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והכלה סגרה את הדלת
שעות אחדות לפני חתונתה מסתגרת מַרגי בחדר השינה של אמה ומודיעה מבעד לדלת הנעולה שהיא "לא מתחתנת, לא מתחתנת, לא מתחתנת". בזמן הקצר שנותר עד שיגיעו האורחים לאולם האירועים, כולם מנסים להבין למה ולשכנע את מרגי לצאת מהחדר: חתנה המיועד מתִי והוריו, נדיה אמה, סבתה ובן דודה אילן. האם מישהו מהם יצליח לדבר על לבה ולגרום לה לפתוח את הדלת?
על בסיס הסיפור הזה, המתרחש במשך כמה שעות מתוחות ורוויות דרמה בדירה ישראלית טיפוסית, טוותה רונית מטלון את אחת הנובלות היפות שנכתבו בשנים האחרונות בעברית, בו-בזמן קומדיה עממית משעשעת מאוד ויצירה רפלקסיבית ועמוקה העוסקת בסירוב ובהתנגדות, כמו גם בעצם מעשה הקריאה. כמו בספריה הקודמים, ביניהם "זה עם הפנים אלינו" (1995) ו"קול צעדינו" (2008), נוגעת מטלון בנובלה והכלה סגרה את הדלת בנימים הדקות ביותר של השפה העברית והחברה הישראלית, ויוצרת סיפור רב-קולי שכוחו הגדול באנושיותו, במילים החד-פעמיות שהוא משמיע מפיהן של כל דמויותיו, ובסופו רב-היופי והמפתיע.
על בסיס הסיפור הזה, המתרחש במשך כמה שעות מתוחות ורוויות דרמה בדירה ישראלית טיפוסית, טוותה רונית מטלון את אחת הנובלות היפות שנכתבו בשנים האחרונות בעברית, בו-בזמן קומדיה עממית משעשעת מאוד ויצירה רפלקסיבית ועמוקה העוסקת בסירוב ובהתנגדות, כמו גם בעצם מעשה הקריאה. כמו בספריה הקודמים, ביניהם "זה עם הפנים אלינו" (1995) ו"קול צעדינו" (2008), נוגעת מטלון בנובלה והכלה סגרה את הדלת בנימים הדקות ביותר של השפה העברית והחברה הישראלית, ויוצרת סיפור רב-קולי שכוחו הגדול באנושיותו, במילים החד-פעמיות שהוא משמיע מפיהן של כל דמויותיו, ובסופו רב-היופי והמפתיע.
130 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2016
45 people are currently reading
251 people want to read
About the author
Ronit Matalon
16 books13 followersRonit Matalon, the author of The One Facing Us and Bliss, among other books, was one of Israel’s foremost writers. Her work was been translated into six languages and honored with the prestigious Bernstein Award; the French publication of The Sound of Our Steps won the Prix Alberto-Benveniste for 2013. A journalist and critic, Matalon taught comparative literature and creative writing at Haifa University and at the Sam Spiegel Film School in Jerusalem.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
August 17, 2023
לסקירה מפורטת בעברית ואנגלית, קישור לבלוג שלי -
https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/והכל...
https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/והכל...
August 2, 2022
Five stars for literary merit, but four stars for how much I enjoyed it. This is a quick read, only 128 pages. To me, it read like a one-act play. Except for a few scenes played back in memory, the action takes place on the planned wedding day. No spoiler here –I’m only telling you what happens in the opening paragraph. The bride locks herself in her bedroom, does not come out or speak for more than five hours, then “finally made her announcement,…” repeating “three times from behind the closed door, through which four pairs of ears listened anxiously and with the utmost devotion, ‘Not getting married. Not getting married. Not getting married…’ ” I think seeing it on stage would accentuate the funny moments in the aftermath.
The bride’s mother, grandma, brother, and fiancé are the listening ears, but soon the groom’s parents will arrive. Since the bride won’t elaborate or open the door, all the characters take turns trying to decide what to do. They alternately empathize and argue with each other. Soon random extras join the debate, a few times getting close to slapstick or at least Vaudeville humor. Whether this novel is comedy, tragedy, or just realistic is in the eyes of the reader.
The bride’s mother, grandma, brother, and fiancé are the listening ears, but soon the groom’s parents will arrive. Since the bride won’t elaborate or open the door, all the characters take turns trying to decide what to do. They alternately empathize and argue with each other. Soon random extras join the debate, a few times getting close to slapstick or at least Vaudeville humor. Whether this novel is comedy, tragedy, or just realistic is in the eyes of the reader.
September 23, 2018
כתוב קולח ומושך להמשיך אבל אין לי באמת מושג מה היה הנושא או הפואנטה.
June 18, 2021
“Ich heirate nicht, heirate nicht, heirate nicht” lässt Ronit Matalon die Protagonistin ihres Romans "Und die Braut schloss die Tür" ausrufen. Margi schließt am Tag ihres Hochzeit die Tür zu ihrem Schlafzimmer und zeigt sich der Familie nicht mehr. Sie verweigert jedes Gesprächs, gibt keine Antworten und geht auf keine Bitten ein.
Matalon kurzer Roman ist eine ausdrucksstarke Charakterstudie. Wie in einem Kammerspiel lässt er den einzelnen Charakteren Raum. Da ist zum Beispiel Nadja, Margis Mutter, die sich nur darüber sorgt, ob sie nun für die Kosten der geplatzten Hochzeit aufkommen muss. Oder Matti, der Bräutigam, den die Situation überfordert, der gekränkt ist und sich in der Überlegung verliert, ob Margi ihn nun wirklich liebt oder nicht. Ilan, der Cousin der Braut, interessiert sich indessen nur für Schmuck und Kleidung und kann dem Anblick seiner eigenen Augen kaum widerstehen.
Über all diesen Charakterstudien steht natürlich die Figur der Braut, die es gewagt hat, sich den Traditionen zu widersetzen, die die Anpassung verweigert und aus dem Rahmen fällt. Das selbstbewusste und starke “Nein” der Braut, von der an diesem Tag ausschließlich ein “Ja” erwartet wird, macht den Roman zu einem Kommentar über Selbstbestimmung, Konventionen- und Erwartungsbrüchen und dem Willen, sich zu widersetzen.
Der Roman ist ein Familientableau, wie man es gekonnter wohl kaum festhalten könnte. Seine Beschreibungen und kurzen Bemerkungen zeichnen sich zum Teil durch einen dunklen Humor aus, um gleich im nächsten Augenblick wieder ernster zu werden. Kein Wort scheint dabei zu viel, kein Satz zu lang, keine Szene am falschen Platz.
"Und die Braut schloss die Tür" ist ein wunderbar kluges und gelungenes Buch, das es verdient hat, den Weg in die Hände möglichst vieler Leser zu finden.
Matalon kurzer Roman ist eine ausdrucksstarke Charakterstudie. Wie in einem Kammerspiel lässt er den einzelnen Charakteren Raum. Da ist zum Beispiel Nadja, Margis Mutter, die sich nur darüber sorgt, ob sie nun für die Kosten der geplatzten Hochzeit aufkommen muss. Oder Matti, der Bräutigam, den die Situation überfordert, der gekränkt ist und sich in der Überlegung verliert, ob Margi ihn nun wirklich liebt oder nicht. Ilan, der Cousin der Braut, interessiert sich indessen nur für Schmuck und Kleidung und kann dem Anblick seiner eigenen Augen kaum widerstehen.
Über all diesen Charakterstudien steht natürlich die Figur der Braut, die es gewagt hat, sich den Traditionen zu widersetzen, die die Anpassung verweigert und aus dem Rahmen fällt. Das selbstbewusste und starke “Nein” der Braut, von der an diesem Tag ausschließlich ein “Ja” erwartet wird, macht den Roman zu einem Kommentar über Selbstbestimmung, Konventionen- und Erwartungsbrüchen und dem Willen, sich zu widersetzen.
Der Roman ist ein Familientableau, wie man es gekonnter wohl kaum festhalten könnte. Seine Beschreibungen und kurzen Bemerkungen zeichnen sich zum Teil durch einen dunklen Humor aus, um gleich im nächsten Augenblick wieder ernster zu werden. Kein Wort scheint dabei zu viel, kein Satz zu lang, keine Szene am falschen Platz.
"Und die Braut schloss die Tür" ist ein wunderbar kluges und gelungenes Buch, das es verdient hat, den Weg in die Hände möglichst vieler Leser zu finden.
August 10, 2022
Not quite sure what to make of this one. It’s too sparse to be “my” sort of writing. I’m picky. It’s also funny—in a particularly satirical vein.
The story is a very small slice of life, taking place within a day, when a bride-to-be, Margie, effectively calls off her own wedding by locking herself in her room the morning of. The rest of the narrative is the bewilderment of her family and in-laws, interspersed with a vague poem she slips under the door and some increasingly extreme attempts to get her out of there.
Arguably there’s some slight commentary on Israeli society folded in. Certainly not enough space to go into anything in depth. It’s a book ergo that is more domestic than it is about the political issues, but certainly everything is political—as evidenced by the domino effect after the family calls in a favor from a friend with access to a Palestinian Authority vehicle (which they use over an Israeli one due to bureaucratic concerns.)
One thing I can give Matalon credit for is characters who pop off the page despite their slight dimensions—like the haughty mother of the groom (who stops short of being a complete caricature, huzzah,) the eccentric cousin, Ilan, or the confused grandmother, who kind of acts like the wise fool of the piece.
There’s a couple of subplots, like the financial feud between the groom’s father and uncle, a stand still that is forced to move by the end of the book because of all the money everyone is losing to this failed wedding. There’s Margie’s sister, Natalie, who mysteriously disappeared two years ago. This is where I may begin to disengage some—two enigmatic, read ABSENT female figures. The back copy can ask questions about feminism, but the story ultimately doesn’t give any answers. I suppose I have trouble with this type of storytelling (the slightness, the satire) anyway, and demanding nuanced characterization, especially in regard to questions of this sort, is where I likely take myself Too Seriously.
In a related vein, I found the “Recalcitrant Brides” psychologist both hilarious and straining. I started overthinking the commentary about a society that forces women into marriage, perhaps. But I can’t deny the humor in the dialogue, especially when the psychiatrist gets another call: “There’s an urgent case with a bride who got out of the car on the way to her wedding. I need to get over there.” There’s also a bit of subtlety at play with this psychologist character, in that she has trouble understanding some Hebrew, pointing to the fact that she might be an immigrant.
Can’t deny this is an interesting way to start off Women in Translation Month. :P Some other middling reviews on GoodReads signal to cultural idiosyncrasies that aren’t as easily understood by outsiders. Certainly there’s no problem with Jessica Cohen’s literal translation; I loved it, and having read her work with other authors, this one felt singular.
It’s my first Ronit Matalon and her last published before her death, may her memory be a blessing. I have another book of hers on hold at the library, which I think will be a more traditional family drama tale. I hope to be comparing both books in a Women in Translation BookTube video by the end of the month. Fun times ahead!
The story is a very small slice of life, taking place within a day, when a bride-to-be, Margie, effectively calls off her own wedding by locking herself in her room the morning of. The rest of the narrative is the bewilderment of her family and in-laws, interspersed with a vague poem she slips under the door and some increasingly extreme attempts to get her out of there.
Arguably there’s some slight commentary on Israeli society folded in. Certainly not enough space to go into anything in depth. It’s a book ergo that is more domestic than it is about the political issues, but certainly everything is political—as evidenced by the domino effect after the family calls in a favor from a friend with access to a Palestinian Authority vehicle (which they use over an Israeli one due to bureaucratic concerns.)
One thing I can give Matalon credit for is characters who pop off the page despite their slight dimensions—like the haughty mother of the groom (who stops short of being a complete caricature, huzzah,) the eccentric cousin, Ilan, or the confused grandmother, who kind of acts like the wise fool of the piece.
There’s a couple of subplots, like the financial feud between the groom’s father and uncle, a stand still that is forced to move by the end of the book because of all the money everyone is losing to this failed wedding. There’s Margie’s sister, Natalie, who mysteriously disappeared two years ago. This is where I may begin to disengage some—two enigmatic, read ABSENT female figures. The back copy can ask questions about feminism, but the story ultimately doesn’t give any answers. I suppose I have trouble with this type of storytelling (the slightness, the satire) anyway, and demanding nuanced characterization, especially in regard to questions of this sort, is where I likely take myself Too Seriously.
In a related vein, I found the “Recalcitrant Brides” psychologist both hilarious and straining. I started overthinking the commentary about a society that forces women into marriage, perhaps. But I can’t deny the humor in the dialogue, especially when the psychiatrist gets another call: “There’s an urgent case with a bride who got out of the car on the way to her wedding. I need to get over there.” There’s also a bit of subtlety at play with this psychologist character, in that she has trouble understanding some Hebrew, pointing to the fact that she might be an immigrant.
Can’t deny this is an interesting way to start off Women in Translation Month. :P Some other middling reviews on GoodReads signal to cultural idiosyncrasies that aren’t as easily understood by outsiders. Certainly there’s no problem with Jessica Cohen’s literal translation; I loved it, and having read her work with other authors, this one felt singular.
It’s my first Ronit Matalon and her last published before her death, may her memory be a blessing. I have another book of hers on hold at the library, which I think will be a more traditional family drama tale. I hope to be comparing both books in a Women in Translation BookTube video by the end of the month. Fun times ahead!
September 13, 2020
This novella was available for download on Edelweiss, and I just snapped it up. My review is here.
https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2020/09/1...
https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2020/09/1...
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October 14, 2019I cant rate this book.
August 20, 2018
Eigentlich sollte es der schönste Tag im Leben werden, die Hochzeit von Matti und Margi, doch dann schließt sich die Braut ins Schlafzimmer ein und verweigert jedes Gespräch. Weder Matti kann sie dazu bewegen, die Tür wieder zu öffnen, noch seine Eltern Pninit und Arje. Auch Margis Mutter Nadja dringt nicht zur Tochter durch, deren letzter Satz „Ich heirate nicht“ – dreimal wiederholt - unheilvoll im Raum steht. Man sucht Hilfe bei Julia Englander vom Büro für „Bereuende Bräute“, doch auch die Therapeutin kann nur etwas erreichen, wenn die junge Frau mit sich reden lässt. Man muss wohl radikaler vorgehen und von außen Zugang zum Zimmer ermöglichen, denn es warten 500 Gäste auf ein rauschendes Fest.
Ronit Matalons letzter Roman „Und die Braut schloss die Tür“ ist eine Komödie, die sich immer haarscharf auch an der Tragödie vorbeiwindet. Voller Wort- und Situationskomik und treffsicher mitten hinein in das Zentrum des arabisch-jüdischen Lebens. Die Autorin wurde mit zahlreichen Preisen für ihre Bücher geehrt und arbeitete als Dozentin an der Universität in Haifa. Mit ihrem Tod verliert das Land eine wichtige feministisch-orientalische Stimme. Am Tag vor ihrem Tod sollte die Autorin den Brenner-Preis für den Roman entgegennehmen, konnte aber krankheitsbedingt das Bett nicht verlassen – an einem wichtigen Tag im Zimmer gefangen, fast ironisch, wie sich dies mit ihrer Protagonistin spiegelt.
Der Roman ist eigentlich eher eine Novelle, dreht es sich im Kern doch um die Frage, weshalb die junge Frau sich einschließt und nicht heiraten möchte. Sowohl Handlungsort wie auch Figuren sind begrenzt auf die engste Familie, die dieses unerwartete und außergewöhnliche Ereignis ereilt. Die Krise, die üblicherweise zu einem Bruch oder einer Versöhnung führen kann, bewirkt jedoch wenig bei den Figuren außerhalb des Schlafzimmers. Die Elterngeneration ist festgefahren in ihren Vorstellungen, vor allem jenen, was die Braut zu tun hat. Auch Matti kann sich keinen Reim auf das seltsame Verhalten seiner Geliebten machen. Nur die alte Sabtuna, die schon nicht mehr gut hört, scheint die relevanten Zwischentöne wahrzunehmen und sie ist es auch, die die einzige Nachricht richtig deuten kann. Manchmal sind es nicht die offenkundigen Dinge, die zählen.
Matalon arbeitet mit starken Kontrasten, immer wieder schwanken die Figuren zwischen extremer Hitze – die Klimaanlage muss just an diesem Tag ausfallen – und einer Kälte, die sie spüren, die sie schon immer in sich trugen. Das Büro der „Bereuenden Bräute“ – für uns eine geradezu absurde Vorstellung, aber hier spielt der kulturelle Faktor und insbesondere der Druck, der auf jüdischen Frauen herrscht, möglichst jung heiraten und zahlreiche Kinder gebären – sicher auch eine Rolle. Mit allen Mitteln sollen sie unterstützt werden, diese Erwartungen von Familie und Gesellschaft zu erfüllen, seien sie noch so absurd. Dass ausgerechnet jener Mann von der Polizei zum Verhör mitgenommen hat, der letztlich die Situation entschärfen konnte, aber mit arabischen Schriftzeichen auf seinem Wagen natürlich direkt verdächtig wirkt, gehört wohl zu den Alltagsabsurditäten Israels.
Man findet viel typisch jüdischen Humor in dem kurzen Buch, Klischees werden ebenso bedient wie der selbstironische Blick auf das eigene Dasein. Und egal wie verzweifelt die Lage auch ist, ein Grund den Glauben und die Hoffnung zu verlieren ist es sicher nicht. Ein kurzer, aber gelungener Roman, der mich neugierig auf die Autorin gemacht hat.
Ronit Matalons letzter Roman „Und die Braut schloss die Tür“ ist eine Komödie, die sich immer haarscharf auch an der Tragödie vorbeiwindet. Voller Wort- und Situationskomik und treffsicher mitten hinein in das Zentrum des arabisch-jüdischen Lebens. Die Autorin wurde mit zahlreichen Preisen für ihre Bücher geehrt und arbeitete als Dozentin an der Universität in Haifa. Mit ihrem Tod verliert das Land eine wichtige feministisch-orientalische Stimme. Am Tag vor ihrem Tod sollte die Autorin den Brenner-Preis für den Roman entgegennehmen, konnte aber krankheitsbedingt das Bett nicht verlassen – an einem wichtigen Tag im Zimmer gefangen, fast ironisch, wie sich dies mit ihrer Protagonistin spiegelt.
Der Roman ist eigentlich eher eine Novelle, dreht es sich im Kern doch um die Frage, weshalb die junge Frau sich einschließt und nicht heiraten möchte. Sowohl Handlungsort wie auch Figuren sind begrenzt auf die engste Familie, die dieses unerwartete und außergewöhnliche Ereignis ereilt. Die Krise, die üblicherweise zu einem Bruch oder einer Versöhnung führen kann, bewirkt jedoch wenig bei den Figuren außerhalb des Schlafzimmers. Die Elterngeneration ist festgefahren in ihren Vorstellungen, vor allem jenen, was die Braut zu tun hat. Auch Matti kann sich keinen Reim auf das seltsame Verhalten seiner Geliebten machen. Nur die alte Sabtuna, die schon nicht mehr gut hört, scheint die relevanten Zwischentöne wahrzunehmen und sie ist es auch, die die einzige Nachricht richtig deuten kann. Manchmal sind es nicht die offenkundigen Dinge, die zählen.
Matalon arbeitet mit starken Kontrasten, immer wieder schwanken die Figuren zwischen extremer Hitze – die Klimaanlage muss just an diesem Tag ausfallen – und einer Kälte, die sie spüren, die sie schon immer in sich trugen. Das Büro der „Bereuenden Bräute“ – für uns eine geradezu absurde Vorstellung, aber hier spielt der kulturelle Faktor und insbesondere der Druck, der auf jüdischen Frauen herrscht, möglichst jung heiraten und zahlreiche Kinder gebären – sicher auch eine Rolle. Mit allen Mitteln sollen sie unterstützt werden, diese Erwartungen von Familie und Gesellschaft zu erfüllen, seien sie noch so absurd. Dass ausgerechnet jener Mann von der Polizei zum Verhör mitgenommen hat, der letztlich die Situation entschärfen konnte, aber mit arabischen Schriftzeichen auf seinem Wagen natürlich direkt verdächtig wirkt, gehört wohl zu den Alltagsabsurditäten Israels.
Man findet viel typisch jüdischen Humor in dem kurzen Buch, Klischees werden ebenso bedient wie der selbstironische Blick auf das eigene Dasein. Und egal wie verzweifelt die Lage auch ist, ein Grund den Glauben und die Hoffnung zu verlieren ist es sicher nicht. Ein kurzer, aber gelungener Roman, der mich neugierig auf die Autorin gemacht hat.
August 11, 2021
Dit boek is zo onduidelijk, het verhaal is een warboel van van alles en nog wat. Het ene wat er zou kunnen gebeuren is op het eind nog steeds een mysterie.
August 3, 2022
A short fast read for my Hadassah book group. This seems to be a book about nothing, except that it’s not.
The bride closes the door and refuses to emerge for her wedding. Her fiancé, her mother, her in-laws to be, her cousin, and her grandmother sit outside, wonder what to do, and reveal their characters as they flounder.
It’s tragic, it’s funny, and the resolution — spoiler alert — is the non-resolution that you come to expect.
The text contains many metaphors that were brilliant. Here’s one from page 26, describing the shopping bags the bride’s in-laws-to-be have placed on the living room floor of her mother’s apartment.
“[they] were piled on top of one another like sandbags in a fortification line.”
And so the author suggests that the groom’s parents are in opposition to the bride‘s mother Nadia.
Many metaphors seemed just a little off to me. Here’s one example from page 29:
“Did you want me?” Ilan suddenly appeared, as though having erupted from the large air conditioning unit to the right of the table, along with the chilled air.
Maybe this metaphor works better in Hebrew. To me it seemed just, well, odd.
A subtle book for sophisticated readers who can
accept a story that doesn’t end with “and they lived happily ever after.”
Ask the Israelis: any significance to name Peninit?
FOLLOWUP: Most of my fellow book clubbers did not care for this novel.
This is partly due to the facilitator, who did not do much of a job. Although she didn’t say so explicitly, her frustration was evident from her initial words: the commentators she read “all said the same thing and it wasn’t useful.”
She didn’t say anything about the author’s life, though I wanted to know how Ronit died at the young age of 58. Saradona should have been able to find out that much at least.
This is a literary work, akin to a New Yorker story. It doesn’t have a neat conclusion; this was tremendously frustrating to most of the attendees. The “other” English major in the group, Flo Rosenbaum, saw the writer’s skill and liked it, but she and I have had the training to understand that a story is more realistic when it ends ambiguously.
I described the book’s plot and resolution to Mahesh, who reacted much as my club-mates did — he was frustrated and angry that the book offered no neat resolution. “The author didn’t do her job!” he exclaimed.
I tried to explain that she HAD done her job and done it very well. But he would not listen to my explanation or consider my alternate point of view. That is how angry he was.
The bride closes the door and refuses to emerge for her wedding. Her fiancé, her mother, her in-laws to be, her cousin, and her grandmother sit outside, wonder what to do, and reveal their characters as they flounder.
It’s tragic, it’s funny, and the resolution — spoiler alert — is the non-resolution that you come to expect.
The text contains many metaphors that were brilliant. Here’s one from page 26, describing the shopping bags the bride’s in-laws-to-be have placed on the living room floor of her mother’s apartment.
“[they] were piled on top of one another like sandbags in a fortification line.”
And so the author suggests that the groom’s parents are in opposition to the bride‘s mother Nadia.
Many metaphors seemed just a little off to me. Here’s one example from page 29:
“Did you want me?” Ilan suddenly appeared, as though having erupted from the large air conditioning unit to the right of the table, along with the chilled air.
Maybe this metaphor works better in Hebrew. To me it seemed just, well, odd.
A subtle book for sophisticated readers who can
accept a story that doesn’t end with “and they lived happily ever after.”
Ask the Israelis: any significance to name Peninit?
FOLLOWUP: Most of my fellow book clubbers did not care for this novel.
This is partly due to the facilitator, who did not do much of a job. Although she didn’t say so explicitly, her frustration was evident from her initial words: the commentators she read “all said the same thing and it wasn’t useful.”
She didn’t say anything about the author’s life, though I wanted to know how Ronit died at the young age of 58. Saradona should have been able to find out that much at least.
This is a literary work, akin to a New Yorker story. It doesn’t have a neat conclusion; this was tremendously frustrating to most of the attendees. The “other” English major in the group, Flo Rosenbaum, saw the writer’s skill and liked it, but she and I have had the training to understand that a story is more realistic when it ends ambiguously.
I described the book’s plot and resolution to Mahesh, who reacted much as my club-mates did — he was frustrated and angry that the book offered no neat resolution. “The author didn’t do her job!” he exclaimed.
I tried to explain that she HAD done her job and done it very well. But he would not listen to my explanation or consider my alternate point of view. That is how angry he was.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2020
This is a skinny book in translation from the Hebrew. It got rave reviews and is a worthwhile quick read, but has some depth to discover too. The action takes place within one day: Margie and Matti's wedding day. Margie has locked herself in the bedroom of her mother's apartment and has stated she does not want to get married. Everything revolves around this. From her we learn the backstory of her relationship with Matti. He is understanding and tender and enraged and powerless in turns. The future inlaws are footing the bill, so there is tension there as the day ticks away and guests have expectations. Margie's mother Nadia seems like an enabler but she is carrying unresolved grief. The two comic relief characters, happily unaware Gramsy and flagrant cousin Ilan provide some commentary and drama as many efforts are expended to extricate Margie, from a pyschologist specializing in wedding cold feet to a ladder truck to reach her window. Everyone thinks they have a solution, but Margie has her own agenda. In such a small space, the book manages to touch on family relationships, political situations in Tel Aviv, the dynamics between men and women, and personal autonomy. It's a gem.
November 27, 2020
está padre por lo que no dice, por lo que no sucede, por lo que hay detrás de esa puerta, y frente a ella
el posfacio me gusta, explica más de lo que la novela rebela
el posfacio me gusta, explica más de lo que la novela rebela
January 10, 2023
There is more than one way to read this novella. You can read it as a comedy. You can read it as a parody. Or you can read it as a commentary of the modern Israeli society. Either way is valid and either way is incomplete.
At the day of her wedding, a bride locks herself in her room and refuses to come out. 5 hours later, with only a few hours left until the wedding (which unlike most Western weddings is in the evening), we find 4 people in front of her door: her mother, her grandmother, her cousin and the groom-to-be. We never hear from the bride directly (except for a poem and a sign saying sorry) and we never meet the woman who chose not to marry in such an unconventional way. What we know about her we know from the people who try to convince her to open the door. The initial 4 we meet are soon joined by the parents of the groom and for the next few hours, we see the interaction of these 6 people who come up with idea after an idea on how to get the young woman out of the room - they call a psychologist from "Regretful Brides", they call a man with a ladder (who happens to be from the Authority and ends up getting arrested because someone calls the police and claims he is a terrorist), they finally call to cancel the wedding.
And somewhere in the middle of that family drama (or comedy if you prefer, albeit from the black variety), emerges a side of Israel which is not often seen - parts of it are ugly, part of it are almost incomprehensible (and probably are a lot clearer to someone locally - the change of the name of the groom's mother a few years earlier fro Penina to Peninit for example does not tell me anything but it probably carries its own message. After I finished the novella, I looked up the name and the Urban dictionary supplied "a strange and large girl usually large in the bust or butt area. Will usually eat anything in sight" while Penina is a traditional name. That description kinda fits in a way but there is probably more to the subtext that I don't understand). It makes one stop and wonder why it is the money and the others' opinions that make the characters we meet change. Noone really seem to care why the bride locked that door -- noone but the groom and even that comes later. In the telling of the story emerge other stories - the other lost daughter, the cousin who was not accepted to serve in the Army (in Israel where everyone does). And in all the craziness, the lucid moments of family togetherness seem even more surreal - the grandmother who everyone believes not to be fully there wanting to pay for the doctor, the groom going through all stages of grief.
We never learn why Margie decided to lock that door. But by the end of the novella, I think I would have done the same if I had to deal with that family. So there is that.
I am still not entirely sure I liked the novella or how I am supposed to take it. But I am glad I read it.
The author won one of the big Israeli awards for it a day before dying from cancer. I've never even heard her name before and I found the style highly readable. How much of it was from the author and how much from the translator Jessica Cohen is unclear but I plan to explore more of Matalon's writing.
At the day of her wedding, a bride locks herself in her room and refuses to come out. 5 hours later, with only a few hours left until the wedding (which unlike most Western weddings is in the evening), we find 4 people in front of her door: her mother, her grandmother, her cousin and the groom-to-be. We never hear from the bride directly (except for a poem and a sign saying sorry) and we never meet the woman who chose not to marry in such an unconventional way. What we know about her we know from the people who try to convince her to open the door. The initial 4 we meet are soon joined by the parents of the groom and for the next few hours, we see the interaction of these 6 people who come up with idea after an idea on how to get the young woman out of the room - they call a psychologist from "Regretful Brides", they call a man with a ladder (who happens to be from the Authority and ends up getting arrested because someone calls the police and claims he is a terrorist), they finally call to cancel the wedding.
And somewhere in the middle of that family drama (or comedy if you prefer, albeit from the black variety), emerges a side of Israel which is not often seen - parts of it are ugly, part of it are almost incomprehensible (and probably are a lot clearer to someone locally - the change of the name of the groom's mother a few years earlier fro Penina to Peninit for example does not tell me anything but it probably carries its own message. After I finished the novella, I looked up the name and the Urban dictionary supplied "a strange and large girl usually large in the bust or butt area. Will usually eat anything in sight" while Penina is a traditional name. That description kinda fits in a way but there is probably more to the subtext that I don't understand). It makes one stop and wonder why it is the money and the others' opinions that make the characters we meet change. Noone really seem to care why the bride locked that door -- noone but the groom and even that comes later. In the telling of the story emerge other stories - the other lost daughter, the cousin who was not accepted to serve in the Army (in Israel where everyone does). And in all the craziness, the lucid moments of family togetherness seem even more surreal - the grandmother who everyone believes not to be fully there wanting to pay for the doctor, the groom going through all stages of grief.
We never learn why Margie decided to lock that door. But by the end of the novella, I think I would have done the same if I had to deal with that family. So there is that.
I am still not entirely sure I liked the novella or how I am supposed to take it. But I am glad I read it.
The author won one of the big Israeli awards for it a day before dying from cancer. I've never even heard her name before and I found the style highly readable. How much of it was from the author and how much from the translator Jessica Cohen is unclear but I plan to explore more of Matalon's writing.
April 5, 2020
Over time I believe I will grow to appreciate this novel more than I do as I finish it. The premise is simple - a bride locks herself in a bedroom hours before her wedding, saying she does not want to get married and refusing to come out. I don't think I understand all of the nuances of the story and the cultural observations. The writing is very tight and precise and its humor and pathos stems from detailed observations of personal behavior - Matti cringing at the cockamamie ideas that come out of his mother's mouth, Nadia's underlying fear that she will be asked to help pay for the wedding, Ilan's choices for clothing, Arieh's obsessiveness of his blood pressure, Gramsy's inclusion in all things and her inability to grasp large chunks of what is actually going on and eventually her singing.
As the story progresses a transformation occurs in Matti, the groom, as he internalizes what he is observing and analyzing his relationship with Margie and also to marriage in general.
"He was not jealous of Margie, at the thought that she might prefer someone else to him, but he was terribly envious of her. Like her, he longed to lock himself behind the door, to put everything on hold, to rebuff the world and its words, to reduce his entire existence into that space between his breathes and the pillow his head lay on. For a moment he had the urge to go back to the hallway and beg her to open again, but this time not to make her come out but to make her let him join her, so they could lock the door behind them both."
There is a revelation towards the end of the novel which adds an additional layer of depth to the emotions of one of the families and brings a greater understanding of the overall situation.
As the story progresses a transformation occurs in Matti, the groom, as he internalizes what he is observing and analyzing his relationship with Margie and also to marriage in general.
"He was not jealous of Margie, at the thought that she might prefer someone else to him, but he was terribly envious of her. Like her, he longed to lock himself behind the door, to put everything on hold, to rebuff the world and its words, to reduce his entire existence into that space between his breathes and the pillow his head lay on. For a moment he had the urge to go back to the hallway and beg her to open again, but this time not to make her come out but to make her let him join her, so they could lock the door behind them both."
There is a revelation towards the end of the novel which adds an additional layer of depth to the emotions of one of the families and brings a greater understanding of the overall situation.
July 27, 2021
This book took an extreme, seemingly unrelatable situation that most of us will likely never experience, and by adding numerous small, rather mundane details brought a relatable humanity to the proceedings. Also, the perceived absurdities of the characters served as an effective counterpoint to the more thought provoking moments of the story. But I think that the best complement I can give to this book is that the forward momentum propelling the writing made it difficult to put down. I wanted to know what was really going on and what would happen next, and the fact that the story was broken up into short, manageable chunks encouraged me to keep reading. Unfortunately, a number of points were left vague and open to interpretation, which was a little frustrating. However, I know that some readers do enjoy that kind of writing.
Did I like it? Mostly.
Would I reread it? Probably not.
Would I recommend it? I feel that this is the type of book where potential readers should read through a few reviews from other readers, not from professional critics, and then decide for themselves if it sounds like something they would enjoy.
Did I like it? Mostly.
Would I reread it? Probably not.
Would I recommend it? I feel that this is the type of book where potential readers should read through a few reviews from other readers, not from professional critics, and then decide for themselves if it sounds like something they would enjoy.
November 4, 2020
The young bride, who had been locked in her room in utter silence for more than five hours, finally made her announcement, then repeated her astonishing declaration three times from behind the closed door, through which four pairs of ears listened anxiously and with utmost devotion. "Not getting married. Not getting married. Not getting married," she recited in a flat, almost bored voice that sounded extremely distant and nebulous, like the final vapors of a scented cleaning spray.
And the Bride Closed the Door, translated by Jessica Cohen, is the last novel from the late Egyptian-Israeli author and social activist Ronit Matalon. The premise is quite simple, you already know it from the name. An Israeli bride on the day of her wedding locks herself in a room, declares she won't be married and goes silent. On the other side of the door the groom, her mother, her in-laws and cousin all wait cycling through every emotion from acceptance to hysteria.
Though I'm sure some of the cultural and social commentary went over my head as a non-Israeli, I nonetheless found it funny and thoughtful. I saw a quote that likened it to My Big Fat Greek Wedding and I can appreciate the reference here. The characters are almost, but not quite, caricatures. Enough to be universally recognizable but not so much that they become the book version of slapstick or lose all sense of realism.
I enjoyed this one. It's charming and approached social issues with humor that made for a lighthearted read without being vapid.
September 18, 2021
Reading this felt like watching an international film from a place I know relatively little about. I read it in translation, and the language is superb. The plot is quite simple: a bride declares on her wedding day that she doesn't want to get married, then locks herself in her room, and in the ensuing hours her family and the groom's... react? Given this wisp of a plot, it's a character piece, and they are an interesting, if frustrating, array. Frustrating because while they are vivid, they are elusive, and the brief 128 pages don't leave much opportunity to arrive at a fuller understanding of any of them.
But perhaps the real issue is my own lack of anything but a superficial knowledge of Israeli society; I couldn't shake the sense that a whole lot of this was whistling through the air above my head despite my careful reading.
So, a challenging book, and that's not a bad thing.
But perhaps the real issue is my own lack of anything but a superficial knowledge of Israeli society; I couldn't shake the sense that a whole lot of this was whistling through the air above my head despite my careful reading.
So, a challenging book, and that's not a bad thing.
October 1, 2020
This is a very quick read, and pretty entertaining. But .. it's supposed to be symbolic of the State of Israel. I have no idea why. I've been to Israel, love it, but apparently don't know enough about it. This is a book we're tackling in book club, so I'll learn what it all means.
But, if you want a fast one about a bride who gets cold feet on her wedding day and all that ensues, this is not bad.
But, if you want a fast one about a bride who gets cold feet on her wedding day and all that ensues, this is not bad.
March 9, 2020
I don't even know where to begin, this was so awful.
Go read a Batya Gur mystery; one of Israel's finest writers. You will make friends with an eclectic bunch in a Jerusalem police department, and their well-drawn characters (in novel after novel), coupled with deft plotting, are a good
read.
Go read a Batya Gur mystery; one of Israel's finest writers. You will make friends with an eclectic bunch in a Jerusalem police department, and their well-drawn characters (in novel after novel), coupled with deft plotting, are a good
read.
August 18, 2021
The best thing I have to say about this book is that it’s a quick read. What’s with all of the phrases in parentheses? Is this a new storytelling technique? It just caused me to stop the flow of my reading to reconstruct many of the sentences and disrupted my focus. Maybe I just don’t get it. Help!?
February 2, 2020
Nervous jitters are not unusual for someone getting married. Locking your door and barricading yourself in your bedroom is less common. That’s what occurs in Israeli novelist Ronit Matalon’s “And the Bride Closed the Door” (New Vessel Press).
http://www.thereportergroup.org/Artic...
http://www.thereportergroup.org/Artic...
January 5, 2022
This one did not quite live up to the description - I wouldn't call it "humorous" as much as odd and somewhat incomprehensible. Also, not nearly enough concern was expressed for the fate of the PLO electrician. Maybe some of the nuance and humor was lost in translation.
August 5, 2024
I didn’t care for the ending, but I thought the rest of the story was interesting. It ended up being not about the bride at all, but, rather, about the other family members and their eccentricities. They made the bride’s decision to stay in the room about them.
April 17, 2019
Die Braut, die sich nicht traut, der überforderte Bräutigam, die Familien, die sich über die Kosten der verpatzten Hochzeit erregen: wo bleibt da der Erkenntinisgewinn?
October 21, 2019
"Hij bedacht dat als het woord 'eigenlijk' zijn opwachting maakte, het altijd het begin markeerde dat iets bergafwaarts ging, de weg bergafwaarts begon altijd met 'eigenlijk'."
Want to read
November 18, 2019Israeli novel.
January 7, 2020
This is more a long short story than a novel, just a slice of life over the course of an afternoon. I did enjoy getting to know the bride, her family and her family to be...or not to be.
January 7, 2020
Totally disappointing to me. I really have nothing to say about it.
January 24, 2020
It was a funny short story. The ending was not the best but it was okay.
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