Seven Stitches

by Ruth Tenzer Feldman

It's been a year since the Big One--the Cascadia subduction zone earthquake--devastated Portland, and while Meryem Zarfati's injuries have healed and her neighborhood is rebuilding, her mother is still missing. Refusing to give up hope, Meryem continues to search for her mother even as she learns to live without her in a changed Portland. After she receives a magical prayer shawl handed down from her maternal grandmother, a mysterious stranger appears, and Meryem is called to save a young girl living in slavery--in sixteenth-century Istanbul. The third companion in the Oregon Book Award-winning Blue Thread series explores how we recover--and rebuild--after the worst has happened.

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction

300 pages, Paperback

First published February 14, 2017

About the author

Ruth is an award-winning author of books and articles, mainly for children and young adults. Her three companion novels...Blue Thread, The Ninth Day, and Seven Stitches...combine speculative and historical fiction with a time travel twist. Blue Thread won the Leslie Bradshaw Award for Young Adult Literature in 2012 and was listed by the American Library Association as one of the best feminist books for young adults. Ruth's 10 nonfiction books focus on history and biography, while her articles range from leeches to Einstein’s refrigerator. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband, innumerable dust mites, and a vivid imagination.

Reviews

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the writing in this book. Just the first sentence in the prologue brings all my senses awake. The premise is also fascinating, as I haven't read a book about the "big one" earthquake. All Portlanders have been told that this earthquake is coming – the one that will change everything. I usually stay away from books like that because it brings me anxiety about what the future might hold, but this book worked. It has everything I love: some magic, some sci-fi, and some time-travel.

While I did love the writing, I felt that this book packed a lot in at once. Of course, a lot of books can do that effectively... if they're longer. I think this book could have used another 50 pages to make things a little less rushed. As a fantasy reader, I often want my books a little longer because it makes them more epic, and I think this book could have used a little more at the end.

I admit that I didn't realize this was the third installment of something. Perhaps I wouldn't have thought it was so rushed if I'd read the other books. It's possible that I wanted it to be longer so that more magic could have been incorporated.

Overall, I enjoyed it. 4 stars.

[Gloria Mulvihill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite of the Blue Thread Saga by far. Meryem Zarfati is a fully realized, dynamic protagonist who charmed me through the entirety of the story (although I have to admit I have a weakness for animals, so her goats and chickens were quite delightful as well). The futuristic, dystopian-like landscape paired with the mysterious disappearance of Meryem's mom Jess make for an immediately engaging plot line. Serakh's expected appearance and the monumental task that Meryem must accomplish further complicate and add interest to the plot. Even if you haven't read Feldman's previous Blue Thread books, you'll be able to thoroughly enjoy Seven Stitches and all the magic it has to offer. Plus, that cover alone was enough to make me want to pick up a copy for myself!

[Robyn Bavati · Rating 5 out of 5]

Past and future connect in this warm-hearted story.

When we first meet Meryem in this time-slip novel set in Portland, Oregon, in the future, she’s looking for her mother, Jessa. The warmth and love between the two is immediately apparent when, finding her gone, Meryem snuggles into Jessa’s bed as per their usual Saturday morning routine, to await her return. Later that day, a massive earthquake erupts, leaving chaos in its wake. Many people are dead or missing. Masses are homeless.

Fast-forward eleven months, and Jessa still has not returned. In the meantime, while their destroyed apartment block is being rebuilt, Meryem’s grandmother and great aunt have moved in with her and housekeeper Rose. To cope with her mother’s absence, Meryem, now sixteen, keeps busy, immersing herself in household chores, taking care of their goats, and helping to track down missing persons.

Enter Bandon – an activist in Calantha Corps, an organization that fights homelessness. At first, when he tries to interest Meryem in his cause, she is too caught up in her own grief to share his passion.

But Meryem’s prayer shawl – handed down through generations of ‘Miryams’ – is embroidered with the words: Justice, Justice shalt thou pursue. It links her to Serakh – a biblical character who journeys through time and space, serving The One. When Meryem is whisked away to Istanbul, in the time of the sultan Suleiman, she and Serakh must find a way to help Izabel, a girl living in servitude and in danger of being sold into the worst kind of slavery.

Meryem’s journey reminds us that while injustice is timeless and universal, we don’t have to accept it. Whether she’s ensuring Izabel goes to a good home in centuries past, convincing the mayor of Portland to continue caring for the homeless even after the emergency situation is over, or coming up with a housing solution herelf, Meryem proves herself a worthy recipient of the magical prayer shawl. And as she finally comes to accept the likelihood of Jessa’s death and her own ability to move on despite it, her actions suggest that the pursuit of justice may be just what it takes to heal the soul.

There is a lot to like about this book – its warmth and intelligence, intriguing cast of characters, and engaging mix of history and imagination. Unlike other books set in the future, it envisions a realistic rather than a utopian or dystopian future. It champions diversity and provides a positive model for the way in which religion can support and nurture without allowing any of the harshness and rigidity that religions sometimes impose. My verdict: a story that tugs at the heart and makes us better for reading it.

A stand-alone novel, Seven Stitches is a companion to Blue Thread and The Ninth Day.

[Tia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seven Stitches is the third installment of Blue Thread by Ruth Tenzer Feldman. I didn’t understand that when I picked it up but decided to read it anyway. Surprisingly, I didn’t feel like I was missing information while I read, and I plan to go back to read the first two books.

Seven Stitches is an interesting genre-bending YA novel dealing with grief, poverty, slavery, and inequality set in a magical futuristic Portland, Oregon. Eleven months after the Big One hits—that life-changing earthquake all living near the Pacific subduction zone know is coming—sixteen-year-old Meryem struggles to balance her new life. She opens her home to others that need temporary housing and searches for her mother while caring for her grandmother and keeping up on her education.

There are so many unique choices in this book. The characters are diverse. The relationship between them feels genuine and complicated, and the situation the characters find themselves in is unique. There is a seamless blend of magic and theology, paying homage to religion without preaching to the nonbelievers. It is a glimpse into a believable world with an unexpected thread of magic. On top of that, the writing was effortless. Feldman’s words flowed on the page, painting a clear image of the timeless struggles the have-not's face and the way those with the power fail them.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to read this book for a few reasons: 1) it takes place (partly) in Portland, which is where I live, and imagines a future after "The Big One" hits in 2058; 2) it's a mix of historical fiction, fantasy, and sci-fi which is interesting; and 3) it includes diverse characters. I have not read the previous two books in the series, and although there are references to things that must have happened previously, I think this book also holds up as a standalone and I didn't feel lost. Meryem is dealing with the aftermath of the earthquake and how it has turned her life upside down, and in the midst of that she is visited by a strange girl from the past. Meryem finds out that she is in possession of a magical prayer shawl that has been passed down through all of the "Miriams" in her family and tribe and travels with this mysterious stranger to 1500s Turkey.
While the dual plotlines/eras may seem like a lot for one book, Feldman manages the two threads (pun intended) nicely and keeps the pace up and confusion down. This book would appeal to many readers who are looking for an interesting mix of genres and a YA adventure that does not focus only on romance.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seven Stitches is the third book in the Blue Thread series by Ruth Tenzer Feldman, a series that combines both science fiction and historical fiction in a way that celebrates female power and Jewish heritage. Each of the women in the Blue Thread series are related to each other by blood, but they also share a bond with a time traveling daughter of Jacob (the one with the coat of many colors) named Serakh.

In many ways, this book is very unique and different from the other two in the trilogy. It takes place in Portland after the Cascadia subduction zone earthquake that the Pacific Northwest has been warned about for years. It's set about fifty years into the future and has to project the way these problems will be dealt with. Portland still faces a major homeless crisis (just like it does now) and Meryem is trying to help be a responsible citizen and work with social justice causes while searching for her mother, who went missing when "the Big One" struck. In the midst of the drama, Meryem is also brought back in time to Turkey in the 1500s and is called upon to help a young girl escape a life of slavery.

I do think there may have been a little bit (maybe too much) of a utopian element combined with the dystopia of an earthquake-wrecked Portland. First, there were references to social changes enacted in the near future after the Obama administration that, knowing what we know now, are extremely far fetched. Since this book would have been written before the rise of Trump, those touches feel a bit dated. On that same note, Feldman gives an image of a near-future Portland that is extremely racially diverse, with many people of mixed race living together with relative nonchalance. I think this ironically whitewashes some of the political realities of Portland's own embarrassing past (and, if I'm honest, present).

For most, however, this will be an exciting mix of action, history, and fun sci-fi elements.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I enjoyed this book. There were some aspects I didn't care for as much as others, but I think that's because I thought there would be less of the time travel plot than there was- and that's more of a personal preference of subject matter and not related to the quality of the writing. I was more interested in the "present-day" (2058 and beyond) storyline, but I did like how they tied together at the end, and it was a really unique premise. As a Portlander who often thinks about "the Big One," this was a fascinating portrayal of the implications of this event and what could develop on a societal level from the devastation, in addition to the changes Tenzer Feldman builds into the pre-earthquake world. I thought the characters and their relationships were nuanced beyond what I often see in YA, which was refreshing. Meryem's relationship with her extended family and heritage/identity was also quite engaging. I would recommend this book to anyone that likes imagining alternative societies and history.

[Elizabeth Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this unflinching look at Portland forty years from now, Ruth Tenzer Feldman tackles issues like global warming, homelessness, and institutionalized racism all while following the journey of a teenage girl who's life has been rocked by tragedy. Seven Stitches launches you into two beautifully intricate worlds - Portland in the near future and Istanbul in the far past - while weaving them together seamlessly through global and timeless issues of morality and justice. Meryem Zarfati is an endearing and dynamic protagonist with well paced and heartbreakingly honest development. Her journey of discovery and healing is an inspiring tale filled with diverse characters and perspectives. This is a must-read during this spring's unusually(!) warm weather.

For clarification: I haven't read the first two books in this saga. Since they're simply companion novels, I started with this one, but I'll definitely be picking up the first two books soon!

[Karen Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Close to a 4 just for the uniqueness of it, but this installment in the series just didn't work for me. I live near Portland so thinking of how the big one will affect me/us is interesting to contemplate. Plus the book fuses historical fiction with sci fi/fantasy (there is some magic involved) which is also interesting.

But, for me, I get annoyed when authors try to do too much in a book. There wasn't an issue that wasn't somehow included. I prefer a few ideas and issues covered within a good story, instead of noticing all the unnecessary "I hope I'm writing the next great American novel by including all these important/cliche/PC issues."

I kept mentioning the little things that popped up to my partner until we got to laughing about it, and I finally stopped reading it because it was annoying me.

Obviously others loved the book, so it's probably worth a try if you're not old, hyper critical, and cantankerous like I am sometimes.

[Thomas Spölhof · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruth Tenzer Feldman's Seven Stitches hits the ground running and never lets up. I stumbled across this book and was first taken by its back cover that begins with, "It's been a year since the big one—the Cascadia subduction zone earthquake." I was intrigued, picked it up and started reading. I never put it down. Feldman creates such recognizable yet unpredictable characters. Meryem goes on both physical and introspective journeys, one to save a young girl trapped in slavery in 16th-century Istanbul, the other to gain an understanding of herself as a Jewish-Vietnamese person in the 21st century. The story is riveting, action packed, and the settings are great too, plausible and fantastic at the same time. My only regret with this book is that it is the third in a trilogy and I read it before checking out the first two. I highly recommend Seven Stitches.

[Bryn Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seven Stitches is a fun adventure filled with a little sci-if, a little magic and a lot of family dynamics. It’s set in the future, but the main character travels to the past. I only wish there was more of the magic and time travel. But her story in her present was very intriguing too. As she (in a typical YA way) saves the day by meeting with the Mayor and convincing him to implement changes which will help people in the post-earthquake emergency-state which the book takes place. I did think it was a little odd that she called her mom by her first name, without any real explanation. But you get used to it. Seven Stitches takes a different twist in the magical family heirloom story, as the grandmother was adopted and yet the family power still passed down to the main character. It’s a very subtle and positive way of validating of adoption.

[Hilary Louth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this book unsure of what to expect; there seemed to be a lot of different things going on that didn't have much relation to each other. But upon actually reading it, the story flows together better than I anticipated. Much of what holds the narrative together is the strong protagonist, whose exploration of family and identity are extremely relatable. This book was also my favorite so far because unlike the others, the "present day" part of the book actually takes place 50 years in the future after The Big One has wrecked Portland. It's an interesting addition to series, and a lot of fun to read!

[Ruth Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part speculative fiction, historical fiction, sci-fi, and fantasy, Seven Stitches follows Meryem Zarfati as she navigates life in Portland without her mother following an earthquake, but also time travel as she aids a young woman in 16th century Istanbul. Both plots would be enough for their own novels, but Feldman weaves them together with both deftness and blue thread, resulting in a complex and highly imaginative book.

[Leigh Kaisen]

The third companion to Ruth Tenzer Feldman’s Blue Thread saga, Seven Stitches imagines a future Portland in the aftermath of the Cascadia subduction zone earthquake. The story centers on Meryem, a young girl still in search of her mother as their community begins to rebuild itself. She receives a prayer shawl connected to her maternal Jewish ancestry, and its unusual powers land Meryem in sixteenth-century Istanbul where she works to free a girl trapped in slavery. With many elements unfolding in this novel, what stands out is the strength of its female characters and the interweaving of disaster recovery, history, and specifically, Jewish heritage and Meryem’s journey with identity. Although some pieces of this collage fell a bit flat at times, the resonating theme that remains is the delicacy that comes with navigating disaster and the preservation of hope unearthed.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seven Stitches is a wonderful young adult novel split between 2059 Portland and sixteenth-century Istanbul. I enjoyed Ruth Tenzer Feldman's voice and the descriptions throughout the novel; at times, I felt intimately familiar with the setting despite having never been there in real life. Meryem is an enchanting YA protagonist with real and identifiable motives; Serakh is mysterious, aloof at times but friendly. Their interactions feel real and satisfy the reader. Ruth Tenzer Feldman's imagination of future Portland grows naturally out of current Portland quirks, and I felt right at home in the story. My only criticism is that I felt a little uncomfortable reading about such a blended, diverse family written by a white author. I wonder if a blended Vietnamese/Black reader would identify with Meryem or find her unrealistic.

[Su · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars -- so much real-world girl power and an intelligently drawn portrait of the near future with the kind of real-world diversity that reflects modern-day/future USA. A very good read.

[Anmarie Maier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life and time travel after "the big one"

This is the story of Portland after "the big one" told through the eyes of a resilient 16-year-old. Meryem is a Blend; someone of mixed races. In her case, it's Jewish/Asian/Black. Her Jewishness is featured throughout as the key to her time travel and its meaning. This didn't feel like part of a book series and was a great read all on its own.

[Julie Swearingen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although this is a continuation of the characters and family story from Blue Thread and The Ninth Day, you do not need to read them to follow the beautifully written story of Seven Stitches--though I would highly recommend it.
Ruth Tenzer Feldman has crafted a Portland that doesn't look much different than the present-day--residents are concerned with air quality, urban gardening, and displaced members of society. The major difference? The Big One has come and gone and Portland is in a state of rebuilding. Meryem Zarfati is learning to rebuild after the earthquake devastated her city, and her family. Just as she's accepting her changed life, two strangers enter her life and make more drastic changes. While this book is classified as YA, readers of all ages will appreciate Meryem as the heroine so many of us are looking for.

[Kimberly]

DNF