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Be My Wolff
Widely heralded for her bestselling first novel (Feed My Dear Dogs) and award-winning stories (Sister Crazy, also nominated for the Orange Prize), Emma Richler finally returns with a dazzling major novel with the power of A.S. Byatt's Possession, the wit and wonder of Peter Carey's Oscar and Lucinda and Kate Atkinson's Life After Life--about a sister and her adopted brother with a one-of-a-kind connection: a profoundly moving, original love story about the unbreakable ties that bind, and the choices we make or create for ourselves.
Zachariah and Rachel are brother and sister. Well, not exactly. They are star-crossed lovers. Well, not exactly. Rachel is the cherished daughter of a Russian family living in London--the richly imagined, mysterious Wolffs; Zach is her parents' adopted son who arrived from the orphanage with one sweater, a head of curls and a dexterous set of fists. As children, they became as close as two people can be. But when they crossed a forbidden line, there was no going back. Now, as an adult, coping with their father's furious rebuttal of Zach, Rachel sets herself the task of inventing a family history for her beloved. And so she brings to life his imagined ancestry--from a tavern-educated boxer in Dickensian times, to a Hussar at the Battle of Borodino during the Napoleonic Wars--even as their troubles in present-day Camden Town build to yet another point of no return.
Cartwheeling through history, filled with art and science, fairy tales and folk songs, tsars and foundlings, epic battles in the prize ring and on the Eastern Front, and characters that take over our hearts, Be My Wolff is riveting--wondrous, funny and tragic and of astonishing imagination and beauty.
Zachariah and Rachel are brother and sister. Well, not exactly. They are star-crossed lovers. Well, not exactly. Rachel is the cherished daughter of a Russian family living in London--the richly imagined, mysterious Wolffs; Zach is her parents' adopted son who arrived from the orphanage with one sweater, a head of curls and a dexterous set of fists. As children, they became as close as two people can be. But when they crossed a forbidden line, there was no going back. Now, as an adult, coping with their father's furious rebuttal of Zach, Rachel sets herself the task of inventing a family history for her beloved. And so she brings to life his imagined ancestry--from a tavern-educated boxer in Dickensian times, to a Hussar at the Battle of Borodino during the Napoleonic Wars--even as their troubles in present-day Camden Town build to yet another point of no return.
Cartwheeling through history, filled with art and science, fairy tales and folk songs, tsars and foundlings, epic battles in the prize ring and on the Eastern Front, and characters that take over our hearts, Be My Wolff is riveting--wondrous, funny and tragic and of astonishing imagination and beauty.
- GenresFictionLiterary Fiction
410 pages, Hardcover
First published February 14, 2017
8 people are currently reading
614 people want to read
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March 25, 2017Nope. I tried. The summary sounded SO wonderful that I was excited to enter a Goodreads Giveaway contest. However, it didn't take me long to wonder, "What the heck have I got myself into?". Plopped into the middle of somewhere, (eventually Camden Town, England is denoted) these two chattering magpie characters Rachel and Zachariah converse in depth about little except boxing and how much they adore one another, rambling dialogue studded with Dickens era slang, Russian folktales, inanity. Add an "erudite" author's vocabulary of ten dollar words requiring a dictionary - occiput, encomium - (no, not "meconium", that newborn baby poop!)- etc., and I became very weary suddenly.
Aha! Brilliant me! I decided that I should check out book reviews from the professionals; artistry is often critiqued on its special merits, by those in the know.
Hmmm... Kirkus called the novel "precious". Another reviewer yawned through the detail, forgiving Emma Richler because of her research, but was still tired of the repetitiveness and sad that the plot was flat and mostly lost to the side stories.
Thank you, Penguin, for the chance to give Be My Wolff a try. Sorry, because it could only be half-assed.
Aha! Brilliant me! I decided that I should check out book reviews from the professionals; artistry is often critiqued on its special merits, by those in the know.
Hmmm... Kirkus called the novel "precious". Another reviewer yawned through the detail, forgiving Emma Richler because of her research, but was still tired of the repetitiveness and sad that the plot was flat and mostly lost to the side stories.
Thank you, Penguin, for the chance to give Be My Wolff a try. Sorry, because it could only be half-assed.
August 24, 2018
Wow! What a read! I loved Emma Richler's Be My Wolff! I'm so glad I purchased this book after reading a free sample online. This exciting tapestry of a novel is well-worth buying. If you love reading, and want to delve into something truly fresh and original, this is the book for you. Richler is a virtuoso of storytelling. This is a story about stories, and its many skeins are artfully intertwined. It's a complex work, and I can't praise it enough!
Be My Wolff begins with Rachel and Zachariah Wolff, a couple who live together in London. Rachel is the daughter of Russian emigres, and when she was nine-years-old, her parents adopted eight-year-old Zach. Obviously, over time, Rachel and Zach grew closer than siblings. Their father Lev now shuns Zach, not just for Zach's relationship with Rachel, but because he chose to become a boxer instead of going the way of the Wolff family and pursuing a career in the arts and sciences. As children, Rachel and Zach made up adventures of a fictional 19th century pugilist, with real historical figures thrown into the mix. Rachel, now an artist, starts work on these tales again, inventing a fictional heritage for her beloved Zach, who was a foundling of unknown origins. The novel deftly moves between Zach and Rachel's present, flashbacks of their childhood, and the historical story Rachel is working on. Richler employs great, seamless transitions for the flashbacks. Something in the present often triggers a memory for Rachel and Zach and connects us right back to the past. Another narrative thread of the novel are tales of the Wolff family and their ancestors. There is so much going on, but it's all interconnected. This is a book about fate, patterns, and the interconnectedness of things.
For many reasons, Be My Wolff is a pleasure to read. The wordplay and erudition recall Lolita. Be My Wolff rich in language and discussion of word etymology. The voluble characters have rich, witty, and intelligent dialogue. Zach and Rachel are endlessly curious and enthusiastic about the topics they love. That enthusiasm is infectious to the reader. Throughout, the inside jokes and songs and little things within a family add a realistic touch. These are the things people say that no one outside the family would understand, but Richler lets us in on it without over explaining. It feels like we're part of this world and family. Richler employs a great vocabulary throughout the work, and there is a handy glossary at the back. I appreciate that she writes the historical portions of the story in the style of the times, using period vernacular.
This book is right up my alley. The story of Zach and Rachel definitely evokes Cathy and Heathcliff, from Wuthering Heights. Zach and Rachel have a romantic, heart wrenching love story, and the reader can't help but hope they'll beat the odds. I loved the repeated refrains and motifs. I loved the complexity and the non-linear narrative. Family drama, Russian fairy tales, the history of families, and the histories of Russia and England are all stitched together by Richler like a master embroiderer. There's material on boxing, art, science, the Napoleonic Wars, and Dickensian London. It's a vivid saga about the love between brothers and sisters.
I think Be My Wolff would appeal to fans of novels such as The Queen of the Night, A God in Ruins, and The Luminaries. Works that are wide in scope and innovative in construction. This is such an inventive, masterful novel. Richler has such a unique way of describing things and such a distinct, well-crafted style. I hope Be My Wolff gets nominated for literary awards, like the Man Booker Prize. It deserves it. I can't wait to read more by Richler.
Be My Wolff begins with Rachel and Zachariah Wolff, a couple who live together in London. Rachel is the daughter of Russian emigres, and when she was nine-years-old, her parents adopted eight-year-old Zach. Obviously, over time, Rachel and Zach grew closer than siblings. Their father Lev now shuns Zach, not just for Zach's relationship with Rachel, but because he chose to become a boxer instead of going the way of the Wolff family and pursuing a career in the arts and sciences. As children, Rachel and Zach made up adventures of a fictional 19th century pugilist, with real historical figures thrown into the mix. Rachel, now an artist, starts work on these tales again, inventing a fictional heritage for her beloved Zach, who was a foundling of unknown origins. The novel deftly moves between Zach and Rachel's present, flashbacks of their childhood, and the historical story Rachel is working on. Richler employs great, seamless transitions for the flashbacks. Something in the present often triggers a memory for Rachel and Zach and connects us right back to the past. Another narrative thread of the novel are tales of the Wolff family and their ancestors. There is so much going on, but it's all interconnected. This is a book about fate, patterns, and the interconnectedness of things.
For many reasons, Be My Wolff is a pleasure to read. The wordplay and erudition recall Lolita. Be My Wolff rich in language and discussion of word etymology. The voluble characters have rich, witty, and intelligent dialogue. Zach and Rachel are endlessly curious and enthusiastic about the topics they love. That enthusiasm is infectious to the reader. Throughout, the inside jokes and songs and little things within a family add a realistic touch. These are the things people say that no one outside the family would understand, but Richler lets us in on it without over explaining. It feels like we're part of this world and family. Richler employs a great vocabulary throughout the work, and there is a handy glossary at the back. I appreciate that she writes the historical portions of the story in the style of the times, using period vernacular.
This book is right up my alley. The story of Zach and Rachel definitely evokes Cathy and Heathcliff, from Wuthering Heights. Zach and Rachel have a romantic, heart wrenching love story, and the reader can't help but hope they'll beat the odds. I loved the repeated refrains and motifs. I loved the complexity and the non-linear narrative. Family drama, Russian fairy tales, the history of families, and the histories of Russia and England are all stitched together by Richler like a master embroiderer. There's material on boxing, art, science, the Napoleonic Wars, and Dickensian London. It's a vivid saga about the love between brothers and sisters.
I think Be My Wolff would appeal to fans of novels such as The Queen of the Night, A God in Ruins, and The Luminaries. Works that are wide in scope and innovative in construction. This is such an inventive, masterful novel. Richler has such a unique way of describing things and such a distinct, well-crafted style. I hope Be My Wolff gets nominated for literary awards, like the Man Booker Prize. It deserves it. I can't wait to read more by Richler.
June 9, 2017
It took me some time to read this book. Not because I didn't like it. Not because I was confused. Instead, I chose to reread passages multiple times. That's how striking the prose is. How imaginative. How poetic. How unsettling. Richler doesn't just create a world (as I expect of every good novel), she brings to life many worlds and juggles them all with skill. If you're looking for a quick, easy beach read, this isn't the book for you. If you love language and don't mind a narrative that leaps between (and ultimately connects) centuries and a Dickensian cast of characters, then read on, brave reader. You are in for a treat.
January 14, 2018
I was excited about this novel, but was deceived. I wasn't able to stick with it long enough to find out if Zachary and Rachel ever got out of bed and something actually happens.
March 24, 2017
This is the stupidest book I have ever read - or it's in the top five. ;)
I saw the low ratings and thought that I would give this book a chance. To heck with what other people thought! I wanted to rate it highly! I wanted to fully appreciate this book's quirky writing style, integration of historical facts/fascination with pugilism, and give the odd, practically incestuous, relationship of the main characters a fighting chance! The tempestuous, dynamic relationship between Heathcliffe and Catherine came to mind. SPOLIER: This is *not* Wuthering Heights. Nor will it be remembered 150+ years from now. [Harsh, I know. My apologies.]
Be My Wolff was, however, a rambling, disturbing, tangential piece of work that is chock-full of unbelievable dialog and fits the bill of my former English teacher's unrelenting counsel to our class: "Show! Don't tell." {Sigh. He was right.} The author has a gift for poetry and when not engaged in character dialog (a rare occurrence), it was descriptive, original, and beautiful. That doesn't relay into the majority of this work though. Conversationally, there was no differentiation between Rachel and Zachariah, except for the occasional comical upper cuts in the air of the latter and his dropping of the f-bomb (that does not a masculine, or unique, character create). Again, when the majority of the content is dialog, switching from character to character, this lack of unique voice becomes infuriating.
Last complaint - Be My Wolff had no plot. Two characters, one of which hates his adoptive parent and is mistreated, talk about this injustice said character experienced. They converse about Russian history and folklore (intriguing), facts about wolves, and reminisce about the family members they share (weird). The conversation is incessant, but it jumps from scene to scene far too quickly without any segue. While speaking with each other on the same subject, they're magically finishing up with sex, eating, contemplating the dust in their home, at a market, and then back home and working on writing a book. Unless they speak veeeerrrrryyyy slowly, this construct is *completely* implausible.
Hopes still high, I tried to slough through this book and find some charm within, but I finally decided to let it go. My time is better spent, and honestly, so is yours. Don't bother with this one. :/
I saw the low ratings and thought that I would give this book a chance. To heck with what other people thought! I wanted to rate it highly! I wanted to fully appreciate this book's quirky writing style, integration of historical facts/fascination with pugilism, and give the odd, practically incestuous, relationship of the main characters a fighting chance! The tempestuous, dynamic relationship between Heathcliffe and Catherine came to mind. SPOLIER: This is *not* Wuthering Heights. Nor will it be remembered 150+ years from now. [Harsh, I know. My apologies.]
Be My Wolff was, however, a rambling, disturbing, tangential piece of work that is chock-full of unbelievable dialog and fits the bill of my former English teacher's unrelenting counsel to our class: "Show! Don't tell." {Sigh. He was right.} The author has a gift for poetry and when not engaged in character dialog (a rare occurrence), it was descriptive, original, and beautiful. That doesn't relay into the majority of this work though. Conversationally, there was no differentiation between Rachel and Zachariah, except for the occasional comical upper cuts in the air of the latter and his dropping of the f-bomb (that does not a masculine, or unique, character create). Again, when the majority of the content is dialog, switching from character to character, this lack of unique voice becomes infuriating.
Last complaint - Be My Wolff had no plot. Two characters, one of which hates his adoptive parent and is mistreated, talk about this injustice said character experienced. They converse about Russian history and folklore (intriguing), facts about wolves, and reminisce about the family members they share (weird). The conversation is incessant, but it jumps from scene to scene far too quickly without any segue. While speaking with each other on the same subject, they're magically finishing up with sex, eating, contemplating the dust in their home, at a market, and then back home and working on writing a book. Unless they speak veeeerrrrryyyy slowly, this construct is *completely* implausible.
Hopes still high, I tried to slough through this book and find some charm within, but I finally decided to let it go. My time is better spent, and honestly, so is yours. Don't bother with this one. :/
March 1, 2017
Okay...going to get shallow here first. I adored the covers to these books. There are two I believe...and the very two I fell in love with. Unfortunately when I received my copy, it was an ARC so I was not graced with any of the covers I loved. No worries. I am on a mission to eventually buy myself the copy that I want. And I am not complaining as I was graced with a copy at all...I wanted to read this book and I am fortunate to have been able to.
Now I received this book way back in December. Unfortunately every time I attempted to read the book I was going through an event in my life and I was not able to give this read its full attention. Finally..in February I get the chance...having completed the entire book..I must say I was pleased.
A richly told story of a woman and her adopted brother, Zaccariah and Rachel. Okay wait..actually there is a complexity to that. A genius complexity to that. Stories and characters and histories and situations all interwoven and complex...beautifully told. I really had a great time reading this book. It's not a chunker of a book but it feels like it in a good way. The story...stories are so complex and done so uniquely that it creates such depth to the entire book. Zaccariah and Rachel stay with you well after the book is finished.
Thanks as always to the peeps at goodreads for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review to which I gladly and voluntarily gave.
Now I received this book way back in December. Unfortunately every time I attempted to read the book I was going through an event in my life and I was not able to give this read its full attention. Finally..in February I get the chance...having completed the entire book..I must say I was pleased.
A richly told story of a woman and her adopted brother, Zaccariah and Rachel. Okay wait..actually there is a complexity to that. A genius complexity to that. Stories and characters and histories and situations all interwoven and complex...beautifully told. I really had a great time reading this book. It's not a chunker of a book but it feels like it in a good way. The story...stories are so complex and done so uniquely that it creates such depth to the entire book. Zaccariah and Rachel stay with you well after the book is finished.
Thanks as always to the peeps at goodreads for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review to which I gladly and voluntarily gave.
April 13, 2017
Wowzers! This book takes you on a great journey, and I love the non-linear narative...it is not linear, but it doesn't leave you feeling confused (best of both worlds). The main characters are a woman and her adopted brother, who are super close as children, and who end up crossing over the line from brother and sister. It's a epic book, one that has elements that I love (Russian Fairy tales, history, family, boxing, art...lots of stuff in here, but it never feels cramped). I think it's a wonderful saga, with realistic characters who are full of life. I enjoyed the wild ride it took me on, and would recommend it to anyone!
December 5, 2025
Possibly the… worst book I’ve ever read??? (Made obvious by the fact that it took me almost two and a half years to finish) -2/10 do not recommend. Objectively, the author is a very strong writer, and this book was probably just not for me. This might actually make a cool movie. BUT YIKES. It felt like it was written in another language - it was SO difficult to get through even a page (a friend suggested perhaps it was an English translation, but I checked and that was not the case.) Felt like it was more poetry than an actual story. Lots of repetitive words and phrases (even within the same sentence), a plot that could’ve gone somewhere but didn’t, confusing switches back and forth across several time periods and characters (and too many characters with the same first name), unrealistic-feeling speech and thinking patterns from the characters, just overall yikes yikes yikes. And then a FRICKIN TRAGIC ENDING, to boot? Like, no thank you. Good riddance.
April 9, 2017
When Rachel Wolff was eight, her family adopted Zachary, who was about her age. They loved each other and were very close. Rachel's mother loved Zachariah, but her father, Lev, hated that Lev was uninterested in science and wanted to box.
As Rachel and Zach got older they realized they were in love and eventually moved in together. This caused her father great unhappiness.
There are old stories which would give Zachary a background, but I found them uninteresting.
As Rachel and Zach got older they realized they were in love and eventually moved in together. This caused her father great unhappiness.
There are old stories which would give Zachary a background, but I found them uninteresting.
July 20, 2017
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Beautiful. Be warned, the novel can feel pretentious, but I loved all the intricate, interweaved stories and the references to Russian history and literature.
Beautiful. Be warned, the novel can feel pretentious, but I loved all the intricate, interweaved stories and the references to Russian history and literature.
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March 23, 2017I wanted to love this book so much! Great cover, fantastic jacket copy.
Emma Richler is a very talented author and I will purchase and read all the books she publishes but, unfortunately, Be My Wolff didn't work for me.
Emma Richler is a very talented author and I will purchase and read all the books she publishes but, unfortunately, Be My Wolff didn't work for me.
June 20, 2020
I made it through 100 pages. 100 pages of nothing - no plot, no character development, not even a well-defined character history. Just a bunch of pointless babble between two characters who might as well be the same person. So I skipped ahead to the end, desperately searching for a reason to continue reading. Alas, there is no payoff. It's clear that the author has attempted to create a plot from all her nothingness at the very end, but it's not compelling and falls flat.
If you like prose to the point that you don't care if it leads to anything, then you might enjoy this book. If you want fleshed out characters and an actual story, don't waste your time.
If you like prose to the point that you don't care if it leads to anything, then you might enjoy this book. If you want fleshed out characters and an actual story, don't waste your time.
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February 27, 2017"They painted over and over!" He scoffs. "Look at all these layers!
That is how I think about this book. I felt as though it was just too much work in following the banter between Zach and Rachel. It is with no doubt that the author was incredibly creative with the flamboyant writing as well as the character development but unfortunately I kept getting lost and felt as if I was doing math equations in my head. I really tried to fight my frustrations but in the end I had to throw in the towel and admit defeat☹️
That is how I think about this book. I felt as though it was just too much work in following the banter between Zach and Rachel. It is with no doubt that the author was incredibly creative with the flamboyant writing as well as the character development but unfortunately I kept getting lost and felt as if I was doing math equations in my head. I really tried to fight my frustrations but in the end I had to throw in the towel and admit defeat☹️
May 6, 2018
I was drawn by this book's intriguing title and the simple, lovely cover art, but was gravely disappointed about the contents. From the description, I was expecting a fantasical realism-tinged family narrative, something in the vein of Jeffrey Eugenides' brilliant Middlesex, albeit with a different cultural focus and different themes. What I got was a slog of dialogue that dragged on and on and eventually became so painful to read that I, who rarely give up on a book, made it halfway through before closing the cover for good.
Perhaps the dialogue would be a little more bearable if we were actually advancing or getting to know the characters-I absolutely adore the film Before Sunrise, which is based almost entirely around a couple's dialogue, and so am not opposed to the idea- but here it was so poorly executed that I felt as if I had no idea who the characters were. Everyone came off as very, very bland.
On top of that, as other reviewers have mentioned, the author throws the entire concept of "show, don't tell" straight out the window, which once again makes for a very dry read.
All of that being said, it isn't all bad. Richler's prose is often quite beautiful, and there were several passages that I was captivated by- the first page, where Rachel describes Zachariah's physical form, comparing him to an "angel-guardian, avenging-or a great vagrant bird" is exquisitely lovely and evokes complex images. Sadly, the directionless plot and dull characters quickly override the beauty of the language.
All in all, this book isn't worth your time. Yes, the language is quite beautiful, but there are plenty of other novels out there with far more lovely writing-and far better plots. Do yourself a favor, leave the Wolffs on the shelf, and pick out something else at the library or bookstore.
Perhaps the dialogue would be a little more bearable if we were actually advancing or getting to know the characters-I absolutely adore the film Before Sunrise, which is based almost entirely around a couple's dialogue, and so am not opposed to the idea- but here it was so poorly executed that I felt as if I had no idea who the characters were. Everyone came off as very, very bland.
On top of that, as other reviewers have mentioned, the author throws the entire concept of "show, don't tell" straight out the window, which once again makes for a very dry read.
All of that being said, it isn't all bad. Richler's prose is often quite beautiful, and there were several passages that I was captivated by- the first page, where Rachel describes Zachariah's physical form, comparing him to an "angel-guardian, avenging-or a great vagrant bird" is exquisitely lovely and evokes complex images. Sadly, the directionless plot and dull characters quickly override the beauty of the language.
All in all, this book isn't worth your time. Yes, the language is quite beautiful, but there are plenty of other novels out there with far more lovely writing-and far better plots. Do yourself a favor, leave the Wolffs on the shelf, and pick out something else at the library or bookstore.
April 21, 2017
Typically, I am the type of reader who plods through till the end of a novel no matter what. But, each year, there are a handful of books that I just can't find enough redeeming in to finish... and this one marks the first such book of 2017 for me. My initial attraction to the title and some joking comments made by the family themselves as "pack" initially gave me hope. But the "romance" here is between a girl and her adopted brother...Her family did not adopt him until he was ten, but they still grew up together and while it isn't the grossest romance, it just isn't that pleasant, either! The meandering style of the prose is really what made me set this one aside though - it would have beautifully constructed sections, but then it just sort of frittered away, and in the first fifty pages, there just wasn't any sense of where the book was really heading... it was too directionless with characters that I just couldn't bring myself to really care about.
May 20, 2017
Be My Wolff is a rambling, eternal dialog between a sister and an adopted brother who adore and love each other. The dialog, which takes up most of the novel and does not seem to let up at times, is a bit of a sinking, hold you breath, keep holding, and pray for resurfacing. There is a lot packed in, from fun facts about wolves to Russian folklore to boxing, which I enjoyed; however, after a while some of it seemed repetitive for not real purpose. None of it seemed to really move the story along. In the end, I am not sure whether the story or the plot moved much, whether the characters developed at all, though this is not to say that things did not happen (an apt double negative, if you please.)
When the writing was not too concerned with too-precious dialog, there were moments of great clarity with exquisite detail and fresh prose.
The audio version had Lucy Rayner reading, and I wasn't too thrilled with her voice choices or very slow, articulated, and somewhat cold rendering of the story. I found myself wishing that I actually had the book to read in my own head instead.
All in all, I think Be My Wolff is a good fit for lovers of romantic fiction and for those who like to know a lot about what each character is thinking and feeling at all times.
Thanks to LibraryThing and the publisher for a copy of the audio CD version of the book for my honest review.
When the writing was not too concerned with too-precious dialog, there were moments of great clarity with exquisite detail and fresh prose.
The audio version had Lucy Rayner reading, and I wasn't too thrilled with her voice choices or very slow, articulated, and somewhat cold rendering of the story. I found myself wishing that I actually had the book to read in my own head instead.
All in all, I think Be My Wolff is a good fit for lovers of romantic fiction and for those who like to know a lot about what each character is thinking and feeling at all times.
Thanks to LibraryThing and the publisher for a copy of the audio CD version of the book for my honest review.
July 3, 2018
"Be My Wolff" was an odd duck, and I found myself not enjoying it enough to stop listening (I have the audiobook) about 60% of the way through. On the one hand, the writing is very poetic and descriptive. On the other, it gets bogged down in details and seems to be missing a clear, overall plot. There's a lot of Russian folklore and history that were very interesting at times, but I felt like overall, I lost the point of Rachel and Zachariah. In addition, I did not really understand how/why their relationship evolves (especially since they became siblings at a relatively young age), so there's a bit of a creepy factor that wasn't overcome for me.
In terms of the audiobook, the narrator does a good job with voices and intonation for the overall book. She captures the lofty writing pretty well. I think I might have liked this better if it was a series of poetry or short stories, which could be digested a little simpler than the actual book in full. The writing is lyrical at times, and the narrator really captures this well. However, the overall story mostly got bogged down in the details and didn't capture my attention the way that I would have hoped.
Please note that I received the audiobook through a giveaway. All opinions are my own.
In terms of the audiobook, the narrator does a good job with voices and intonation for the overall book. She captures the lofty writing pretty well. I think I might have liked this better if it was a series of poetry or short stories, which could be digested a little simpler than the actual book in full. The writing is lyrical at times, and the narrator really captures this well. However, the overall story mostly got bogged down in the details and didn't capture my attention the way that I would have hoped.
Please note that I received the audiobook through a giveaway. All opinions are my own.
January 4, 2019
Richler is a skilled writer of a classical sort. She did extensive research for this novel. The quality of the writing per se got me 3/4 of the way through it before giving up. Why? First, I'm not interested in the history of boxing in England which is the main topic around which the plot progresses. And secondly, the main failing of the novel, I never developed an interest in either of the two main characters - Zach & Rachel.
Based on the quality of her writing, I am open to trying another of her novels which is why 2 stars and not one.
Based on the quality of her writing, I am open to trying another of her novels which is why 2 stars and not one.
June 27, 2022
This novel is a mix of relationship, cultural and generational angst and non-linear allusions to Russian and English history via very detailed descriptions of historic to present-day boxing practices in London. If you like hinted-at plot and history, dizzying transitions between London in the present, the 1970's and the early 19th century, (all in the present tense), pages of dialog and run-on sentences, you might enjoy this long novel. Otherwise, don't waste your time and money.
September 17, 2017
Strange to compare Emma's characters with those of her father. He wrote about people who seemed real enough and certainly down to earth. Emma's characters have thoughts that float above the masses, fanciful, removed and intellectual, and so archly intelligent and also so silly, that I couldn't stand it.
September 7, 2017
I loved it! The language, the characters, the fairy tales, the fights, the scenery and the drawings. I couldn't put it down and didn't want it to end.
Thank you Emma Richler for giving us this "ruddy book."
Thank you Emma Richler for giving us this "ruddy book."
September 25, 2017
I really loved the female character Rachel in this book. Beautiful and poetic. Not such a big fan of the boxing, it was interesting at times and horrifying at others. Liked the glimpses through times past.
April 22, 2020
I disliked this book so much that I didnt even finish. (Only marked as read because it's the only way to leave a review) the story is confusing and not at all interesting.
September 11, 2023
This was a very odd book, but still somewhat compelling. I enjoyed it.
March 19, 2017
DNF @ 44%
April 18, 2020
3.5 stars. I wanted to love this book. It is so beautiful in its language, just a bit hard to follow in many places. It took me a long time to read it.
March 9, 2017
I still can't condense a description of this novel into a sentence or two--there is so much happening throughout. Combining themes of family, love, loss, boxing, Russia, history, orphans and orphanages, and music, the book is a complex series of echoes and resonances that weave together an engrossing story. At the centre of its orbit is the love of Rachel and Zach Wolff.
Did Not Finish
March 13, 2026Did Not Finish. Unfortunately, this book just didn't click with me. I didn't enjoy reading the story or how it was phrased. I kept having to go back and read sentences twice if not three times.
I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
April 13, 2017
I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways and have chosen to give my honest opinion about it.
It was definitely a good read, although I can also understand the controversial views on it. In my opinion, I actually enjoyed this book, and while there were minor problems with the characters, overall it is a book worth giving time to. I feel like I have a different outlook on family views and heritage now.
It was definitely a good read, although I can also understand the controversial views on it. In my opinion, I actually enjoyed this book, and while there were minor problems with the characters, overall it is a book worth giving time to. I feel like I have a different outlook on family views and heritage now.
April 4, 2017
Library Request. It was very beautiful in written form, about love and family, yet so devastating to read to the end, it was a very sad ending, I wanted a better ending for Zachary and Rachel, but it never comes to reality for them. It was lovely and sad all in one.
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