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Sown in Tears
Russia, 1905 - After an attck on the village of Koritz, in the Settlement of the Pale, an area where Jews are restricted to live, Leah Peretz is left to protect and care for her young children. Her life is complicated by the attentions of the Russian officer Captain Vaselik, who is attracted to her despite his strong antipathy towards Jews. Can she trust him? Her journey is played out against the events happening in the country.Revolution is beginning to roil in Russia, everyone is frustrated and restless, the government inflames anti-semitism, pogroms occur against the Jews, while Leah must survive and defend her family and finally discover her path.
- GenresFiction
194 pages, Paperback
First published September 18, 2012
24 people are currently reading
342 people want to read
About the author
Beverly Magid
7 books298 followersBeverly Magid, before writing her novel, was a journalist and an entertainment and celebrity PR executive, who interviewed many luminaries, including John Lennon, Jim Croce and the Monty Python gang, and as a publicist represented clients in music, tv and film, ranging from Whoopi Goldberg, John Denver and Dolly Parton to Tom Skerritt, Martin Landau, Kathy Ireland and Jacqueline Bisset.
Beverly is a longtime west coast resident but still considers herself a New Yorker. . She is an active member of Jewish World Watch, a California-based organization, which works to end genocide and is on-the-ground in Africa helping to aid and educate the victims of war atrocities.
She's a news and political junkie and supports environmental, animal and human rights issues. In her spare time, she has been mentoring elementary children in reading as well as volunteering at the Los Angeles Zoo, working with the Research Department in observing animal behavior.
Beverly is a longtime west coast resident but still considers herself a New Yorker. . She is an active member of Jewish World Watch, a California-based organization, which works to end genocide and is on-the-ground in Africa helping to aid and educate the victims of war atrocities.
She's a news and political junkie and supports environmental, animal and human rights issues. In her spare time, she has been mentoring elementary children in reading as well as volunteering at the Los Angeles Zoo, working with the Research Department in observing animal behavior.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 14, 2013
Where I got the book: review copy received from author.
Leah's village is devastated and her husband killed during a pogrom in 1905 Russia. As Jews are despised by the Russian peasants, the villagers have few resources to help Leah and her children and she accepts a job cooking for the local contingent of peace-keeping soldiers, who look down on her. All except captain Vaselik, and it soon becomes clear that his interest in her is due to physical attraction rather than mere altruism.
This was a pretty good story with some great twists and turns, and it's this storytelling ability that added up to about a 3.5 star rating in my eyes. Unfortunately, the author's style leans rather heavily on exposition for my taste, telling not showing as we're always being warned against by the writing pundits. Telling me that a scene looked like something from War and Peace, for example, only gives me a vague idea of what the writer's aiming at, and I've READ War and Peace which probably makes me the exception among most potential readers. Show me the scene, please, and keep War and Peace out of it (was there a Jewish village in War and Peace?)
The writing is good, albeit with a few clunky sentences here and there. A more thorough edit would have weeded out problems such as "when she agreed to marry him ten long years ago, Fanny, the marriage broker, neglected to mention..." - who does "she" refer to?
I'm left with the overall impression of a novel that needed some more work before it was truly ready for market, a pity since, as I said above, it's a good story. Certainly the ending could have been handled better as it comes to rather a sudden halt
I hope this author keeps writing and works on strengthening story structure and not rushing over scenes by telling us the story, but giving us the scene instead. Learning about the Jewish experience in 1905 Russia was indeed fascinating but what I really want is a good story with information about the characters (backstory, place and historical setting) sprinkled over with a lighter touch. Given the author's writing skills, expanding the expository scenes into something more dramatic and immediate could provide the reader with a 5-star experience.
Leah's village is devastated and her husband killed during a pogrom in 1905 Russia. As Jews are despised by the Russian peasants, the villagers have few resources to help Leah and her children and she accepts a job cooking for the local contingent of peace-keeping soldiers, who look down on her. All except captain Vaselik, and it soon becomes clear that his interest in her is due to physical attraction rather than mere altruism.
This was a pretty good story with some great twists and turns, and it's this storytelling ability that added up to about a 3.5 star rating in my eyes. Unfortunately, the author's style leans rather heavily on exposition for my taste, telling not showing as we're always being warned against by the writing pundits. Telling me that a scene looked like something from War and Peace, for example, only gives me a vague idea of what the writer's aiming at, and I've READ War and Peace which probably makes me the exception among most potential readers. Show me the scene, please, and keep War and Peace out of it (was there a Jewish village in War and Peace?)
The writing is good, albeit with a few clunky sentences here and there. A more thorough edit would have weeded out problems such as "when she agreed to marry him ten long years ago, Fanny, the marriage broker, neglected to mention..." - who does "she" refer to?
I'm left with the overall impression of a novel that needed some more work before it was truly ready for market, a pity since, as I said above, it's a good story. Certainly the ending could have been handled better as it comes to rather a sudden halt
I hope this author keeps writing and works on strengthening story structure and not rushing over scenes by telling us the story, but giving us the scene instead. Learning about the Jewish experience in 1905 Russia was indeed fascinating but what I really want is a good story with information about the characters (backstory, place and historical setting) sprinkled over with a lighter touch. Given the author's writing skills, expanding the expository scenes into something more dramatic and immediate could provide the reader with a 5-star experience.
January 11, 2018
Sown in Tears is a pretty good historical. I enjoyed the historical descriptions and details of what it was like in 1905 Russia and for what it was like for those of the Jewish faith. I just could not imagine the struggles and terror they had experienced during those times.
The story did have some scenes that were a little harder to get through, but mostly I had no trouble wanting to keep turning the pages. I give it 4 1/2 stars. I hope to read more by Beverly Magid in the future.
I received this book from the author. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
The story did have some scenes that were a little harder to get through, but mostly I had no trouble wanting to keep turning the pages. I give it 4 1/2 stars. I hope to read more by Beverly Magid in the future.
I received this book from the author. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
December 13, 2012
Summary:
Rural village of Koritz, Russia 1905.
Leah and her husband Morris and sons Benny and Joseph, are awakened in the night by the sound of guns firing and people screaming. They scurry out of their beds and hide in a cellar. It is a night of terror for the Jewish settlement of Koritz. The survivors will be left with painful and bitter memories. Leah with resilience scrounges to feed her sons. She is desperate to provide food and shelter and security for her family.
Captain Ivan Vaselik is in charge of the Koritz area. He worries that some of his men may have taken part in the rampages against Jewish settlements. He worries that this could lead to having soldiers that are uncontrollable, and do not obey orders. He is an officer that would like to be promoted. He has ambitions. He does not have a family, a family would become a burden to him and might get in the way of his career.
Positive Points:
Excellent beginning to story. Immediately, at the first sentence I was drawn in with my heart pounding.
Leah is a strong character. I love strong characters in women, no milky-toast female characters for me!
Leah shows fortitude, tenacity, resilience, a single focus of providing for her family. She is a character that I admired.
The vivid descriptions all through-out the book whether it is the people, the rural Russian countryside, the village life, the graphic night of terror, all were brought to life for me.
The "life" of Jewish woman became clear for me. I used the word "life" not culture, a Jew is a Jew through and through, it is who and what they are. Every thought and decision is based on being a Jew. Although Leah is not a faithful Jew in her heart, she still wrestles with her identity as a Jewish woman.
I feel more knowledgeable about life in Russia in the early 20th Century. This was before the Russian Revolution of 1917. The rumblings of revolution had already began for the people of Russia, this is depicted in the book by the groups that took part in the abuse against the Jews. These revolutionaries were angered and bitter over their life, and were looking to fault and punish someone. On the other hand the Jew's had their own groups that met to counteract their own bitterness of life.
I read this story in ONE day. I could not put the book down!
Negative Point:
The book ends abruptly, no closure. I hope for a book two.
Thank you to Beverly Magid and Shauna Fleming of Muse Creative Marketing for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Rural village of Koritz, Russia 1905.
Leah and her husband Morris and sons Benny and Joseph, are awakened in the night by the sound of guns firing and people screaming. They scurry out of their beds and hide in a cellar. It is a night of terror for the Jewish settlement of Koritz. The survivors will be left with painful and bitter memories. Leah with resilience scrounges to feed her sons. She is desperate to provide food and shelter and security for her family.
Captain Ivan Vaselik is in charge of the Koritz area. He worries that some of his men may have taken part in the rampages against Jewish settlements. He worries that this could lead to having soldiers that are uncontrollable, and do not obey orders. He is an officer that would like to be promoted. He has ambitions. He does not have a family, a family would become a burden to him and might get in the way of his career.
Positive Points:
Excellent beginning to story. Immediately, at the first sentence I was drawn in with my heart pounding.
Leah is a strong character. I love strong characters in women, no milky-toast female characters for me!
Leah shows fortitude, tenacity, resilience, a single focus of providing for her family. She is a character that I admired.
The vivid descriptions all through-out the book whether it is the people, the rural Russian countryside, the village life, the graphic night of terror, all were brought to life for me.
The "life" of Jewish woman became clear for me. I used the word "life" not culture, a Jew is a Jew through and through, it is who and what they are. Every thought and decision is based on being a Jew. Although Leah is not a faithful Jew in her heart, she still wrestles with her identity as a Jewish woman.
I feel more knowledgeable about life in Russia in the early 20th Century. This was before the Russian Revolution of 1917. The rumblings of revolution had already began for the people of Russia, this is depicted in the book by the groups that took part in the abuse against the Jews. These revolutionaries were angered and bitter over their life, and were looking to fault and punish someone. On the other hand the Jew's had their own groups that met to counteract their own bitterness of life.
I read this story in ONE day. I could not put the book down!
Negative Point:
The book ends abruptly, no closure. I hope for a book two.
Thank you to Beverly Magid and Shauna Fleming of Muse Creative Marketing for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 16, 2012
Sown in Tearswill have you gripped from the first sentence. This exciting, fast-paced novel takes all the elements of romance, family love, friendship and loyalty and places them into the fascinating setting of a small Jewish settlement in Russia in 1905.
The scene is set when strong-minded Leah, her two young sons Benny and Joseph and her good but coldly orthodox husband Morris hide in their cellar as a destructive rampage by anti-Semitic peasants, who use the Jews as scapegoats for their country’s problems, rages in their village.
Many of the villagers are killed, including Leah’s husband. As she struggles to rescue some form of happiness for herself and children in the aftermath, she finds herself drawn to trouble in the form of the stern but handsome Russian army captain, Vaselik, as well as a group of rebellious Jewish youths looking for justice. But will freedom for her people or the chance of true love win out?
Magid creates a wonderful atmosphere of stifling terror and poverty in the Jewish community and the courage and survival instincts of Leah or so expertly created that you are willing her on, even when her actions could have serious consequences for her family. This novel truly stands out in the ‘chick lit’ category as a brave and exciting choice of subject matter written with real heart and finesse.
Review by Nikki Mason on behalf of BestChickLit.com
The scene is set when strong-minded Leah, her two young sons Benny and Joseph and her good but coldly orthodox husband Morris hide in their cellar as a destructive rampage by anti-Semitic peasants, who use the Jews as scapegoats for their country’s problems, rages in their village.
Many of the villagers are killed, including Leah’s husband. As she struggles to rescue some form of happiness for herself and children in the aftermath, she finds herself drawn to trouble in the form of the stern but handsome Russian army captain, Vaselik, as well as a group of rebellious Jewish youths looking for justice. But will freedom for her people or the chance of true love win out?
Magid creates a wonderful atmosphere of stifling terror and poverty in the Jewish community and the courage and survival instincts of Leah or so expertly created that you are willing her on, even when her actions could have serious consequences for her family. This novel truly stands out in the ‘chick lit’ category as a brave and exciting choice of subject matter written with real heart and finesse.
Review by Nikki Mason on behalf of BestChickLit.com
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews