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Rav Hisda's Daughter #1
Apprentice: A Novel of Love, the Talmud, and Sorcery
Hisdadukh, blessed to be beautiful and learned, is the youngest child of Talmudic sage Rav Hisda. The world around her is full of conflict. Rome, fast becoming Christian, battles Zoroastrian Persia for dominance while Rav Hisda and his colleagues struggle to establish new Jewish traditions after the destruction of Jerusalem's Holy Temple. Against this backdrop Hisdadukh embarks on the tortuous path to become an enchantress in the very land where the word 'magic' originated. But the conflict affecting Hisdadukh most intimately arises when her father brings his two best students before her, a mere child, and asks her which one she will marry. Astonishingly, the girl replies, “Both of them.” Soon she marries the older student, although it becomes clear that the younger one has not lost interest in her. When her new-found happiness is derailed by a series of tragedies, a grieving Hisdadukh must decide if she does, indeed, wish to become a sorceress. Based on actual Talmud texts and populated with its rabbis and their families, Rav Hisda's Book I – Apprentice brings the world of the Talmud to life - from a woman's perspective.Praise for the Rashi’s Daughters “Anton delivers a tour de force.” —Library Journal“A compelling combination of drama, suspense, and romance.” —Lilith magazine
480 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 31, 2012
68 people are currently reading
1392 people want to read
About the author
Maggie Anton
14 books291 followersMaggie Anton is an award-winning author of historical fiction, as well as a Talmud scholar with expertise in Jewish women’s history. She was born Margaret Antonofsky in Los Angeles, California, where she still resides. In 1992 she joined a women’s Talmud class taught by Rachel Adler. There, to her surprise, she fell in love with Talmud, a passion that has continued unabated for over thirty years. Intrigued that the great Jewish scholar Rashi had no sons, only daughters, she started researching the family and their community.
Thus the award-winning trilogy Rashi’s Daughters was born in 2004, to be followed by National Jewish Book Award finalist, Rav Hisda’s Daughter: Apprentice and its sequel, Enchantress. Then she switched to nonfiction in 2016, winning the Gold Ben Franklin Award in the religion category for Fifty Shades of Talmud: What the First Rabbis Had to Say about You-Know What, a lighthearted in-depth tour of sexuality within the Talmud. In 2022, she returned to fiction with the Independent Publishers’ Silver Award-winning The Choice: A Novel of Love, Faith, and the Talmud, a wholly transformative novel that takes characters inspired by Chaim Potok and ages them into young adults in 1950s Brooklyn. Her latest historical novel is The Midwives’ Escape: from Egypt to Jericho, which describes the Exodus from the point of view of an Egyptian mother and daughter who join the Hebrews to follow Moses to the Promised Land.
Since 2005, Anton has lectured about the research behind her books at hundreds of venues throughout North America, Europe, and Israel. She still studies women and Talmud, albeit mostly online at https://www.conservativeyeshiva.org/l.... You can follow her blog and contact her at her website, www.maggieanton.com. You can also find her on Facebook and Goodreads. And if you liked this book, please give it a nice review at all the usual websites. Maggie has been married to David Parkhurst, her books’ illustrator, since 1970. They have two children, six grandchildren, and one cat.
Thus the award-winning trilogy Rashi’s Daughters was born in 2004, to be followed by National Jewish Book Award finalist, Rav Hisda’s Daughter: Apprentice and its sequel, Enchantress. Then she switched to nonfiction in 2016, winning the Gold Ben Franklin Award in the religion category for Fifty Shades of Talmud: What the First Rabbis Had to Say about You-Know What, a lighthearted in-depth tour of sexuality within the Talmud. In 2022, she returned to fiction with the Independent Publishers’ Silver Award-winning The Choice: A Novel of Love, Faith, and the Talmud, a wholly transformative novel that takes characters inspired by Chaim Potok and ages them into young adults in 1950s Brooklyn. Her latest historical novel is The Midwives’ Escape: from Egypt to Jericho, which describes the Exodus from the point of view of an Egyptian mother and daughter who join the Hebrews to follow Moses to the Promised Land.
Since 2005, Anton has lectured about the research behind her books at hundreds of venues throughout North America, Europe, and Israel. She still studies women and Talmud, albeit mostly online at https://www.conservativeyeshiva.org/l.... You can follow her blog and contact her at her website, www.maggieanton.com. You can also find her on Facebook and Goodreads. And if you liked this book, please give it a nice review at all the usual websites. Maggie has been married to David Parkhurst, her books’ illustrator, since 1970. They have two children, six grandchildren, and one cat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
February 11, 2013
This novel deals with the daughter of a Talmudic figure who lived in Persia. The main character, Hisdadukh, is mentioned in the Talmud. It actually means Hisda's daughter in Persian. Since relatively few names of women have come down to us from ancient Jewish sources, I would have assumed that the redactors of the Talmud had left her name out. Maggie Anton decided that Hisdadukh actually was her given name. I had a problem with this idea. She portrays Rav Hisda as a man who taught his daughter to read, consulted her about who she wished to marry, and had no problem with her sitting in on his Talmud classes. He must have had a great deal of respect for his daughter and her autonomy. So why would he have given her a generic name? That didn't make sense to me, but I got over it.
I got over it because I found this book brilliant and original. I am probably one of its ideal readers. An ideal reader of this book is someone who is educated in Judaism, interested in its history, and in women's historical practices.
Hisdadukh's studies in amulet making, and other Jewish magical practices set this book apart. They reveal a Judaism that is fundamentally different from the Jewish religion as it is currently practiced. I was taught that amulets were always regarded as superstitious among Jews, and that only the ignorant really believed in their power. Am Ha'aretz means someone who is ignorant in a contemporary Jewish context. In the context of this novel, it means someone who doesn't accept the authority of rabbis. Anton portrays these refuseniks as the majority of the Jewish community in Persia. In the time when Hisdadukh lived, the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem had been relatively recent. Rabbinic Judaism was an innovation that allowed Judaism to survive without a temple. I knew that, but I hadn't imagined that there could have been such tremendous resistance to this re-conceptualization of the religion. I should have. Historically, changes in religious outlook involve a slow process of evolution. They don't happen overnight. Occult folk traditions were also never completely eliminated from Judaism. My great grandfather considered astrology when he decided the date of my father's wedding. My grandmother did divination by reading the patterns of spilled chickpeas.
I think that readers who know little or nothing about Judaism may not understand or appreciate this book as much as I did. It seems to me that Maggie Anton assumes a certain amount of knowledge in her readers. For example, we are told that the Jews in Palestine during this period celebrated Tu B'Av as a holiday in which unmarried Jews can find mates. I ran a search on Tu B'Av and learned from the article on Tu B'Av on Wikipedia that in modern Israel it's the equivalent of Valentine's Day. Hisdadukh considered it an antidote to Tisha B'Av, the anniversary of the destruction of the Jewish Temple, which is still commemorated in modern times with a fast. Someone who is unfamiliar with the Jewish calendar would see the similarity between Tu B'Av and Tisha B'Av without realizing why they are similar. These names are actually dates. Tisha B'Av occurs on the 9th of the month of Av. Tu B'Av occurs less than a week later on the 15th of Av. This is not explained in the book. There are numerous details of Jewish life that aren't fully explicated for the general reader. That is the only weakness in Rav Hisda's Daughter that I can identify.
I consider this novel the best book that I've read so far in 2013. I will definitely want to obtain the sequels. In the mean time, I have a subject that I want to pursue in further research. I have just located The Women of the Talmud by Judith Z. Abrams and intend to read it by the end of March.
For my complete review see my February 2013 blog post "But Is It Really Jewish Magic?--Reading Rav Hisda's Daughter" at:
http://www.maskedpersona.blogspot.com
I got over it because I found this book brilliant and original. I am probably one of its ideal readers. An ideal reader of this book is someone who is educated in Judaism, interested in its history, and in women's historical practices.
Hisdadukh's studies in amulet making, and other Jewish magical practices set this book apart. They reveal a Judaism that is fundamentally different from the Jewish religion as it is currently practiced. I was taught that amulets were always regarded as superstitious among Jews, and that only the ignorant really believed in their power. Am Ha'aretz means someone who is ignorant in a contemporary Jewish context. In the context of this novel, it means someone who doesn't accept the authority of rabbis. Anton portrays these refuseniks as the majority of the Jewish community in Persia. In the time when Hisdadukh lived, the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem had been relatively recent. Rabbinic Judaism was an innovation that allowed Judaism to survive without a temple. I knew that, but I hadn't imagined that there could have been such tremendous resistance to this re-conceptualization of the religion. I should have. Historically, changes in religious outlook involve a slow process of evolution. They don't happen overnight. Occult folk traditions were also never completely eliminated from Judaism. My great grandfather considered astrology when he decided the date of my father's wedding. My grandmother did divination by reading the patterns of spilled chickpeas.
I think that readers who know little or nothing about Judaism may not understand or appreciate this book as much as I did. It seems to me that Maggie Anton assumes a certain amount of knowledge in her readers. For example, we are told that the Jews in Palestine during this period celebrated Tu B'Av as a holiday in which unmarried Jews can find mates. I ran a search on Tu B'Av and learned from the article on Tu B'Av on Wikipedia that in modern Israel it's the equivalent of Valentine's Day. Hisdadukh considered it an antidote to Tisha B'Av, the anniversary of the destruction of the Jewish Temple, which is still commemorated in modern times with a fast. Someone who is unfamiliar with the Jewish calendar would see the similarity between Tu B'Av and Tisha B'Av without realizing why they are similar. These names are actually dates. Tisha B'Av occurs on the 9th of the month of Av. Tu B'Av occurs less than a week later on the 15th of Av. This is not explained in the book. There are numerous details of Jewish life that aren't fully explicated for the general reader. That is the only weakness in Rav Hisda's Daughter that I can identify.
I consider this novel the best book that I've read so far in 2013. I will definitely want to obtain the sequels. In the mean time, I have a subject that I want to pursue in further research. I have just located The Women of the Talmud by Judith Z. Abrams and intend to read it by the end of March.
For my complete review see my February 2013 blog post "But Is It Really Jewish Magic?--Reading Rav Hisda's Daughter" at:
http://www.maskedpersona.blogspot.com
September 9, 2015
On many different levels, I am grateful to Maggie Anton for writing this luminous book.
When you study Talmud--the oral law accompanying the Torah that was originally passed down by word of mouth and eventually organized, edited, cataloged and written down--you learn the names of many different rabbis. You read their opinions, you observe them arguing with each other, but for you, the reader, there's no way of knowing what era they lived in, or what events impacted their lives. On the same page, you come across the comments of someone who lived in Babylon, the opinions of someone who lived during the Roman persecution, or the analysis of someone who lived in France around the year 1000 C.E.
What we know about the first centuries after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem comes to us like flashes of light. The Talmud is a remarkable document. There are discussions of great intricacy, where an agreement rests at the end of a long string of logic; probing psychological insights; passages of awe-inspiring humanity; and hilarious insults. In the course of the discussion of a particular law, the Gemara may reveal that a particular rabbi was rich or poor, or if he was in a stormy marriage, or that one rabbi made charcoal for a living (considered a very low occupation) but was rich in wisdom. Our knowledge of their daily lives appears in these tantalizing glimpses--mundane workaday details that shaped our Rabbi's opinions and decisions, decisions which have been codified through the centuries as unshakable Laws. The voices of women are absent. We know of women only through studying the laws that apply to them. Two thousand years ago, women were more or less possessions, ruled by their fathers, husbands or brothers.
Through the story of Hisdadukh, daughter of the wise, wealthy, and eminent Rav Hisda, Maggie Anton brings these silent women to life, revealing their prayers, their yearnings, their customs, their labors, their relationships, their tragic losses, and the power that came from sorcery. Rav Hisda's Daughter is a must-read for anyone interested in women and the ancient world, and if that's not your thing, the novel is a fascinating tapestry of Jewish history, early Christian history, and the history of the Middle East. I couldn't put it down.
When you study Talmud--the oral law accompanying the Torah that was originally passed down by word of mouth and eventually organized, edited, cataloged and written down--you learn the names of many different rabbis. You read their opinions, you observe them arguing with each other, but for you, the reader, there's no way of knowing what era they lived in, or what events impacted their lives. On the same page, you come across the comments of someone who lived in Babylon, the opinions of someone who lived during the Roman persecution, or the analysis of someone who lived in France around the year 1000 C.E.
What we know about the first centuries after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem comes to us like flashes of light. The Talmud is a remarkable document. There are discussions of great intricacy, where an agreement rests at the end of a long string of logic; probing psychological insights; passages of awe-inspiring humanity; and hilarious insults. In the course of the discussion of a particular law, the Gemara may reveal that a particular rabbi was rich or poor, or if he was in a stormy marriage, or that one rabbi made charcoal for a living (considered a very low occupation) but was rich in wisdom. Our knowledge of their daily lives appears in these tantalizing glimpses--mundane workaday details that shaped our Rabbi's opinions and decisions, decisions which have been codified through the centuries as unshakable Laws. The voices of women are absent. We know of women only through studying the laws that apply to them. Two thousand years ago, women were more or less possessions, ruled by their fathers, husbands or brothers.
Through the story of Hisdadukh, daughter of the wise, wealthy, and eminent Rav Hisda, Maggie Anton brings these silent women to life, revealing their prayers, their yearnings, their customs, their labors, their relationships, their tragic losses, and the power that came from sorcery. Rav Hisda's Daughter is a must-read for anyone interested in women and the ancient world, and if that's not your thing, the novel is a fascinating tapestry of Jewish history, early Christian history, and the history of the Middle East. I couldn't put it down.
January 29, 2016
Hisdadukh, blessed to be both beautiful and learned, is the youngest child of Talmudic sage Rav Hisda. The series about her unfolds in third-century Babylonia, in the household of her father, one of a handful of beleaguered rabbis struggling to establish new Jewish traditions after the destruction of Jerusalem's Holy Temple.
The world around her is full of conflict. Rome, fast becoming Christian, battles Zoroastrian Persia for dominance while Rav Hisda and his colleagues face defiance by those Jews who cling to the old ways. Against this backdrop Hisdadukh embarks on the tortuous path to become an enchantress in the very land where the word 'magic' originated - where some women draw on the occult to protect and to heal as some employ sorcery to gain power for themselves and to injure others.
But the conflict affecting Hisdadukh most intimately arises when her father brings his two best students before her, a mere child, and asks her which one she will marry. Astonishingly, Hisdadukh replies, “Both of them.”
Thus she marries the older student, although it becomes clear that the younger one has not lost interest in her.
Despite her growing powers, Hisdadukh soon suffers a woman’s most devastating losses. Despairing, she flees to Eretz Israel, her people’s ancient homeland. There she confronts her greatest challenges – an evil sorceress intent on destroying her, a previous suitor she despises, and a charming mosaic artisan who offers her happiness at the cost of repudiating everything her family values most.
The world around her is full of conflict. Rome, fast becoming Christian, battles Zoroastrian Persia for dominance while Rav Hisda and his colleagues face defiance by those Jews who cling to the old ways. Against this backdrop Hisdadukh embarks on the tortuous path to become an enchantress in the very land where the word 'magic' originated - where some women draw on the occult to protect and to heal as some employ sorcery to gain power for themselves and to injure others.
But the conflict affecting Hisdadukh most intimately arises when her father brings his two best students before her, a mere child, and asks her which one she will marry. Astonishingly, Hisdadukh replies, “Both of them.”
Thus she marries the older student, although it becomes clear that the younger one has not lost interest in her.
Despite her growing powers, Hisdadukh soon suffers a woman’s most devastating losses. Despairing, she flees to Eretz Israel, her people’s ancient homeland. There she confronts her greatest challenges – an evil sorceress intent on destroying her, a previous suitor she despises, and a charming mosaic artisan who offers her happiness at the cost of repudiating everything her family values most.
July 6, 2022
Simply getting new knowledge of an era and community I was not aware of boosts this novel’s star ratings. When the Jewish exile in Babylonia ended, many chose to stay rather than return to Zion. Much of Rabbinic tradition, culminating in the Babylonian Talmud, stems from this community. Many of the characters and their debates over Jewish law and tradition, including Rav Hisda’s daughter (Hisdadukh), are mentioned in the Talmud. In fact, Hisdadukh is the most mentioned woman in the Talmud. Anton takes the skeletal structure left by historians, archaeology, and, of course, the Talmud, to weave a fairly compelling tale filled with wonderful details of life in Babylon and Israel in the 3rd century. At least what life was like for a well to do Rabbinic family that was Rav Hisda’s. Told in the first person by Hisdadukh, from age 10 to 25, we get a particularly good feel of the life of women in such a patriarchal time, even though she was far more educated and privileged than most women then. There is a 2nd volume which I assume is the rest of her life and her continuing studies to become a sorceress of sorts (I am definitely considering reading it someday.) Sometimes the book bogs down somewhat with the minutiae of arcane jewish law and customs. Some of it is oh so wise and some brings about a WTF?!? reaction. And I couldn’t help notice the irony of a people, who repeatedly celebrate Pesach (their word for Passover,) remembering their liberation from Egyptian bondage, are themselves owners of slaves. It is brought up once in a debate of how to interpret the law on Jewish slaves in Israel (it’s justified.) Anton brings slavery up as well in her Afterword with, more or less, that’s just the way it was. Ultimately, that’s what I want from historical fiction, the way it was.
December 19, 2015
Rav Hisda's daughters takes a slightly different angle than the novels of Rashi's daughters. Jewish mysticism is explored more in this book. The heroine, Hisdadukh, is in a position where she has the ability to learn the ways of traditional Jewish women and amulet making as a trade. She also has the advantage of being able to learn Talmud and Torah from her father and his students. She excels in nearly everything she does and yet tragedy strikes her at nearly every turn.
As always Maggie Anton has done a tremendous amount of research when writing her novels. I'm always biting my nails with anticipation awaiting her next novel. I haven't yet began Enchantress, the sequel to Apprentice, but I already have it bought. I'm also hoping there will be more stories.
Anton's literary works are so well researched, so well written. I was first introduced to her novels by my Hebrew teacher. I didn't know what to think of at first. My only introduction to Jewish novels were Chaim Potok's The Chosen. When I first picked up Anton's book, I was expecting some more of the same. Anton blew me away. She opened my eyes to ancient Jewish practice, to the roles of women, and to Jewish prayers. She made me more interested in works written by Jewish authors. She has revived my interest in practicing Judaism, which is something I didn't think was possible. I have so much to credit her for. Maggie Anton, your books are amazing. You make me dream of worlds far away and you make them seem so close to me, almost as if I can reach out and touch them.
As always Maggie Anton has done a tremendous amount of research when writing her novels. I'm always biting my nails with anticipation awaiting her next novel. I haven't yet began Enchantress, the sequel to Apprentice, but I already have it bought. I'm also hoping there will be more stories.
Anton's literary works are so well researched, so well written. I was first introduced to her novels by my Hebrew teacher. I didn't know what to think of at first. My only introduction to Jewish novels were Chaim Potok's The Chosen. When I first picked up Anton's book, I was expecting some more of the same. Anton blew me away. She opened my eyes to ancient Jewish practice, to the roles of women, and to Jewish prayers. She made me more interested in works written by Jewish authors. She has revived my interest in practicing Judaism, which is something I didn't think was possible. I have so much to credit her for. Maggie Anton, your books are amazing. You make me dream of worlds far away and you make them seem so close to me, almost as if I can reach out and touch them.
January 25, 2022
Like the journey through the desert the protagonist goes on, this book was sure long and dry. What I expected was a historical enemies-to-lovers story with some spicy Jewish mysticism, what I got was a 500-page history book with endless discussions on rabbinic law and lengthy descriptions of agriculture.
Even if it hadn't been for attending Jewish school for 15 years and being familiar with a lot of the religious aspects introduced, the debates and unnecessary details dragged the story out. The relationship between Hisdadukh and Rami was built up nicely but as a modern reader, it's hard not to cringe at the romance between an 11-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy. Throughout the entire story, especially near the end, I was waiting for Hisdadukh to do something rebellious or give in to her desires as her character felt oddly disconnected from her faith.
On a positive note, it was an interesting insight into the various cultures and faiths in a relatively unknown time to me and to follow Hisdadukh grow into and accept her own sexuality. Also that story about the gay rabbis was a nice but left me wanting to know more. The author's research and dedication was evident and I will, at some point, pick up the continuation to see if Dodi grows into the powerful female character I was hoping to read about.
Even if it hadn't been for attending Jewish school for 15 years and being familiar with a lot of the religious aspects introduced, the debates and unnecessary details dragged the story out. The relationship between Hisdadukh and Rami was built up nicely but as a modern reader, it's hard not to cringe at the romance between an 11-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy. Throughout the entire story, especially near the end, I was waiting for Hisdadukh to do something rebellious or give in to her desires as her character felt oddly disconnected from her faith.
On a positive note, it was an interesting insight into the various cultures and faiths in a relatively unknown time to me and to follow Hisdadukh grow into and accept her own sexuality. Also that story about the gay rabbis was a nice but left me wanting to know more. The author's research and dedication was evident and I will, at some point, pick up the continuation to see if Dodi grows into the powerful female character I was hoping to read about.
October 8, 2012
I had never heard of Rav Hisda, but had so loved Maggie Anton's "Rashi's Daughters" my expectations were very high. At first I was disappointed.... All seemed too esoteric, too much of the hair-splitting arguments that bore me, but then I did finally get into the story. I know little to nothing, really, about this period of Jewish history during the Babylonian exile, and the story did bring the period to life. I was quite surprised at all the talk of incantations, amulets, demons and spells connected to Judaism, and found why my husband often used to call our little dog "Mazik," (impish demon). I found myself eager to keep reading once I was halfway through... I wavered on my star rating....probably 3.5 - 4.
December 29, 2020
Historical Fiction is my jam. I was so excited to read this book about a young girl growing up in Babylonia. I was ready for Talmud, love, and sorcery as promised on the cover. Unfortunately, there was too much focus on the history that the stories lagged in all three promised subjects. The writing felt too passive to feel anything and I fell asleep every 10-20 pages. I enjoyed the topic and have even enjoyed this author’s previous books, but not this one. Perhaps the research of the era was too forefront and it did not compliment the plot. Too many characters that were not key to the story - but a way for the author to show us what she learned about the time period. I felt this same way when reading “Underground Railroad”. 2.5 stars.
January 7, 2013
I like the exposure to this period in history. Specially the discussions about the law. I could have used less talk of romance and descriptions of the sort. It took way from the overall theme of the book. I would have liked more descriptions as far as the particulars of the time period (clothing, etc.) I found I had to look these things up to get an overall feel for the times. Complexity of theme and writing was fine, but a bit over simplified at certain points. Would recommend if you have time to research along with the book.
August 14, 2015
This is one of my favorite books. You immediately feel as if you are transported in time. It is full of rich history of fourth century Jews in Babylon and the sorcery and superstitions they practiced. The characters are vivid and captivating. I couldn't put this book down and finished this and Enchantress in a weekend. The greatest thing about this book is that it centers on a woman who would have normally been overlooked and forgotten during this time in history. The author breathes life into a woman who has been left behind in the history books.
October 24, 2012
Did not care for this one. More than I cared to know about endless discussions of rabbinic minutiae, women's menses, & demons! Some of the content was a bit interesting regarding customs of Persia & Judaism in the 300's (?). Can't recommend as an engaging book; more of an endurance contest if one cares to finish it; I finished, but never really connected.
March 12, 2022
Good for the purposes of the class I was reading it for; however, doesn't really hold as a novel for the sake of being a novel. Incredibly hard to get through because of the flat characters, poor, drawn out plot, and lackluster writing. And as far as its educational benefits, I really could've just read the epilogue.
Read
August 7, 2012I enjoyed this book. It was good historical fiction, though a little dense with Talmud. Sometimes I just wanted to get back to the storyline. About 3/4 through I thought I wouldn't read the next one - but she left the ending hanging just enough that I want to find out what happened ...
September 12, 2015
It was interesting learning about how the Jewish people structured their life around the laws of the rabbis. I am definitely happy not to have lived like this. Women had hardly any rights. They also mixed their biblical laws with superstitions.
September 11, 2014
Another fabulous story from Maggie Anton! Loved it!
October 29, 2024
(Note: this review was written after completing both books in the series and may address some aspects of the second book, but will be mostly without spoilers.)
---Plot/Intro---
Historical fiction at its most unique as we venture back in time over 1,700 years not to see the continued fall and decline of the Roman Empire, but a peek at its eastern rival, the Sasanian Empire during its continued rise in power. But no, not a pair of books about court intrigue at the highest order (though that we get some of that in the second book), but a slice of life of especially pious Jews given a surprising amount of freedom to live as they see fit.
In two books spanning close to 800 pages, we find ourselves following Hisdadukh, the camera that moves, as she provides day by day, month by month, and later on, year by year observations of the comings and goings of the life of a burgeoning rabbinical court, her own trials and tribulations, and, in the second book, a surprising amount of magic including possibly more than one talking cat.
---Interesting Highlights---
“None of these great men greeted me, although a few knelt to tell Chama what a brave man his father was or what a fine scholar he’d been. In their eyes I scarcely counted as a mourner. Bitter bile rose in my throat as I realized what they must be thinking—I was still young and fertile and would soon find a new husband, while Ukva had lost his one, irreplaceable brother.
“Most important, however, is that another woman will marry him if she doesn’t, for nobody is concerned that a man’s third wife will die.”
“Why is a woman widowed twice considered an unmarriageable katlanit, but nobody holds Abaye responsible for the deaths of his two wives?” I asked.
“I don’t know, yet that is the law,” he replied.
““Even your mother, even your grandmother, even a woman standing on her grave may adorn herself,” Father retorted. “Six or sixty, they all run to dance when they hear the timbrels sound.””
“It was indeed a fine view, but I was more pleased to see the roof’s sturdy railing.”
---Review---
There’s probably never been a book—or two in this case though for the sake of the review, they will be treated as one—that has stirred up such conflicting emotions as Rav Hisda’s Daughter. A rare book that three quarters in almost became a DNF, but after pushing through to the finish line, sticking around may have been worth it...barely.
This is not a bad book. In fact, it’s very unique. Historical fiction may be popular, but the period the author has selected and the viewpoint no less on paper would most likely interest only a select number of people. Yet we get what seems to be a relatively accurate and realistic look at what life may have been like for financially secure Jews in what could be considered a mini golden age of sorts.
Only towards the very end when Rome officially becomes Christian is there even a whiff of trouble over the horizon. In fact, that—not the new religion—but the lack of a real feeling of suspense may be one of the issues that made this a difficult book to get through. In a nutshell, if one loves the Book of Ruth, but wants an 800 page version of it with some magic at the end because yes, what begins as historical fiction almost out of nowhere transmogrifies into historical fantasy (and literally at times with at least one character temporarily turning into a donkey in front of everyone’s eyes).
Hisdadukh, our heroine and eyes for the entire tale, is not the easiest character to relate to or even to root for. The daughter of a famous Rabbi noted many a time in the Talmud, she’s as pious as one can be. She’s also, as noted, as rich as most any Jew in her period can become (later on a private bathhouse is built in her home). She’s studious and devout and again, later on, becomes a fierce wielder of magic. Basically, a 3rd century Jewish Mary Sue.
Nevertheless, Rav Hisda’s Daughter for all its faults is also an educational book. The author did their homework and even has notes on the official homepage linked to each chapter to back up the Talmudic sources each chapter draws upon. But that as well can become an issue when the book at times feels less like a coherent, gripping story and more like a semblance of a tale connecting aggadah to each other with a fair share of baraita thrown in for good measure.
The first book may be enough for most. Though if one still has an urge to see more fantastic elements come into play, then continue on at one’s own risk.
3/5
(3.5 = book one, 2.5 = book two)
---Plot/Intro---
Historical fiction at its most unique as we venture back in time over 1,700 years not to see the continued fall and decline of the Roman Empire, but a peek at its eastern rival, the Sasanian Empire during its continued rise in power. But no, not a pair of books about court intrigue at the highest order (though that we get some of that in the second book), but a slice of life of especially pious Jews given a surprising amount of freedom to live as they see fit.
In two books spanning close to 800 pages, we find ourselves following Hisdadukh, the camera that moves, as she provides day by day, month by month, and later on, year by year observations of the comings and goings of the life of a burgeoning rabbinical court, her own trials and tribulations, and, in the second book, a surprising amount of magic including possibly more than one talking cat.
---Interesting Highlights---
“None of these great men greeted me, although a few knelt to tell Chama what a brave man his father was or what a fine scholar he’d been. In their eyes I scarcely counted as a mourner. Bitter bile rose in my throat as I realized what they must be thinking—I was still young and fertile and would soon find a new husband, while Ukva had lost his one, irreplaceable brother.
“Most important, however, is that another woman will marry him if she doesn’t, for nobody is concerned that a man’s third wife will die.”
“Why is a woman widowed twice considered an unmarriageable katlanit, but nobody holds Abaye responsible for the deaths of his two wives?” I asked.
“I don’t know, yet that is the law,” he replied.
““Even your mother, even your grandmother, even a woman standing on her grave may adorn herself,” Father retorted. “Six or sixty, they all run to dance when they hear the timbrels sound.””
“It was indeed a fine view, but I was more pleased to see the roof’s sturdy railing.”
---Review---
There’s probably never been a book—or two in this case though for the sake of the review, they will be treated as one—that has stirred up such conflicting emotions as Rav Hisda’s Daughter. A rare book that three quarters in almost became a DNF, but after pushing through to the finish line, sticking around may have been worth it...barely.
This is not a bad book. In fact, it’s very unique. Historical fiction may be popular, but the period the author has selected and the viewpoint no less on paper would most likely interest only a select number of people. Yet we get what seems to be a relatively accurate and realistic look at what life may have been like for financially secure Jews in what could be considered a mini golden age of sorts.
Only towards the very end when Rome officially becomes Christian is there even a whiff of trouble over the horizon. In fact, that—not the new religion—but the lack of a real feeling of suspense may be one of the issues that made this a difficult book to get through. In a nutshell, if one loves the Book of Ruth, but wants an 800 page version of it with some magic at the end because yes, what begins as historical fiction almost out of nowhere transmogrifies into historical fantasy (and literally at times with at least one character temporarily turning into a donkey in front of everyone’s eyes).
Hisdadukh, our heroine and eyes for the entire tale, is not the easiest character to relate to or even to root for. The daughter of a famous Rabbi noted many a time in the Talmud, she’s as pious as one can be. She’s also, as noted, as rich as most any Jew in her period can become (later on a private bathhouse is built in her home). She’s studious and devout and again, later on, becomes a fierce wielder of magic. Basically, a 3rd century Jewish Mary Sue.
Nevertheless, Rav Hisda’s Daughter for all its faults is also an educational book. The author did their homework and even has notes on the official homepage linked to each chapter to back up the Talmudic sources each chapter draws upon. But that as well can become an issue when the book at times feels less like a coherent, gripping story and more like a semblance of a tale connecting aggadah to each other with a fair share of baraita thrown in for good measure.
The first book may be enough for most. Though if one still has an urge to see more fantastic elements come into play, then continue on at one’s own risk.
3/5
(3.5 = book one, 2.5 = book two)
September 12, 2022
A wonderful book. Anton has done a remarkable job weaving what must have been years of research into a story. Despite packing that research into nearly every line of the book, the writing and the scenes flow easily: for me, this was a page-turner. I enjoyed spending time with the characters, understanding their outlooks and concerns, and traveling with them through their civilizations.
Separately, I was impressed by how so much research could be woven into scenes and dialogues—how much history and Jewish learning could be transmitted through fiction while also maintaining my interest in the story, and making it make sense.
Scanning some of the more critical reviews here, I can understand some of the criticism. You can imagine the writer wanting to highlight some bit of Talmud research and then crafting a scene to highlight it, rather than wanting to tell the story first and only fitting research into it if possible. So there is not a tight plot, more of a roaming one: multiple love triangles, multiple trips over the silk road(s), many Talmudic arguments, many rabbis, many minor characters, many locations, many descriptions and contrasts of Roman or Persian or Jewish customs and beliefs and clothes and histories. If you want to learn all that history, and travel all that terrain, it’s great and you will find it all engaging; but if you expect a tightly crafted adventure, you may be disappointed. I wonder if the mention of “sorcery” on the cover oversells the magic in the book. This is not fantasy; it is realistic historical fiction. It focuses on magic, but only as it was understood at the time, by real people in the real world. So I can understand some of the criticism, yes, but, it did not resonate with me at all: I just really enjoyed the book, enjoyed its story and setting.
Put another way: one important thread of the story is about the making of a real-world mosaic, which Anton fictionalizes into being the portrait of her main character. Describing mosaics, her character says that when she looks at them up close, she sees only their individual little colored stones. But stepping back, those little stones resolve into a shaded, subtly colored, vivid picture. This book’s many details and scenes and characters and Talmud research—those are all the little stones, and when taken as a whole, they resolve into a wonderful history and story.
Separately, I was impressed by how so much research could be woven into scenes and dialogues—how much history and Jewish learning could be transmitted through fiction while also maintaining my interest in the story, and making it make sense.
Scanning some of the more critical reviews here, I can understand some of the criticism. You can imagine the writer wanting to highlight some bit of Talmud research and then crafting a scene to highlight it, rather than wanting to tell the story first and only fitting research into it if possible. So there is not a tight plot, more of a roaming one: multiple love triangles, multiple trips over the silk road(s), many Talmudic arguments, many rabbis, many minor characters, many locations, many descriptions and contrasts of Roman or Persian or Jewish customs and beliefs and clothes and histories. If you want to learn all that history, and travel all that terrain, it’s great and you will find it all engaging; but if you expect a tightly crafted adventure, you may be disappointed. I wonder if the mention of “sorcery” on the cover oversells the magic in the book. This is not fantasy; it is realistic historical fiction. It focuses on magic, but only as it was understood at the time, by real people in the real world. So I can understand some of the criticism, yes, but, it did not resonate with me at all: I just really enjoyed the book, enjoyed its story and setting.
Put another way: one important thread of the story is about the making of a real-world mosaic, which Anton fictionalizes into being the portrait of her main character. Describing mosaics, her character says that when she looks at them up close, she sees only their individual little colored stones. But stepping back, those little stones resolve into a shaded, subtly colored, vivid picture. This book’s many details and scenes and characters and Talmud research—those are all the little stones, and when taken as a whole, they resolve into a wonderful history and story.
July 28, 2022
Maggie Anton masterfully weaves an engaging tale of many of the Talmudic personalities active in Third Century C.E. Babylon and Israel, all from a woman’s point-of-view. In addition to studying Talmud herself, Anton has done a copious amount of historical research about these times. Yet it is hard to reconcile the rational approach to Talmud with the widespread belief in kishuf, witchcraft. While sorcery was primarily practiced by women, the protagonist, Hisdadukh, straddles both worlds. She can give as well as take in Talmudic argumentation.
Anton portrays Jewish women as attending synagogue regularly, but from what I have seen of ancient synagogues, there were no women’s sections. The novel shows the prevalence of slavery; Anton cites scholars who believe that as much as 25% of the ancient Roman world was composed of slaves. Yet slave ownership must have been confined to the ruling elite, when most of the ancient Roman and Persian was populated by poor tenant farmers.
Not since Milton Steinberg’s “As A Driven Leaf” has there been such a fascinating novel of Talmudic times.
Anton portrays Jewish women as attending synagogue regularly, but from what I have seen of ancient synagogues, there were no women’s sections. The novel shows the prevalence of slavery; Anton cites scholars who believe that as much as 25% of the ancient Roman world was composed of slaves. Yet slave ownership must have been confined to the ruling elite, when most of the ancient Roman and Persian was populated by poor tenant farmers.
Not since Milton Steinberg’s “As A Driven Leaf” has there been such a fascinating novel of Talmudic times.
June 17, 2021
So many complicated feelings about this book. I love the idea, the evocation of the world was beautiful, especially in the blending of halacha, magic, and general antiquity.
And it took Hisdadukh at least 2/3s of the book to come into her own as a character rather than as a pair of binoculars into rabbinic life and it was mostly her relationship with Rava (aka Rav Darcy) who made that happen.
Some of that is the difficulty of writing children as characters contiguous with their adult selves. And some of that is in the way that the world overwhelms the characters.
I’m so glad this book exists and also I am not entirely sure how I feel about it.
And it took Hisdadukh at least 2/3s of the book to come into her own as a character rather than as a pair of binoculars into rabbinic life and it was mostly her relationship with Rava (aka Rav Darcy) who made that happen.
Some of that is the difficulty of writing children as characters contiguous with their adult selves. And some of that is in the way that the world overwhelms the characters.
I’m so glad this book exists and also I am not entirely sure how I feel about it.
March 5, 2017
I don't give out 5 stars very often. And I'd probably give 4.5 if that were an option. But the richness of the description of the Sages is just amazing. And learning parts of the Gemara afterwards and coming across statements or arguments that were described in this book was just so cool.
May 13, 2020
Very informative and historically rich with character development. This book had me looking for more info on the time period, because it makes you want to immerse yourself into the story. SO many facts based on real people; this book is #1 in a trilogy.
March 28, 2025
I had read Maggie Anton's three other books on Rashi's Daughters so I picked this up. I still enjoyed the story she builds about the daughter of a rabbi in Babylonia, but I found that sometimes there was too much quoting of the Talmud that did not advance the story.
November 20, 2018
Great read. Historical fiction. Lots of Talmud throughout
April 18, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this book about ancient times when it was hard to be an independent woman.
January 5, 2021
Fun read by the author of Rashi’s daughters. A little of white magic (kabbalah), some romance and a fictional Jewish historical background.
did-not-finish
March 30, 2022It's not a bad book, but it just didn't engage me. I set it down and then forgot about it for a week.
June 19, 2024
this was pretty good but not so much so that i feel motivated to read the next one
April 30, 2025
Such an interesting time in history! This was a fascinating story of Roman times in Palestine and Persian history.
July 1, 2025
I loved this book so much, I read it a second time, this time for The Talmud Book Club. It is delightful, sad and informative!
December 14, 2017
This is a story about a girl/young woman in third century Babylonia who is the daughter of a famous rabbi and becomes an enchantress. Making bowls and amulets to protect pregnant women, children and travelers, she also studies Torah and debates issues of Mishna with her two successive husbands, both of whom are also accomplished rabbis. She combats witches and curses placed on her family while also fighting for a measure of power over her own life, children and land in a system that makes this profoundly difficult.
The first thing I want to note is that this book would have been a lot of fun for me when I was 12-14. Though there are sexual themes, the bulk of the text is a coming of age story about what womanhood meant in a profoundly misogynist age and what agency would mean within an ancient society. The apprentice narrative within YA is one of my favorite things about historical fiction YA and fantasy—and this book doesn’t disappoint. While Hisdadukh faces major tragedies, her power to handle them gradually increases over the course of the story.
I like the ambiguous depiction of magic in the story, which allows for different interpretations: 1. Magic and grace inspired by piety both exist , 2. Only grace inspired by piety exists, or 3. All of what appears to be magic is coincidence. While I love a good fantasy novel and visual magic, I appreciate how well integrated the historical aspect is with the fantasy elements.
Well-researched (to the degree possible), this book tries to fit stories from the Talmud into what is known about the cultural context of third-century Babylonian society. Hisdadukh navigates a world where rabbis have ambiguous authority among Sura’s Jewish population, though they command a level of respect. The world she lives in is not egalitarian —there is slavery, misogyny, and routine persecution from Persian kings—and the novel depicts her coming up against the injustices of her age and choosing to combat or sometimes accept them. The novel also shows how diverse the religious world of ancient Persia was and how there were a variety of Jewish practices in the ancient world. While Hisdadukh has opinions about what the right way to worship and live is, the narrative demonstrates that differences of opinion on what Torah and Mishna dictate would not have stopped Jewish populations from taking an interest in one another or living side by side. There are also converts in Hisdadukh’s Sura, and the text outlines what their lives would have been like. While a lot of this is conjecture, the thought that goes into the narrative is really good.
If you like historical fiction like “Anna of Byzantium” which depict powerful women navigating the patriarchal societies of their time, or books like Anita Diamant’s The Red Tent, which explore female figures in Jewish holy texts as empathetic Human figures, this is a great book to read.
The first thing I want to note is that this book would have been a lot of fun for me when I was 12-14. Though there are sexual themes, the bulk of the text is a coming of age story about what womanhood meant in a profoundly misogynist age and what agency would mean within an ancient society. The apprentice narrative within YA is one of my favorite things about historical fiction YA and fantasy—and this book doesn’t disappoint. While Hisdadukh faces major tragedies, her power to handle them gradually increases over the course of the story.
I like the ambiguous depiction of magic in the story, which allows for different interpretations: 1. Magic and grace inspired by piety both exist , 2. Only grace inspired by piety exists, or 3. All of what appears to be magic is coincidence. While I love a good fantasy novel and visual magic, I appreciate how well integrated the historical aspect is with the fantasy elements.
Well-researched (to the degree possible), this book tries to fit stories from the Talmud into what is known about the cultural context of third-century Babylonian society. Hisdadukh navigates a world where rabbis have ambiguous authority among Sura’s Jewish population, though they command a level of respect. The world she lives in is not egalitarian —there is slavery, misogyny, and routine persecution from Persian kings—and the novel depicts her coming up against the injustices of her age and choosing to combat or sometimes accept them. The novel also shows how diverse the religious world of ancient Persia was and how there were a variety of Jewish practices in the ancient world. While Hisdadukh has opinions about what the right way to worship and live is, the narrative demonstrates that differences of opinion on what Torah and Mishna dictate would not have stopped Jewish populations from taking an interest in one another or living side by side. There are also converts in Hisdadukh’s Sura, and the text outlines what their lives would have been like. While a lot of this is conjecture, the thought that goes into the narrative is really good.
If you like historical fiction like “Anna of Byzantium” which depict powerful women navigating the patriarchal societies of their time, or books like Anita Diamant’s The Red Tent, which explore female figures in Jewish holy texts as empathetic Human figures, this is a great book to read.
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