals their resilience in the face of adversity.
As a reader, I was fully invested in the lives of these three unlikely heroines. It's a powerful testament to the strength of the human spirit and the potential for friendship and connection to transcend the barriers imposed by a divided society. Recommended!
May 30, 2023
A Powerful, Insightful Page-Turner --
I received an advance review copy of this book, with no strings attached. What follows is my honest review. The author, Ruth Marks Eglash, is a professional journalist, and so I expected a well-written book. I was not fully prepared for the surgical precision of Eglash’s prose and her remarkable understanding of three adolescent girls who are growing up in Jerusalem. The lives of Tamar, Nour, and Rivki – secular, Muslim, and ultra-Orthodox, respectively – are connected by their travels on the Jerusalem Light Rail. Eglash’s central characters and their families are superbly three-dimensional and believable. It is impossible not to love the three girls. All victims of the adult conflicts in their homeland, the girls are more similar than they are different. Parallel Lines is a page-turner with a big heart and a fast-paced, important story, told by a writer who is uniquely qualified to do so.
I received an advance review copy of this book, with no strings attached. What follows is my honest review. The author, Ruth Marks Eglash, is a professional journalist, and so I expected a well-written book. I was not fully prepared for the surgical precision of Eglash’s prose and her remarkable understanding of three adolescent girls who are growing up in Jerusalem. The lives of Tamar, Nour, and Rivki – secular, Muslim, and ultra-Orthodox, respectively – are connected by their travels on the Jerusalem Light Rail. Eglash’s central characters and their families are superbly three-dimensional and believable. It is impossible not to love the three girls. All victims of the adult conflicts in their homeland, the girls are more similar than they are different. Parallel Lines is a page-turner with a big heart and a fast-paced, important story, told by a writer who is uniquely qualified to do so.
July 3, 2023
A captivating book by Ruth Marks Eglash – a truly intelligent and enjoyable read, with a unique insight into the lives, dreams and realities of three young girls in Jerusalem, from three different and separate communities in the polarized and complex city of Jerusalem: Secular Israeli Tamar, Palestinian Nour and Haredi Rivki, each destined to live their lives in parallel lines that will never meet, even living close by and travelling the common light railway – until the the fateful events that throw them together. Very well written, with these fascinating and very believable characters each conveying a sense óf the author's hope and optimism for the future, emerging from this rare but possible encounter, in spite of the difficult and violent daily reality.
The author is an accomplished journalist, and this is her first fiction book - I read it through overnight and enjoyed every minute!
The author is an accomplished journalist, and this is her first fiction book - I read it through overnight and enjoyed every minute!
June 1, 2023
This book was so engaging, interesting and thought provoking. From the very first page, it drew me in and made me want to keep reading. .
Ruth Marks Eglash brings to life the characters of Tamar, Nour and Rivki, three girls in Jerusalem living such different lives in very different circumstances and she allows us to feel empathy for all three girls. We have a sense throughout that somehow these girls may meet but Ruth keeps us wondering what will happen, until it does...
This is a fantastic read for all ages. It shows all sides of the ongoing conflict in the area without bias.
I highly recommend it.
Ruth Marks Eglash brings to life the characters of Tamar, Nour and Rivki, three girls in Jerusalem living such different lives in very different circumstances and she allows us to feel empathy for all three girls. We have a sense throughout that somehow these girls may meet but Ruth keeps us wondering what will happen, until it does...
This is a fantastic read for all ages. It shows all sides of the ongoing conflict in the area without bias.
I highly recommend it.
March 10, 2024
Three coming-of-age teens--one secular Jew, one Ultra-Orthodox Jew, one Arab Muslim--in the same city, Jerusalem. Three young women confronting some hard, ugly truths about where they live in 2015 Israel, forging their own paths, finding their own truths, despite the societal obstacles and norms around them. As Tamar, Rifkve, and Nour deal with their own dramas--from falling in with the wrong crowd to yearning to separate from their community and parental/familial expectations--they each find their voice. This is a coming-of-age in perhaps one of the most complicated regions in the world, and the author's journalistic background and skills shine through every page.
August 12, 2025
I was a little wary of this at first: contentious subject matter published by an indie press (though perhaps in this case, the contentious subject matter here was a reason why traditional publishing wouldn’t touch it.) In fact, I’ve read a few novels out of Black Rose Writing, and this one might be my favorite. :0
In this story geared for teens, Eglash follows three girls from different “tribes” of Jerusalem: Tamar the Israeli secular Jew, Nour the Palestinian Muslim, and Rivki the Haredi Jew (who technically has Israeli citizenship—in fact all three of these girls have Israeli citizenship—though, like Nour, she’s not entirely aligned with mainstream culture.)
The prose is a bit pedestrian; it might be Eglash’s journalism background coming through, especially with most chapters being very short, almost like a daily report. More developmentally, Rivki’s story isn’t quite as “parallel” to Tamar’s and Nouri’s. Both Tamar and Nouri are contending with narratives that essentially paint the other directly as the bad guy, and they both have family or friends whose extremist views lead to violence. I had more trouble connecting with Rivki’s interiority for the reasons why she was grappling with the norms of her own community. However, it’s also true that like it or not, she lives in Jerusalem and thereby has direct physical and mental proximity to the conflict, especially when it boils over into terror attacks. All three girls’ lives intersect twice on the Jerusalem light rail, where they must react to two such attacks—first indirectly, where the train is stopped due to an ambush on the streets, and then directly, when confronting an assailant in the train car.
Another reason Eglash’s journey is a little different than that of many indie authors: she was a writer for the Washington Post, and likely had fewer roadblocks in accessing media to promote her story. In interviews and op-eds, she described her jadedness towards how her profession handles the conflict, and wanting to reach out to young people who are often on “the front lines.” And yes, THE HUNGER GAMES came into her inspiration for writing the book, especially given the ages of many of the soldiers and militants. (I'd argue the comparison would've been more apt if her book also probed why extremist leaders want to perpetuate conflict.) Eglash's own biases lead her to “the Israeli side” of experiencing terror attacks in Jerusalem, though Nour’s reality was similarly fleshed out on the page.
The intended audience is also a bit of an oxymoron. As Rabbi Marc Katz extols in his Jewish Book Council review, the book isn’t “preachy” he also sees it as “instructive” where young people might come out of the conflict with the nachas (my word, but it feels appropriate!) to work together towards peace.
There’s an argument to be made that given this story takes place within Israel’s Green Line—granted, Jerusalem’s semi-divided status is a little murkier than that of, say, Tel Aviv—circumvents the larger conflict of the occupation of the West Bank and now, though this book came out early in 2023, the aftermath of October 7, the war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. But then again the lives of these teen girls are still valid, and are arguably the easiest jumping-off place for change.
I’m writing this review a bit after finishing the book, and I can’t say I’ve been ruminating deeply on the characters this whole time. But while reading, I definitely appreciated bursts of insight into the day-to-day realities and relationships for Tamar, Nour and ultimately Rivki.
In this story geared for teens, Eglash follows three girls from different “tribes” of Jerusalem: Tamar the Israeli secular Jew, Nour the Palestinian Muslim, and Rivki the Haredi Jew (who technically has Israeli citizenship—in fact all three of these girls have Israeli citizenship—though, like Nour, she’s not entirely aligned with mainstream culture.)
The prose is a bit pedestrian; it might be Eglash’s journalism background coming through, especially with most chapters being very short, almost like a daily report. More developmentally, Rivki’s story isn’t quite as “parallel” to Tamar’s and Nouri’s. Both Tamar and Nouri are contending with narratives that essentially paint the other directly as the bad guy, and they both have family or friends whose extremist views lead to violence. I had more trouble connecting with Rivki’s interiority for the reasons why she was grappling with the norms of her own community. However, it’s also true that like it or not, she lives in Jerusalem and thereby has direct physical and mental proximity to the conflict, especially when it boils over into terror attacks. All three girls’ lives intersect twice on the Jerusalem light rail, where they must react to two such attacks—first indirectly, where the train is stopped due to an ambush on the streets, and then directly, when confronting an assailant in the train car.
Another reason Eglash’s journey is a little different than that of many indie authors: she was a writer for the Washington Post, and likely had fewer roadblocks in accessing media to promote her story. In interviews and op-eds, she described her jadedness towards how her profession handles the conflict, and wanting to reach out to young people who are often on “the front lines.” And yes, THE HUNGER GAMES came into her inspiration for writing the book, especially given the ages of many of the soldiers and militants. (I'd argue the comparison would've been more apt if her book also probed why extremist leaders want to perpetuate conflict.) Eglash's own biases lead her to “the Israeli side” of experiencing terror attacks in Jerusalem, though Nour’s reality was similarly fleshed out on the page.
The intended audience is also a bit of an oxymoron. As Rabbi Marc Katz extols in his Jewish Book Council review, the book isn’t “preachy” he also sees it as “instructive” where young people might come out of the conflict with the nachas (my word, but it feels appropriate!) to work together towards peace.
There’s an argument to be made that given this story takes place within Israel’s Green Line—granted, Jerusalem’s semi-divided status is a little murkier than that of, say, Tel Aviv—circumvents the larger conflict of the occupation of the West Bank and now, though this book came out early in 2023, the aftermath of October 7, the war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. But then again the lives of these teen girls are still valid, and are arguably the easiest jumping-off place for change.
I’m writing this review a bit after finishing the book, and I can’t say I’ve been ruminating deeply on the characters this whole time. But while reading, I definitely appreciated bursts of insight into the day-to-day realities and relationships for Tamar, Nour and ultimately Rivki.
July 10, 2023
Parallel Lines tells a fascinating story of three very different girls in Jerusalem whose paths cross under exceptional circumstances. It's a coming-of-age story that has universal relevance, which focuses on three girls whose lives are shaped by the city where they all live. Whether you are interested in Israel or not, this novel is a delight and a page turner. It works both for adults and as a YA novel. The author, a journalist based in the Jerusalem area for many years, brings the city and its residents to life in a way that is beautifully vivid. Highly recommended!
July 12, 2023
Jerusalem is always in the news, yet the lives of the actual people there are little known or understood. Ruth Marks Eglash's impressive debut novel Parallel Lines takes us behind the headlines and brings us into the intimate worlds of three teenage girls, one secular Israel, one Palestinian Arab and one Ultra-Orthodox Jewish. The three protagonists' characters are vividly imagined and their communities are realistically drawn, based on meticulous research and deep insider knowledge. Parallel Lines is an engaging story and a wonderful gift to anyone who wants to understand better the reality of Jerusalem today.
July 28, 2023
Peace begins with me ....
An experienced journalist, author Eglash wrote her first novel, this one, about three teenage girls. Three "tribes" in Jerusalem live out contemporary history with choices about survival and identity. Personally, I appreciate the teens' action for peace, even as they risk their personal safety. Understanding, supportive families stabilize constructive solutions.
An experienced journalist, author Eglash wrote her first novel, this one, about three teenage girls. Three "tribes" in Jerusalem live out contemporary history with choices about survival and identity. Personally, I appreciate the teens' action for peace, even as they risk their personal safety. Understanding, supportive families stabilize constructive solutions.
June 16, 2023
A great intro to the region and the issues for the YA audience, and love the way the author used the railway and hospital to bring them together as self contained worlds where all the totally separate tribes rub shoulders without really knowing each other. A tale of growing up in a troubled region with an underlying message of hope.
July 19, 2023
Immediately I was drawn into the world of the 3 young adults in this book and wanted to keep reading to see what was going to happen to them. The book is very easy to read and engrossing and really brings their world alive . It’s intelligent , well written and utterly absorbing. I highly recommend !
May 27, 2023
An absolutely phenomenal read about the conflict and the lives that are impacted by this. A truly inspiring story which changed my outlook completely. I could not recommend this enough to anyone wanting to understand more!! A MUST read
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July 31, 2023Loved the book. The book read like Little House on the Prairie mixed with Anne of Green Gables set in Israel. I lived in Jerusalem for a bit so it was interesting to read about current life there. Thank you Ruth Marks Eglash
August 29, 2023
The author depicts the conflict in a way that is three-dimensional and empathetic. It’s a great and easy entry point for teens interested in learning about Jerusalem, and it's a refreshing perspective on an age-old problem. I flew through it!
August 31, 2023
This story will keep you turning the pages as you follow three girls lives. Living in a time of uncertainty and historical prejudices they find wat is important to them in a city where isolation is promoted.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2023
Eye opening view points!
This book is so much more than a story. I've been to Israel and Jerusalem and now I know so much more of what I felt while being there. The Author tells the story of viewpoints in a very entertaining way! I enjoyed it and recommend it!
This book is so much more than a story. I've been to Israel and Jerusalem and now I know so much more of what I felt while being there. The Author tells the story of viewpoints in a very entertaining way! I enjoyed it and recommend it!
July 27, 2023
A great read. The characters come to life, and the story builds so that you don’t want to put it down. I thoroughly recommend it.
October 20, 2023
Not sure if this was for adults or teens. The writing is bland, but the ideas are interesting. Would be good for a discussion group about Israel.
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November 22, 2024'People really have very short memories. It’s the human curse… That’s why each generation goes out to fight, ignoring the mistakes of the previous ones.'
June 22, 2023
Fantastic read
Ruth Eglash has excelled with her debut novel. Such knowledge and perception into the state of Israel today.
Truly a remarkable read, and highly recommended.
Can’t wait for the next one
Ruth Eglash has excelled with her debut novel. Such knowledge and perception into the state of Israel today.
Truly a remarkable read, and highly recommended.
Can’t wait for the next one
July 8, 2023
This book is a really interesting read - it explains a complicated conflict through the lives of ordinary teenagers. It also has some drama and romance - so something for everybody to enjoy. Highly recommended.
December 4, 2023
Parallel Lines is a poignant and moving novel. Author Ruth Eglash weaves coming of age stories from different cultures in Jerusalem into a narrative that is deeply humane and uplifting. Tamar, a secular Jew, Rivki, a Haredi Jew, and Nour, a Palestinian Muslim, all grapple with societal divisions, define personal ethics, and ultimately come together when they must put their values to the test.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews