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Late Blossoms
★★★★★ “Merav Fima’s splendid debut is an homage to the magic of the city of Jerusalem, interlinked through the lives and art of the women who shaped Israel’s cultural heritage.” Zsolt Alapi, author of My Brother’s Keeper
Ten women.
All of them migrants.
All of them artists.
A singular Jerusalem.
Anna Ticho is a seasoned Viennese hostess who longs to start painting again, though the desolation of Jerusalem offers little inspiration. Even though Rachel is gaining a reputation as the national poetess, she is ostracized by her colleagues due to her illness. Young Zelda struggles to reconcile her artistic aspirations with her family's religious observance. Else is persecuted by the Nazis as a "degenerate artist," only to be ridiculed by her peers once she escapes to Jerusalem.
Inspired by historical figures, these are among the characters who reappear in this collection of linked short stories. Meeting at Ticho House to share their creative work and discuss the difficulties of writing and painting in a new and unfamiliar environment, language, and culture, these women shaped the emerging State of Israel’s literary, artistic, cultural, and intellectual scenes.
Late Blossoms captures a vivid image of Jerusalem, past and present, through the eyes of its diverse inhabitants, specifically historical and contemporary migrant women artists, while exploring such universal challenges as childlessness and unrequited love, as well as discrimination by the patriarchal literary and artistic establishments of their time.
Ten women.
All of them migrants.
All of them artists.
A singular Jerusalem.
Anna Ticho is a seasoned Viennese hostess who longs to start painting again, though the desolation of Jerusalem offers little inspiration. Even though Rachel is gaining a reputation as the national poetess, she is ostracized by her colleagues due to her illness. Young Zelda struggles to reconcile her artistic aspirations with her family's religious observance. Else is persecuted by the Nazis as a "degenerate artist," only to be ridiculed by her peers once she escapes to Jerusalem.
Inspired by historical figures, these are among the characters who reappear in this collection of linked short stories. Meeting at Ticho House to share their creative work and discuss the difficulties of writing and painting in a new and unfamiliar environment, language, and culture, these women shaped the emerging State of Israel’s literary, artistic, cultural, and intellectual scenes.
Late Blossoms captures a vivid image of Jerusalem, past and present, through the eyes of its diverse inhabitants, specifically historical and contemporary migrant women artists, while exploring such universal challenges as childlessness and unrequited love, as well as discrimination by the patriarchal literary and artistic establishments of their time.
169 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 21, 2025
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22 people want to read
About the author
Merav Fima
2 books1 followerMerav Fima is a writer, translator, and literary critic currently based in Melbourne, Australia. She is the author of the forthcoming Sephardic migration novel The Rose of Thirteen Petals and the Pomegranate Tree (Running Wild Press, 2026) and of the short story collection Late Blossoms (Vine Leaves Press, October 2025). She holds a Ph.D. in Creative Writing from Monash University and her work has appeared in anthologies and literary journals worldwide, including: Meanjin Quarterly; Parchment; Poetica Magazine; and The Australian Book Review.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
October 29, 2025
An inspired book about remarkle woman. Ten jews woman. All of them migrants and artists. We start with the story of Anna Tiched that will be a famous painter that will host soirées for reunite different artists. Is in Thiched house that all the woman reunited and share their creative work just like the difficult to preserve their Israel´s culture in the western world. All these womans are ostracized by their condition as woman, their religion and identity. But each one is unique. I especialy was inspired by Rachel and Else stories. Rachel was a infectious disease but still became one of greasted poets. Else is persecuted by the Nazis as a "degenerate artist,"but still manage to write and paint beauthiful bibical parables.
I enjoy very much to know Jerusalem for the eyes of these women. And is more wonderful to know that these women did in fact existed. The last paired of storys show modern Jerusalem and how the woman still fight to be artists and find love in their lives. A book that introduce me such amazing woman and made want to search more about them.
I enjoy very much to know Jerusalem for the eyes of these women. And is more wonderful to know that these women did in fact existed. The last paired of storys show modern Jerusalem and how the woman still fight to be artists and find love in their lives. A book that introduce me such amazing woman and made want to search more about them.
November 6, 2025
Jerusalem has been in the Australian media lately because our Foreign Minister didn't know (or pretended not to know for political reasons?) that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and has been since 1980. Like the existence of Israel itself, this is contested territory and there's a long and complex history with waters muddied by propaganda claims — so let's not go there.
What's interesting to me is, what might it be like to live a creative life in Jerusalem amid a mix of ethnicities, languages and cultures?
Merav Fima is a writer, translator, and literary critic currently based in Melbourne, Australia. She is the author of the forthcoming Sephardic migration novel The Rose of Thirteen Petals and the Pomegranate Tree (Running Wild Press, 2026). Late Blossoms (2025) is her collection of short stories.
The Author's Note begins by citing Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own, where she writes that
This was the catalyst for Merav Fima to imagine just such a conversation between the great female writers, poets and artists — all of them migrants — of Israel's founding generation.
The collection begins with 'Bride Immaculate' a story set in the fledgling State of Israel and the effect of its founding on people of different faiths. The central character is a 27-year-old nun sent from France to care for the ailing convent community, but she falls in love with a young Arab and is exiled from the convent when her superiors find out. Her departure coincides with his abandonment of her, but this is 1948 and he leaves not for the cynical reasons that the abbess had scornfully predicted.
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2025/11/06/l...
What's interesting to me is, what might it be like to live a creative life in Jerusalem amid a mix of ethnicities, languages and cultures?
Merav Fima is a writer, translator, and literary critic currently based in Melbourne, Australia. She is the author of the forthcoming Sephardic migration novel The Rose of Thirteen Petals and the Pomegranate Tree (Running Wild Press, 2026). Late Blossoms (2025) is her collection of short stories.
The Author's Note begins by citing Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own, where she writes that
...it would be interesting to imagine a meeting between the four great English novelists of the nineteenth century: Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Emily Bronte and George Eliot. She states that the only thing they have in common is that not one of them bore a child.
This was the catalyst for Merav Fima to imagine just such a conversation between the great female writers, poets and artists — all of them migrants — of Israel's founding generation.
The collection begins with 'Bride Immaculate' a story set in the fledgling State of Israel and the effect of its founding on people of different faiths. The central character is a 27-year-old nun sent from France to care for the ailing convent community, but she falls in love with a young Arab and is exiled from the convent when her superiors find out. Her departure coincides with his abandonment of her, but this is 1948 and he leaves not for the cynical reasons that the abbess had scornfully predicted.
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2025/11/06/l...
September 9, 2025
Before I started reading Late Blossoms, I'll admit I was a bit skeptical. I'm a big fan of suspense, horror, mystery, and sci-fi novels, and I was worried this book would not appeal to my style. But I'm also familiar with Merav Fima's writing. I've read and greatly enjoyed some of her earlier works. Late Blossoms was no different and when I finally started reading her debut novel, I was transported. I was even compelled to put my current Dean Koontz novel aside so that I could devote all my time to reading Late Blossoms instead.
Merav is such a talented writer, and I was always amazed by her eloquence and the flow of her words. In Late Blossoms, I often forgot I was reading and felt as if I'm right there in the stories. It's a thrill for all senses through Merav's compelling descriptions of the different settings and sites.
The stories include fictional elements along with historical events, but they are combined so seamlessly, it all feels real.
I loved reading about what Jerusalem may have been like in the early years of the State of Israel and even before its founding. The feminist aspect of the stories was not lost on me and reading about the experiences of female poets, artists, writers and dancers living in Israel provided a facet of Jewish history that I never learned about in school.
It's an excellent collection of short stories, highly recommended and I can't wait for novel number 2!
Merav is such a talented writer, and I was always amazed by her eloquence and the flow of her words. In Late Blossoms, I often forgot I was reading and felt as if I'm right there in the stories. It's a thrill for all senses through Merav's compelling descriptions of the different settings and sites.
The stories include fictional elements along with historical events, but they are combined so seamlessly, it all feels real.
I loved reading about what Jerusalem may have been like in the early years of the State of Israel and even before its founding. The feminist aspect of the stories was not lost on me and reading about the experiences of female poets, artists, writers and dancers living in Israel provided a facet of Jewish history that I never learned about in school.
It's an excellent collection of short stories, highly recommended and I can't wait for novel number 2!
August 22, 2025
With thanks to Book Sirens, publisher and author - I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The beautiful cover drew me to this book to select it - sadly the read wasn't as beautiful.
It almost became part of the DNF shelf - almost on several occasions but then the next chapter would breathe new life into my decision.
Each figure an artist of their own making - painters, poets, musicians, dancers, writers melding together in a series of short stories connected together by their hostess Anna Ticho in Jerusalem. Each with their own story of illness, lost love, searching for love, lost passion for their art…….
In hindsight, I am not a lover of poetry…..maybe this was my down fall to not loving the book when I so wanted to love such a beautiful cover.
The beautiful cover drew me to this book to select it - sadly the read wasn't as beautiful.
It almost became part of the DNF shelf - almost on several occasions but then the next chapter would breathe new life into my decision.
Each figure an artist of their own making - painters, poets, musicians, dancers, writers melding together in a series of short stories connected together by their hostess Anna Ticho in Jerusalem. Each with their own story of illness, lost love, searching for love, lost passion for their art…….
In hindsight, I am not a lover of poetry…..maybe this was my down fall to not loving the book when I so wanted to love such a beautiful cover.
October 4, 2025
“Late Blossoms” is a beautifully written collection of interconnected short stories about Jewish female artists, particularly poets, and their relationships to each other, the Holocaust, and to the fledgling and later developed State of Israel. Several of the women are renowned historical figures, who achieved great success during their lifetimes but struggled amidst the social and political climate at the time. I had never heard of any of these women, and I’m glad to know of them now. Thank you to BookSirens, Vine Leaves Press, and author Merav Fima for giving me an advanced reader’s copy to read. My opinion of this book is voluntary.
September 1, 2025
I was a little nervous reading Late Blossoms by Merav Fima as I usually don’t like short stories. They almost always try to shock you with an awful surprise ending, or go in strange directions to prove to you how original and daring the author is. This collection did none of those things (although some of the endings were a bit unexpected…) - instead the author’s main intention is clearly to introduce you to the feeling of being in the land of Israel in different time periods, and to familiarize us with some of the main female cultural icons in Israeli history. For people who are not so familiar with these artists, it prompts us to look them up and try to find out more about them. For people who are already knowledgeable about their work, it makes us see them as humans with real feelings and a life story as well as creators, something which is sometimes easy to forget when you see a name at the top of a page or on the front of a book. The last part gives some insight into the modern Israeli cultural scene as well as a taste of what Israeli artists as well as those who follow them are going through in today’s tense times. Definitely recommended reading!
August 20, 2025
Lyrical and touching! This collection took me by surprise. At its core, it’s about homeland and longing. Grounded in the beauty of the Middle East, Fima weaves stories of shifting identities and quests to discover familial roots throughout an often unkind history to answer the question “Who are we and what is our legacy if our identity is constantly fragmented by war?” I absolutely recommend! It’s a must-read!
November 7, 2025
I was fortunate enought to receive an advance copy of Late Blossoms, and I leave this review voluntarily.
Merav Fima's collection of short stories beautifully captures Jerusalem's art and poetry scene over decades, allowing us a glimpse into the interiority of ten intertwined female Jewish artists and poets. Each woman faces hardship and tribulations, both unique to their individual circumstances and familiar to those who have tread a similar artistic path before them. They insist that their art has space to flourish in the face of war, sacrifice and familial pressures. Each woman's work is imbued with the pressures of culture and religion, and the conflicts that reside with each.
Fima's prose itself is poetic and lilting, carrying the reader through the streets of Jerusalem to join the women in their artistic endeavours. The imagery is vibrant, leaving the reader with the sweet scent of rose blossoms and a vision of the ethereal beauty of Anna's olive tree. In contrast, the searing passages that depict time in Germany during the Holocaust felt jagged, as they explore a harsh climate outside the realms of the art and beauty each woman seeks, reminding us of brutal realities that seep into the women's work.
At its heart, Late Blossoms is the gift of an insight into art in Jerusalem, rich with history and soulful landmarks such as Ticho House. I highly recommend reading this book to understand and appreciate the artists it memorialises, while also to be carried away by the beautiful writing.
Merav Fima's collection of short stories beautifully captures Jerusalem's art and poetry scene over decades, allowing us a glimpse into the interiority of ten intertwined female Jewish artists and poets. Each woman faces hardship and tribulations, both unique to their individual circumstances and familiar to those who have tread a similar artistic path before them. They insist that their art has space to flourish in the face of war, sacrifice and familial pressures. Each woman's work is imbued with the pressures of culture and religion, and the conflicts that reside with each.
Fima's prose itself is poetic and lilting, carrying the reader through the streets of Jerusalem to join the women in their artistic endeavours. The imagery is vibrant, leaving the reader with the sweet scent of rose blossoms and a vision of the ethereal beauty of Anna's olive tree. In contrast, the searing passages that depict time in Germany during the Holocaust felt jagged, as they explore a harsh climate outside the realms of the art and beauty each woman seeks, reminding us of brutal realities that seep into the women's work.
At its heart, Late Blossoms is the gift of an insight into art in Jerusalem, rich with history and soulful landmarks such as Ticho House. I highly recommend reading this book to understand and appreciate the artists it memorialises, while also to be carried away by the beautiful writing.
August 25, 2025
I had the privilege to have an advanced copy of this book to read.
Late Blossoms is the kind of book that makes you put your phone on silent, the tea next to you sits forgotten, and you fall deeply in love with Jerusalem all over again. Merav’s writing floats between history and imagination with such elegance, you’ll find yourself Googling to see which parts are real (spoiler: a lot of it is). The stories are as poetic as the women they depict—fierce, artistic souls wrestling beauty from a complicated world. It’s like walking through a quiet museum with someone whispering secrets in your ear. Read it slowly; like a fine wine or a really good rugelach, this book is truly meant to be savoured.
Late Blossoms is a beautiful, lyrical collection that feels like stepping into a gallery where each room holds a different soul. Merav brings to life the voices of Jewish women artists with such intimacy and grace, you almost feel like you're eavesdropping on history. The stories drift effortlessly across time and space, from Mandate Palestine to the imagined corners of memory and longing. Her prose is poetic without being precious, and her characters—both real and fictional—shine with quiet strength and creative fire. It’s the kind of book you read slowly, not because it’s hard, but because you want to make it last. I laughed softly in places, sighed in others, and occasionally looked up just to sit with what I'd read. Like art itself, Late Blossoms doesn’t shout—it lingers.
Late Blossoms is the kind of book that makes you put your phone on silent, the tea next to you sits forgotten, and you fall deeply in love with Jerusalem all over again. Merav’s writing floats between history and imagination with such elegance, you’ll find yourself Googling to see which parts are real (spoiler: a lot of it is). The stories are as poetic as the women they depict—fierce, artistic souls wrestling beauty from a complicated world. It’s like walking through a quiet museum with someone whispering secrets in your ear. Read it slowly; like a fine wine or a really good rugelach, this book is truly meant to be savoured.
Late Blossoms is a beautiful, lyrical collection that feels like stepping into a gallery where each room holds a different soul. Merav brings to life the voices of Jewish women artists with such intimacy and grace, you almost feel like you're eavesdropping on history. The stories drift effortlessly across time and space, from Mandate Palestine to the imagined corners of memory and longing. Her prose is poetic without being precious, and her characters—both real and fictional—shine with quiet strength and creative fire. It’s the kind of book you read slowly, not because it’s hard, but because you want to make it last. I laughed softly in places, sighed in others, and occasionally looked up just to sit with what I'd read. Like art itself, Late Blossoms doesn’t shout—it lingers.
November 6, 2025
On one hand, I appreciated learning more about Jerusalem and the artists who once lived around there. Fima's introduction about how she envisioned the beginnings of this book was fun reading too. Historical fiction, with leeway towards the various creative Jewish women, grabs my attention. Especially with the scope of this short story collection, it's almost like time travelling.
Yet I was feeling like the prose could have dug a little deeper. It's sort of a YA feel to it. Rather than painting a feeling into our reading regarding a particular narrator's thoughts, we're told their inner dialogue verbatim for nearly every figure. It does save on exposition time, as is the nature of short stories, yet I would've liked a variety of telling to add a smidge more distinctiveness between each historical figure.
My personal favorites were Else and Rachael's stories as they added a different mood than the other ones in the past. Contemporary ones too.
Late Blossoms is a fine first book. I'm grateful to have taken a chance on it and to learn the names of so many creative women. Hoping to read more from Fima in the future.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Yet I was feeling like the prose could have dug a little deeper. It's sort of a YA feel to it. Rather than painting a feeling into our reading regarding a particular narrator's thoughts, we're told their inner dialogue verbatim for nearly every figure. It does save on exposition time, as is the nature of short stories, yet I would've liked a variety of telling to add a smidge more distinctiveness between each historical figure.
My personal favorites were Else and Rachael's stories as they added a different mood than the other ones in the past. Contemporary ones too.
Late Blossoms is a fine first book. I'm grateful to have taken a chance on it and to learn the names of so many creative women. Hoping to read more from Fima in the future.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 21, 2025
Thank you to BookSirens, the publisher and author for the advance copy.
Late Blossoms is a poetic series of short stories depicting Jewish female artists and writers, spanning the decades surrounding the establishment of the state of Israel (before and after).
Merav Fima's writing is fine and delicate, but passionate, lyrically weaving together history and fiction. It is clear these are tributes written with love.
I had only heard of Anna Ticho, and really enjoyed learning about the other incredible women. I could barely put the book down, and can't wait for Fima's next book.
I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Late Blossoms is a poetic series of short stories depicting Jewish female artists and writers, spanning the decades surrounding the establishment of the state of Israel (before and after).
Merav Fima's writing is fine and delicate, but passionate, lyrically weaving together history and fiction. It is clear these are tributes written with love.
I had only heard of Anna Ticho, and really enjoyed learning about the other incredible women. I could barely put the book down, and can't wait for Fima's next book.
I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 23, 2025
Merav Fima's Late Blossoms left me yearning for more. Her richly imagined characters, female artists and writers and poets of once-upon-a-time Jerusalem--Anna Ticho, Rachel Bluwstein-Sela, Zelda Schneurson-Mishkovsky, Else Lasker-Schüler, Leah Goldberg and Nelly Sachs--were full of life and longings despite and within the societal tensions and religious limitations during their lifetime. Their intertwined stories and shared struggles centered on and circled around love of both art and land and man. A beautiful debut collection.
October 1, 2025
Quite refreshing to read about the Middle East without an emphasis on current geopolitical tensions. This is a collection of inter-linked fictional stories about the cultural scene in Israel. There is passing reference to domestic tensions and, indeed, to Holocaust fall-out but the main drive is the music, poetry and art scene of the country. In addition, there is useful commentary - not fictional - about the Ticho House and an appendix on Else Lasker-Schüler.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 10, 2025
Beautiful book cover. A little book containing tenderly written proses of love in all forms and shapes in short stories. Ah, pomegranates, olives, almonds blossoms, paintings, poetry, music, the little joys in life that could be easily the life’s happiness at any moment.
November 22, 2025
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