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Not Our Kind
With echoes of The Rules of Civility and The Boston Girl, a compelling and thought-provoking novel set in postwar New York City, about two women—one Jewish, one a WASP—and the wholly unexpected consequences of their meeting
One rainy morning in June, two years after the end of World War II, a minor traffic accident brings together Eleanor Moskowitz and Patricia Bellamy. Their encounter seems fated: Eleanor, a teacher and recent Vassar graduate, needs a job. Patricia’s difficult thirteen-year-old daughter Margaux, recovering from polio, needs a private tutor.
Though she feels out of place in the Bellamys’ rarefied and elegant Park Avenue milieu, Eleanor forms an instant bond with Margaux. Soon the idealistic young woman is filling the bright young girl’s mind with Shakespeare and Latin. Though her mother, a hat maker with a little shop on Second Avenue, disapproves, Eleanor takes pride in her work, even if she must use the name “Moss” to enter the Bellamys’ restricted doorman building each morning, and feels that Patricia’s husband, Wynn, may have a problem with her being Jewish.
Invited to keep Margaux company at the Bellamys’ country home in a small town in Connecticut, Eleanor meets Patricia’s unreliable, bohemian brother, Tom, recently returned from Europe. The spark between Eleanor and Tom is instant and intense. Flushed with new romance and increasingly attached to her young pupil, Eleanor begins to feel more comfortable with Patricia and much of the world she inhabits. As the summer wears on, the two women’s friendship grows—until one hot summer evening, a line is crossed, and both Eleanor and Patricia will have to make important decisions—choices that will reverberate through their lives.
Gripping and vividly told, Not Our Kind illuminates the lives of two women on the cusp of change—and asks how much our pasts can and should define our futures.
One rainy morning in June, two years after the end of World War II, a minor traffic accident brings together Eleanor Moskowitz and Patricia Bellamy. Their encounter seems fated: Eleanor, a teacher and recent Vassar graduate, needs a job. Patricia’s difficult thirteen-year-old daughter Margaux, recovering from polio, needs a private tutor.
Though she feels out of place in the Bellamys’ rarefied and elegant Park Avenue milieu, Eleanor forms an instant bond with Margaux. Soon the idealistic young woman is filling the bright young girl’s mind with Shakespeare and Latin. Though her mother, a hat maker with a little shop on Second Avenue, disapproves, Eleanor takes pride in her work, even if she must use the name “Moss” to enter the Bellamys’ restricted doorman building each morning, and feels that Patricia’s husband, Wynn, may have a problem with her being Jewish.
Invited to keep Margaux company at the Bellamys’ country home in a small town in Connecticut, Eleanor meets Patricia’s unreliable, bohemian brother, Tom, recently returned from Europe. The spark between Eleanor and Tom is instant and intense. Flushed with new romance and increasingly attached to her young pupil, Eleanor begins to feel more comfortable with Patricia and much of the world she inhabits. As the summer wears on, the two women’s friendship grows—until one hot summer evening, a line is crossed, and both Eleanor and Patricia will have to make important decisions—choices that will reverberate through their lives.
Gripping and vividly told, Not Our Kind illuminates the lives of two women on the cusp of change—and asks how much our pasts can and should define our futures.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published September 4, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 633 reviews
January 21, 2019
An honest portrayal of life in Brooklyn immediately following WWII. A MUST READ for historical fiction fans.
Eleanor Moskowitz never would have imagined that while on her way to a job interview, her world was about to completely change course. A traffic accident forced Patricia Bellamy and Eleanor to be introduced. After that, a domino effect took place.
This novel takes place two years after WWII in Brooklyn New York. There is still much prejudice against Jewish people. This book is unique in that it takes place after the war, and not during. The wreckage of the war is apparent, yet the world is recovering. I couldn't help but fall in love with Eleanor. She is a strong heroine and a perfect woman to root for. The relationship between Patricia and Eleanor is a fascinating one to watch and certainly complex. Patricia is clearly hesitant to have a relationship with Eleanor because of how society would view it (hence the title "Not Our Kind"). Yet as the novel progresses, we see a change that occurs in Patricia.
Kitty Zeldis paints a beautiful picture of life in Brooklyn following the war. This was an interesting narrative and one that I've never had the pleasure of reading before. Her writing is fluid and dazzling. Zeldis is one to watch!
A big thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review
Eleanor Moskowitz never would have imagined that while on her way to a job interview, her world was about to completely change course. A traffic accident forced Patricia Bellamy and Eleanor to be introduced. After that, a domino effect took place.
This novel takes place two years after WWII in Brooklyn New York. There is still much prejudice against Jewish people. This book is unique in that it takes place after the war, and not during. The wreckage of the war is apparent, yet the world is recovering. I couldn't help but fall in love with Eleanor. She is a strong heroine and a perfect woman to root for. The relationship between Patricia and Eleanor is a fascinating one to watch and certainly complex. Patricia is clearly hesitant to have a relationship with Eleanor because of how society would view it (hence the title "Not Our Kind"). Yet as the novel progresses, we see a change that occurs in Patricia.
Kitty Zeldis paints a beautiful picture of life in Brooklyn following the war. This was an interesting narrative and one that I've never had the pleasure of reading before. Her writing is fluid and dazzling. Zeldis is one to watch!
A big thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review
September 13, 2018
3.5 stars.
The setting is New York City two years after WWII has ended and two women who couldn’t be more unlike cross paths in a chance meeting when their taxis are involved in an accident. Eleanor Moskowitz, a young disillusioned woman has just resigned from her first teaching job at an exclusive private school when money and status win out over the honesty she stands up for. She’s from a Jewish working class family and Patricia Bellamy who seems to have it all - affluence, a beautiful apartment, fabulous clothes, is from a world that Eleanor has dreamed of being a part of. Taking a job as a private tutor for Patricia’s thirteen year old daughter Margaux, who has recovered from polio, makes Eleanor feel a little closer to these people, this circle, that has evaded, actually avoided her. Is it possible that Patricia would want her for a friend ? The world she wants to be a part of is not a very nice place to be actually. It is filled with shallow, anti Semitic people who were happy that the war was over and thought Hitler was evil, but yet they insist that Eleanor use the name Moss instead of Moskowitz when announcing herself at their apartment building or is introduced to their friends.
This continues when Eleanor goes with them to their summer home in Connecticut so that Margaux can continue to catch up on the studies she missed. It’s here that something happens that makes Eleanor realize she she can’t work for this family no matter how fond she has become of Margeaux. In many way, though it is as much about class and the have and have nots as it is anti Semitism. It’s realistic in its portrayal of marriage that is not what it seems to be . While there is some food for thought here and some serious issues at the heart of the story, at times it lacked the depth I was expecting and leaned more towards women’s fiction with a focus on marital issues and a romance story rather than literary fiction as it as billed as. Having said that, it was still a good story and I liked enough about to round up to 4 stars.
I received an advanced copy of this book from HarperCollins through Edelweiss.
The setting is New York City two years after WWII has ended and two women who couldn’t be more unlike cross paths in a chance meeting when their taxis are involved in an accident. Eleanor Moskowitz, a young disillusioned woman has just resigned from her first teaching job at an exclusive private school when money and status win out over the honesty she stands up for. She’s from a Jewish working class family and Patricia Bellamy who seems to have it all - affluence, a beautiful apartment, fabulous clothes, is from a world that Eleanor has dreamed of being a part of. Taking a job as a private tutor for Patricia’s thirteen year old daughter Margaux, who has recovered from polio, makes Eleanor feel a little closer to these people, this circle, that has evaded, actually avoided her. Is it possible that Patricia would want her for a friend ? The world she wants to be a part of is not a very nice place to be actually. It is filled with shallow, anti Semitic people who were happy that the war was over and thought Hitler was evil, but yet they insist that Eleanor use the name Moss instead of Moskowitz when announcing herself at their apartment building or is introduced to their friends.
This continues when Eleanor goes with them to their summer home in Connecticut so that Margaux can continue to catch up on the studies she missed. It’s here that something happens that makes Eleanor realize she she can’t work for this family no matter how fond she has become of Margeaux. In many way, though it is as much about class and the have and have nots as it is anti Semitism. It’s realistic in its portrayal of marriage that is not what it seems to be . While there is some food for thought here and some serious issues at the heart of the story, at times it lacked the depth I was expecting and leaned more towards women’s fiction with a focus on marital issues and a romance story rather than literary fiction as it as billed as. Having said that, it was still a good story and I liked enough about to round up to 4 stars.
I received an advanced copy of this book from HarperCollins through Edelweiss.
September 5, 2018
4 sophisticated stars to Not Our Kind! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
It seems like I was just writing a review for another World War II story, and in fact I was. Not Our Kind stands out because of its unique perspective on being Jewish in a post-WWII United States.
To set the stage, two women are brought together by a chance encounter in Brooklyn two years after the war. Eleanor Moskovitz is Jewish and a teacher. She meets Patricia Bellamy whose challenging teen daughter, Margaux, needs a tutor due to being diagnosed with polio. Conditions are so uncomfortable for Jews at this time that Eleanor has to use a different last name to enter the Bellamys’ building, and she spends ample time worrying about what Mr. Bellamy thinks of her, and even sometimes Patricia because she never knows just where she stands. Nonetheless, she easily forms a bond with Margaux, and that’s why she’s there.
Patricia’s brother makes a visit, and he and Eleanor hit it off. At the same time, the true friendship between Eleanor and Patrica grows stronger until something happens to put it all in jeopardy.
I found the sense of time and place interesting in Not Our Kind with the recovery efforts combined with the stagnant feelings about groups of people that had not yet changed. Patricia and Eleanor, especially, were champions in this book. They each come into their own and offer insight when hopefully change was on the horizon. The writing is charming and sophisticated, and I enjoyed Zeldis’ storytelling with the unique perspective of post-WWII fiction. A tale of unlikely friendship, Not Our Kind is a must-read for historical fiction fans.
Many thanks to the most generous Harper Books for the complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
It seems like I was just writing a review for another World War II story, and in fact I was. Not Our Kind stands out because of its unique perspective on being Jewish in a post-WWII United States.
To set the stage, two women are brought together by a chance encounter in Brooklyn two years after the war. Eleanor Moskovitz is Jewish and a teacher. She meets Patricia Bellamy whose challenging teen daughter, Margaux, needs a tutor due to being diagnosed with polio. Conditions are so uncomfortable for Jews at this time that Eleanor has to use a different last name to enter the Bellamys’ building, and she spends ample time worrying about what Mr. Bellamy thinks of her, and even sometimes Patricia because she never knows just where she stands. Nonetheless, she easily forms a bond with Margaux, and that’s why she’s there.
Patricia’s brother makes a visit, and he and Eleanor hit it off. At the same time, the true friendship between Eleanor and Patrica grows stronger until something happens to put it all in jeopardy.
I found the sense of time and place interesting in Not Our Kind with the recovery efforts combined with the stagnant feelings about groups of people that had not yet changed. Patricia and Eleanor, especially, were champions in this book. They each come into their own and offer insight when hopefully change was on the horizon. The writing is charming and sophisticated, and I enjoyed Zeldis’ storytelling with the unique perspective of post-WWII fiction. A tale of unlikely friendship, Not Our Kind is a must-read for historical fiction fans.
Many thanks to the most generous Harper Books for the complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
May 15, 2018
Eleanor Moskowitz is stuck in a taxi in New York City during a visit from President Truman. She is without employment and is running late for a job interview for a teaching position. Her cab is hit by another vehicle leaving her with minor injuries. The other taxi’s passenger, Patricia Bellamy, feels responsible and takes her to her apartment for treatment.
Eleanor is introduced to Patricia’s thirteen-year-old daughter, Margeaux, who is crippled from polio. Because of her condition, Margeaux has been homeschooled by an inconsistent parade of tutors. The two meet and it is soon decided that Eleanor will take over her teaching responsibilities. The perfect job isn't as great as she expected because Patricia’s husband dislikes her Jewish heritage. That bias requires her to disguise her name so other building residents won’t know her religion. During the summer, Eleanor joins the Bellamys at their Connecticut home where she forms a connection with a more liberal member of the family.
I enjoyed reading the historical fiction novel ”Not Our Kind”. It was an interesting view of New York City through the eyes of people from different backgrounds. These two women forge an unlikely friendship after they discover they are more alike than expected. I look forward to reading more books by Kitty Zeldis.
Eleanor is introduced to Patricia’s thirteen-year-old daughter, Margeaux, who is crippled from polio. Because of her condition, Margeaux has been homeschooled by an inconsistent parade of tutors. The two meet and it is soon decided that Eleanor will take over her teaching responsibilities. The perfect job isn't as great as she expected because Patricia’s husband dislikes her Jewish heritage. That bias requires her to disguise her name so other building residents won’t know her religion. During the summer, Eleanor joins the Bellamys at their Connecticut home where she forms a connection with a more liberal member of the family.
I enjoyed reading the historical fiction novel ”Not Our Kind”. It was an interesting view of New York City through the eyes of people from different backgrounds. These two women forge an unlikely friendship after they discover they are more alike than expected. I look forward to reading more books by Kitty Zeldis.
February 7, 2019
3.5 rounded to 4 stars
Not Our Kind is about a young Jewish woman who takes a job as a tutor for a 13-year-old girl who does not want to return to school out of shame after she is left with a withered leg after a battle with polio. The girl, Margaux, is the only child of privileged couple Patricia and Wynn. The story takes place just after the end of WWII in New York City where anti-Semitism remains prevalent. Patricia is willing to overlook the fact that her new hire is Jewish, but has Eleanor use the surname Moss instead of her real name Moskowitz. Wynn is not at all happy to have a Jew on the payroll.
This is a very good story about the consequences of class differences and relationships in general. I loved Eleanor who bonds quickly with Margaux and is key in helping the feisty young teenager blossom. Their relationship is endearing. Wynn is a despicable man except for his bond with his daughter. Patricia and Wynn have a complex marriage with significant issues.
There were a couple of things that bothered me. I couldn’t feel much of a connection between the two characters involved in a budding romance. And the story in general is not of the depth I was hoping for. I think part of the issue is that I have recently read some novels that were very emotive; this book did not generate those feelings in me. That said, I found myself engrossed in the story and was always anxious to get back to the book when real life allowed. I also appreciated learning more about postwar anti-Semitism in this country, which I had been unaware of before. For these reasons it was an easy decision to round my 3.5 stars up to 4 stars.
I recommend Not Our Kind to historical fiction fans who are looking for a quick read and are interested in a very good character-driven story that tackles several issues.
Not Our Kind is about a young Jewish woman who takes a job as a tutor for a 13-year-old girl who does not want to return to school out of shame after she is left with a withered leg after a battle with polio. The girl, Margaux, is the only child of privileged couple Patricia and Wynn. The story takes place just after the end of WWII in New York City where anti-Semitism remains prevalent. Patricia is willing to overlook the fact that her new hire is Jewish, but has Eleanor use the surname Moss instead of her real name Moskowitz. Wynn is not at all happy to have a Jew on the payroll.
This is a very good story about the consequences of class differences and relationships in general. I loved Eleanor who bonds quickly with Margaux and is key in helping the feisty young teenager blossom. Their relationship is endearing. Wynn is a despicable man except for his bond with his daughter. Patricia and Wynn have a complex marriage with significant issues.
There were a couple of things that bothered me. I couldn’t feel much of a connection between the two characters involved in a budding romance. And the story in general is not of the depth I was hoping for. I think part of the issue is that I have recently read some novels that were very emotive; this book did not generate those feelings in me. That said, I found myself engrossed in the story and was always anxious to get back to the book when real life allowed. I also appreciated learning more about postwar anti-Semitism in this country, which I had been unaware of before. For these reasons it was an easy decision to round my 3.5 stars up to 4 stars.
I recommend Not Our Kind to historical fiction fans who are looking for a quick read and are interested in a very good character-driven story that tackles several issues.
August 22, 2019
Kitty Zeldis has spun a beautiful tale of friendship, acceptance, and love. The story begins with the chance meeting of Eleanor and Patricia when their taxi cabs collide. New York City, two years after the end of WWII. Eleanor is a young Jewish woman, the daughter of a hat maker, and has just quit her teaching job. Patricia is a wealthy socialite and the mother of a 13-year-old daughter Margaux. When Patricia invites Eleanor home with her to get out of the rain she instantly sees that there is a connection between the teacher and her moody daughter. Margaux is in need of a new tutor, almost seems like fate. But it is complicated, Eleanor is Jewish and there still is much anti-Semitism in post WWII America. What transpires is a fascinating and complex friendship between Eleanor and Patricia. Eleanor was a great heroine, she was a brilliant character you just could not help but root for. I loved her bond with Margaux Who was a fabulous character as well. I loved her innocent bluntness. There was a lot going on in this book romance, drama, and all kinds of complicated relationships. Kitty Zeldis did a wonderful job of bringing post WWII New York to life on the pages of this book. I loved Reading a book that takes place after the war rather than during it. A well told story that I would definitely recommend!
March 6, 2019
This is an interesting story about a 20 something Jewish woman, Eleanor Moskowitz, who becomes a tutor to a young girl, Margaux, from an upper class family, who is recovering from polio. The mother, Patricia Bellamy, asks her to go by the name of “Moss” since they live in a restricted building. The father, Wynn, is not pleased that they have a Jewish tutor, but is willing to tolerate it for his daughter’s sake. Eleanor hopes that this is her entry into a world she could only dream of.
But all is not as is seems in the rarified world that the Bellamys inhabit. There are cracks in their gilded exterior. When Eleanor becomes involved with Patricia’s bohemian brother Tom, events are set in place that affect all their lives.
The characters are all well portrayed, even some of the minor ones. They are all multi-faceted and engaging. The story alternates between Eleanor’s and Patricia’s POVs, which adds interest. There is a wonderful sense of place throughout the book, whether it in NYC or the summer home in Connecticut.
There are issues of class distinctions, marital discord, sexual assault, and body image after polio. For me the main issue was this: throughout the book there is an undercurrent of the anti-Semitism that pervaded the country after WWII. Jews were prohibited from living in certain places, going to certain colleges, working in certain companies and socializing with certain people. Eleanor faces these restrictions when she is looking for a job, working for the Bellamys, dating Tom. It is assumed that the title “Not Our Kind” refers to how the Bellamys feel about Eleanor. But it also could be how Eleanor and her mother, a self employed milliner, feel about the Bellamys and their world. It goes both ways.
There is a passage that I found fascinating and so true:
“But even if she became Mrs. Thomas Harrison, it would change nothing. The name would be a cloak, not her true skin. She would never be one of them; she’d be dressing up, pretending. And that might end up feeling worse than simple exclusion.”
I can so relate to this, as a Jew married to a Gentile. At times I feel like I’m going incognito, my Waspy last name hiding my true identity. Not fitting in to either world. I am not really observant, but I can’t relate to the Gentile world either. December and Christmas make me crazy. It feels like I don’t exist; there is little to no acknowledgement of my culture. Granted, there are no longer overt prohibitions on where Jews can live, work, attend college, and intermarriage is much more acceptable. But anti-Semitism is on the rise, in Europe and in the US. This story reminds us of what post-war America was like for Jews, and we cannot go back to that.
On its face this seems like a typical historical fiction, but there is more going on under the surface, at least for me. I definitely recommend this book.
But all is not as is seems in the rarified world that the Bellamys inhabit. There are cracks in their gilded exterior. When Eleanor becomes involved with Patricia’s bohemian brother Tom, events are set in place that affect all their lives.
The characters are all well portrayed, even some of the minor ones. They are all multi-faceted and engaging. The story alternates between Eleanor’s and Patricia’s POVs, which adds interest. There is a wonderful sense of place throughout the book, whether it in NYC or the summer home in Connecticut.
There are issues of class distinctions, marital discord, sexual assault, and body image after polio. For me the main issue was this: throughout the book there is an undercurrent of the anti-Semitism that pervaded the country after WWII. Jews were prohibited from living in certain places, going to certain colleges, working in certain companies and socializing with certain people. Eleanor faces these restrictions when she is looking for a job, working for the Bellamys, dating Tom. It is assumed that the title “Not Our Kind” refers to how the Bellamys feel about Eleanor. But it also could be how Eleanor and her mother, a self employed milliner, feel about the Bellamys and their world. It goes both ways.
There is a passage that I found fascinating and so true:
“But even if she became Mrs. Thomas Harrison, it would change nothing. The name would be a cloak, not her true skin. She would never be one of them; she’d be dressing up, pretending. And that might end up feeling worse than simple exclusion.”
I can so relate to this, as a Jew married to a Gentile. At times I feel like I’m going incognito, my Waspy last name hiding my true identity. Not fitting in to either world. I am not really observant, but I can’t relate to the Gentile world either. December and Christmas make me crazy. It feels like I don’t exist; there is little to no acknowledgement of my culture. Granted, there are no longer overt prohibitions on where Jews can live, work, attend college, and intermarriage is much more acceptable. But anti-Semitism is on the rise, in Europe and in the US. This story reminds us of what post-war America was like for Jews, and we cannot go back to that.
On its face this seems like a typical historical fiction, but there is more going on under the surface, at least for me. I definitely recommend this book.
August 25, 2018
This was a 2.5 star read for me. I was sooooo excited about the premise—Jewish woman facing discrimination and anti-Semitism in post-WW2 America—but sadly, the writing and storyline fell flat.
Characters had every opportunity for depth and complexity, but instead, I found them to be drawn with broad strokes. Emotions ran hot and cold—there was absolutely no in-between. One minute, a character was sorrowful and withdrawn; the next, chipper and flamboyant. Decisions were made with about as much thought as it takes to flip a light switch. Major conflicts were resolved in a...convenient...manner. Often, writing felt like a juvenile novel—excessive cliches, adjective overload, cringe-worthy metaphors. *sigh*
I know that sounds bad, and, well, it wasn’t great. That being said, I did have an interest in the storyline and feel the novel would have been stronger if an editor had told the writer: don’t make this such a preachy book—just tell the damn story. (Themes like consent and racism ended up feeling like just that—generic themes the author liked but couldn’t quite write effectively for an adult audience.)
Actually, now that I wrote that, I think if you took out a couple of steamy sex scenes, this would be a perfect book for young adult audiences. The emotional rollercoaster feels akin to YA tropes. Hmm.
In all, if you’re not looking for a super deep or dense story & want a hist fic distraction, this one would be a good pick.
*thanks to Harper Books for sending me a review copy!
Characters had every opportunity for depth and complexity, but instead, I found them to be drawn with broad strokes. Emotions ran hot and cold—there was absolutely no in-between. One minute, a character was sorrowful and withdrawn; the next, chipper and flamboyant. Decisions were made with about as much thought as it takes to flip a light switch. Major conflicts were resolved in a...convenient...manner. Often, writing felt like a juvenile novel—excessive cliches, adjective overload, cringe-worthy metaphors. *sigh*
I know that sounds bad, and, well, it wasn’t great. That being said, I did have an interest in the storyline and feel the novel would have been stronger if an editor had told the writer: don’t make this such a preachy book—just tell the damn story. (Themes like consent and racism ended up feeling like just that—generic themes the author liked but couldn’t quite write effectively for an adult audience.)
Actually, now that I wrote that, I think if you took out a couple of steamy sex scenes, this would be a perfect book for young adult audiences. The emotional rollercoaster feels akin to YA tropes. Hmm.
In all, if you’re not looking for a super deep or dense story & want a hist fic distraction, this one would be a good pick.
*thanks to Harper Books for sending me a review copy!
July 12, 2018
Definitely an interesting perspective of US history - antisemitism after WWII - not a time period that I remember having read before. The author really does an amazing job with setting that time and place and really grounded the reader into that age through the NYC location, the summering up north, the clothes, and the hats - can't forget to mention the hats! The story itself didn't really blow me away, but it was great vehicle to impart this time of US history through a historical fiction read. Many thanks to Goodreads and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 13, 2018
Not Our Kind is a riveting story featuring two women: a young Jewish girl and the rich woman who hires her to tutor her young daughter. The book takes place in New York City in 1947 and the author does an excellent job of putting the reader in that time and place. The characters in this book are complex and interesting, as they deal with friendships and relationships that are tainted with bigotry and misogyny. This is a very thought-provoking novel which kept my interest from the first page through the last.
July 22, 2018
This didn’t quite work for me. The writing and story line turned the pages quickly enough but the emotional narrative I found somewhat contrived and rather toe curling; it veered too often towards a teenage romance. And I wasn’t convinced by the Jewish ‘otherness’, it seemed rather to be a class ‘otherness’ - a pity, as there was a story there to be had.
January 1, 2021
This is a book with flaws, and yet I found it compelling reading
In 1947 New York, Eleanor, a talented young teacher who's Jewish, finds herself working for a family of blue bloods to tutor their teenage daughter, Margaux, who has an atrophied leg and a bitter attitude as the result of polio. Eleanor much admires Margaux's mother Patricia who recognizes her beneficial impact on the daughter and has championed her hiring. Patricia is polished and elegant and seems to Eleanor to be a paragon of cultured womanhood. The father, Wynn, though, is a problem. He harbors antisemitic attitudes, and even though he, too, can see that Eleanor is a lifeline for their daughter, he keeps voicing his various suspicions: she must have designs on the family, must be there to get them into her grasp. Eleanor has to change her Jewish-sounding last name so as not to offend the family's sensibilities. Events unfold from there and are only accelerated when Eleanor and Patricia's brother Tom begin to fall for each other.
Although the author does a reasonable job of evoking the time period, she gives Eleanor attitudes and goals familiar today but improbable at the time. She makes Eleanor not only a teacher who can work miracles of education but also someone who can successfully correct deeply held beliefs and counter embedded personal traits with one-time offerings of advice -- in other words, approaching superwoman status.
Eleanor makes decisions about sex that are out of character. And, disappointingly, on the page the sex isn't that sexy.
I wish the author hadn't treated the ritzy family as generic Christians. In my mind I was considering them Episcopalians, a la The Age of Innocence. But at the end they turn out to be members of a homey little church of no clear denomination. This did not fit.
I think it's fair to call the book ladies' literature, since I'd guess its readers must be mostly women.
But the novel is more than the sum of its flaws. I think the author felt called to address the problem of pluralism, which she does from the Jewish perspective and at a specific point in time. Eleanor so wants to be American! How much can she assimilate? Will she lose herself? The main issue presented in the book is that the dominant culture is Christian and not too inclined to be accepting or inclusive. Also lurking are the demands society is placing on women in general to define themselves exclusively through husbands and as wives and mothers, to be passive and not active, and not to question. And the book addresses class issues.
The author also writes well with creative use of vocabulary. As an example of her writing, here's a short segment:
I liked it. Thought it raised questions worth talking about.
Giving it a 3 1/3: a solid three stars.
P.S. Forgot to say: the expression "Not our kind" was from Eleanor's mother, not from the upper-class family.
In 1947 New York, Eleanor, a talented young teacher who's Jewish, finds herself working for a family of blue bloods to tutor their teenage daughter, Margaux, who has an atrophied leg and a bitter attitude as the result of polio. Eleanor much admires Margaux's mother Patricia who recognizes her beneficial impact on the daughter and has championed her hiring. Patricia is polished and elegant and seems to Eleanor to be a paragon of cultured womanhood. The father, Wynn, though, is a problem. He harbors antisemitic attitudes, and even though he, too, can see that Eleanor is a lifeline for their daughter, he keeps voicing his various suspicions: she must have designs on the family, must be there to get them into her grasp. Eleanor has to change her Jewish-sounding last name so as not to offend the family's sensibilities. Events unfold from there and are only accelerated when Eleanor and Patricia's brother Tom begin to fall for each other.
Although the author does a reasonable job of evoking the time period, she gives Eleanor attitudes and goals familiar today but improbable at the time. She makes Eleanor not only a teacher who can work miracles of education but also someone who can successfully correct deeply held beliefs and counter embedded personal traits with one-time offerings of advice -- in other words, approaching superwoman status.
Eleanor makes decisions about sex that are out of character. And, disappointingly, on the page the sex isn't that sexy.
I wish the author hadn't treated the ritzy family as generic Christians. In my mind I was considering them Episcopalians, a la The Age of Innocence. But at the end they turn out to be members of a homey little church of no clear denomination. This did not fit.
I think it's fair to call the book ladies' literature, since I'd guess its readers must be mostly women.
But the novel is more than the sum of its flaws. I think the author felt called to address the problem of pluralism, which she does from the Jewish perspective and at a specific point in time. Eleanor so wants to be American! How much can she assimilate? Will she lose herself? The main issue presented in the book is that the dominant culture is Christian and not too inclined to be accepting or inclusive. Also lurking are the demands society is placing on women in general to define themselves exclusively through husbands and as wives and mothers, to be passive and not active, and not to question. And the book addresses class issues.
The author also writes well with creative use of vocabulary. As an example of her writing, here's a short segment:
Unsure of what she was seeking, Patricia went into the bedroom. The curtains were closed here too and the room felt oppressive. She pulled the curtains apart and opened the window. The light that poured in revealed the coating of dust on the furniture, and, under the bed, the smallest glimpse of something red. She got down on her hands and knees to investigate. ...
I liked it. Thought it raised questions worth talking about.
Giving it a 3 1/3: a solid three stars.
P.S. Forgot to say: the expression "Not our kind" was from Eleanor's mother, not from the upper-class family.
October 11, 2018
Thanks to Suzy's Approved Books (FB), the author, and Harper for this ARC.
A fast moving book that I devoured in 3 days. I absolutely loved this book. The characters, the plot, and everything.
I'm a big fan of Jewish fiction and this one didn't disappoint. I always find it interesting that in the 1940's how anti-semetic people were and how they "Weren't Our Kind" and found means to change or shorten their name so they wouldn't be known as Jews. Thank G-d I grew up in the 1970s where I didn't face this problem but probably many people of my parents generation born in the 1920s and before did. My grandparents changed their names when they came over to Ellis Island from Russia and Poland due to long, unpronounceable names not for the reasons above.
Good job Kitty Zeldis and hope to read many more books from you and in this genre.
A fast moving book that I devoured in 3 days. I absolutely loved this book. The characters, the plot, and everything.
I'm a big fan of Jewish fiction and this one didn't disappoint. I always find it interesting that in the 1940's how anti-semetic people were and how they "Weren't Our Kind" and found means to change or shorten their name so they wouldn't be known as Jews. Thank G-d I grew up in the 1970s where I didn't face this problem but probably many people of my parents generation born in the 1920s and before did. My grandparents changed their names when they came over to Ellis Island from Russia and Poland due to long, unpronounceable names not for the reasons above.
Good job Kitty Zeldis and hope to read many more books from you and in this genre.
September 25, 2018
I was quickly captivated by this story of two women from different words, though only blocks away. I found the characters to be realistic and engaging and the story of one that is at the same time simple and deep. Though I am usually a plot-driven reader, I found myself wholly engaged with Eleanor, Patricia, Tom, Wynn, and Margeaux. I would love to see a sequel!
June 9, 2018
I read an advanced reader copy.
For historical fiction, it was a little fluffy. Overall it was nice but a little flat. I liked the two central characters and was always interested to find out what happened next with them. But so much of the plot and story arc felt glossed over in the last half. The characters began to feel vague and unfamiliar and the story telling has an odd detached quality to it, as if the author suddenly doesn't know what to do with the characters anymore and just wants to be done writing. Some sub-storylines just taper off into nothing. The first and second halves almost feel like two separate books. Also, the resolution of Patricia's central conflict felt like a convenient easy way out and kind of a cheap trick for a novelist to use.
I feel I'm being kinda harsh in this review. I did enjoy this book, especially that it takes place in a time period we don't usually get to read about. I just don't think it lived up to its potential.
For historical fiction, it was a little fluffy. Overall it was nice but a little flat. I liked the two central characters and was always interested to find out what happened next with them. But so much of the plot and story arc felt glossed over in the last half. The characters began to feel vague and unfamiliar and the story telling has an odd detached quality to it, as if the author suddenly doesn't know what to do with the characters anymore and just wants to be done writing. Some sub-storylines just taper off into nothing. The first and second halves almost feel like two separate books. Also, the resolution of Patricia's central conflict felt like a convenient easy way out and kind of a cheap trick for a novelist to use.
I feel I'm being kinda harsh in this review. I did enjoy this book, especially that it takes place in a time period we don't usually get to read about. I just don't think it lived up to its potential.
October 13, 2020
3.5 stars because I rather liked the ending and the period details are amazing
Not Our Kind was a library pick-up whim, the pretty cover catching my eye as I was getting ready to leave. The blurb was convincing enough that I brought it home with me. For the most part, I really did enjoy this nicely written snippet of historical fiction that offers us what feels like quite a realistic portrayal of Life in 1947 New York.
I was sucked right in from the first few pages, and although the middle was a little stagnant, the last quarter or so started moving quickly again and I felt satisfied once I reached the end and put it down.
Not Our Kind features two heroines: Jewish girl Eleanor, who needs to work for a living, and Gentile woman Patricia, who does not need to work for a living. Eleanor and Patricia meet by chance, and Eleanor is soon hired by Patricia to work as her daughter's private tutor. Ensues a fairly interesting and riveting - if a little slow at times - tale bringing to light how easily life can change, and change you and those around you, and how chance meetings are sometimes the catalyst for things you never thought would happen to you.
It's a good tale. I wouldn't go so far as to say that I was really invested in any of the characters, but as an outsider looking in, I quite enjoyed following the story. Eleanor was a good character. So was Patricia. They were both very well-developed and three-dimensional, having their ups and downs, their successes and failures, mistakes and accomplishments. It's definitely a book that made me think, about how society has changed since then, how it's still the same, and how different/similar some of the challenges presented are dealt with today.
I related to Eleanor in many ways and I appreciated that her story wasn't turned into a typical romance. I think that would have derived from the main point a lot, and yet, as I mentioned at the start, the ending is still very satisfactory. It was realistic and matched the rest of the book, even if it was perhaps just a tad abrupt.
What elevated this book in my opinion and definitely earned it at least a half star were the glowing period details and lavish fashion descriptions. I live for those now, and have taken to keeping a journal full of notes in the hopes of one day recreating some of the fabulous outfits. Oh they sounded so beautiful! And Eleanor's mother was a milliner, with gorgeous hat references dropped throughout, making me long for the days when hats were just part of everyone's daily outfits. LET'S BRING THEM BACK.
"Let the glorious period details wash all over you - the glamour of New York, circa 1947. But the most remarkable achievement is the complex relationship between women from two different worlds." - Melanie Benjamin
The review critics aren't lying on the cover of this one. The immersion into 1947 New York is felt from page 1, and the complex relationship between the two women and carried through until the very last sentences.
I wouldn't say that Not Our Kind is a must-read or anything, but it was a pretty good book. If you happen to chance upon it, give it a go. If not, you're not missing anything groundbreaking.
Unless you're really into hats. Then yes, you must read this.
**Content warning: I wouldn't call this book clean, definitely 18+ for nudity and sexual activity, nothing overly explicit, but clear enough.
Not Our Kind was a library pick-up whim, the pretty cover catching my eye as I was getting ready to leave. The blurb was convincing enough that I brought it home with me. For the most part, I really did enjoy this nicely written snippet of historical fiction that offers us what feels like quite a realistic portrayal of Life in 1947 New York.
I was sucked right in from the first few pages, and although the middle was a little stagnant, the last quarter or so started moving quickly again and I felt satisfied once I reached the end and put it down.
Not Our Kind features two heroines: Jewish girl Eleanor, who needs to work for a living, and Gentile woman Patricia, who does not need to work for a living. Eleanor and Patricia meet by chance, and Eleanor is soon hired by Patricia to work as her daughter's private tutor. Ensues a fairly interesting and riveting - if a little slow at times - tale bringing to light how easily life can change, and change you and those around you, and how chance meetings are sometimes the catalyst for things you never thought would happen to you.
It's a good tale. I wouldn't go so far as to say that I was really invested in any of the characters, but as an outsider looking in, I quite enjoyed following the story. Eleanor was a good character. So was Patricia. They were both very well-developed and three-dimensional, having their ups and downs, their successes and failures, mistakes and accomplishments. It's definitely a book that made me think, about how society has changed since then, how it's still the same, and how different/similar some of the challenges presented are dealt with today.
I related to Eleanor in many ways and I appreciated that her story wasn't turned into a typical romance. I think that would have derived from the main point a lot, and yet, as I mentioned at the start, the ending is still very satisfactory. It was realistic and matched the rest of the book, even if it was perhaps just a tad abrupt.
What elevated this book in my opinion and definitely earned it at least a half star were the glowing period details and lavish fashion descriptions. I live for those now, and have taken to keeping a journal full of notes in the hopes of one day recreating some of the fabulous outfits. Oh they sounded so beautiful! And Eleanor's mother was a milliner, with gorgeous hat references dropped throughout, making me long for the days when hats were just part of everyone's daily outfits. LET'S BRING THEM BACK.
"Let the glorious period details wash all over you - the glamour of New York, circa 1947. But the most remarkable achievement is the complex relationship between women from two different worlds." - Melanie Benjamin
The review critics aren't lying on the cover of this one. The immersion into 1947 New York is felt from page 1, and the complex relationship between the two women and carried through until the very last sentences.
I wouldn't say that Not Our Kind is a must-read or anything, but it was a pretty good book. If you happen to chance upon it, give it a go. If not, you're not missing anything groundbreaking.
Unless you're really into hats. Then yes, you must read this.
**Content warning: I wouldn't call this book clean, definitely 18+ for nudity and sexual activity, nothing overly explicit, but clear enough.
May 21, 2018
Kitty Zeldis creates an intriguing story about Eleanor Moskowitz, an educated young Jewish woman who’s a teacher and lives on Second Avenue in New York City, and Patricia Bellamy, a high society WASP who lives on Park Avenue. These two women’s lives and worlds couldn’t be further apart, and she takes you on their journey and what it was like living in New York City postwar 1947 describing how social and economic divisions were in that time period.
Patricia hires Eleanor to tutor her thirteen-year-old daughter, Margaux. Margaux was struck by the Polio epidemic that left her leg crippled and, as a result, she is tutored at home. Margaux can be quite difficult at times, mostly due to the insecurities she developed due to the effects of the disease and her dislike of her previous tutors. Patricia is worried about what her family and society friends will think because she hired a Jewish woman even though she is extremely happy with the effect she has on Margaux. Eleanor is asked to join the Bellamy family to their summer home in Connecticut to continue tutoring Margaux. At first, Eleanor and Patricia are polite, cordial and begin to form a bond, but their relationship soon plummets.
Adding to the story are Tom, Patricia’s brother, who is instantly attracted to Eleanor, and Wynn, Patricia’s husband, who dislikes Eleanor due to her heritage. Eleanor soon learns that she can’t live with this dysfunctional family and can no longer be in their employ. It takes Patricia to realize that her bond with Eleanor began with Margaux, and whatever animosity she felt toward her she needs to correct.
Zeldis does an incredible job describing the role of women in the past, religious animosity, class division, the family dynamic, and she explores what it was like living in different ethnic communities in that era. I thoroughly enjoyed this historical fiction story, and I loved the way she describes the City. I also enjoyed Eleanor’s character who is very sophisticated, extremely mature for her age, and knows exactly the right thing to say. I highly recommend this book.
Patricia hires Eleanor to tutor her thirteen-year-old daughter, Margaux. Margaux was struck by the Polio epidemic that left her leg crippled and, as a result, she is tutored at home. Margaux can be quite difficult at times, mostly due to the insecurities she developed due to the effects of the disease and her dislike of her previous tutors. Patricia is worried about what her family and society friends will think because she hired a Jewish woman even though she is extremely happy with the effect she has on Margaux. Eleanor is asked to join the Bellamy family to their summer home in Connecticut to continue tutoring Margaux. At first, Eleanor and Patricia are polite, cordial and begin to form a bond, but their relationship soon plummets.
Adding to the story are Tom, Patricia’s brother, who is instantly attracted to Eleanor, and Wynn, Patricia’s husband, who dislikes Eleanor due to her heritage. Eleanor soon learns that she can’t live with this dysfunctional family and can no longer be in their employ. It takes Patricia to realize that her bond with Eleanor began with Margaux, and whatever animosity she felt toward her she needs to correct.
Zeldis does an incredible job describing the role of women in the past, religious animosity, class division, the family dynamic, and she explores what it was like living in different ethnic communities in that era. I thoroughly enjoyed this historical fiction story, and I loved the way she describes the City. I also enjoyed Eleanor’s character who is very sophisticated, extremely mature for her age, and knows exactly the right thing to say. I highly recommend this book.
February 5, 2019
WWII Historical Fiction is a favourite genre of mine and Not Our Kind caught my attention because it deals with the struggles and racism, surreptitious and overt, that Jewish people in New York City continued to experience years after the Second World War. The story follows Eleanor Moskowitz, a young Jewish teacher who takes a job as a private tutor for Margaux Bellamy, a teen with a Park Avenue address and rich, powerful WASP parents to match.
The first half of the book whizzed by for me as Zeldis describes the era, its gorgeous fashions and introduces Eleanor to her readers. But the second half of the book had a different feel with the plot and characters becoming predictable and lacking depth. And while I loved Eleanor's strength, it was frustrating to see her make decisions flippantly which went against her character. There are some great issues raised (anti-Semitism, consent, class discrimination …) but unfortunately, these issues were handled superficially at best and often too easily remedied. By the time I finished the book I was underwhelmed.
Not Our Kind has a great premise, a beautiful eye-catching cover and is an easy read but I wanted a more complex look into the issues of the era and more depth to the characters. Readers who prefer a lighter Historical Fiction read should enjoy this book.
The first half of the book whizzed by for me as Zeldis describes the era, its gorgeous fashions and introduces Eleanor to her readers. But the second half of the book had a different feel with the plot and characters becoming predictable and lacking depth. And while I loved Eleanor's strength, it was frustrating to see her make decisions flippantly which went against her character. There are some great issues raised (anti-Semitism, consent, class discrimination …) but unfortunately, these issues were handled superficially at best and often too easily remedied. By the time I finished the book I was underwhelmed.
Not Our Kind has a great premise, a beautiful eye-catching cover and is an easy read but I wanted a more complex look into the issues of the era and more depth to the characters. Readers who prefer a lighter Historical Fiction read should enjoy this book.
May 10, 2018
Great historical fiction about a time period that isn't usually covered - the late 1940's. I loved the fact that this story stayed in the time period and didn't flip back and forth with present day. The story revolves around 2 women one a WASP and one a Jewish woman and the way their lives literally collide. I loved the settings both in the city and in the country (Connecticut). Well done and Kitty Zeldis will be appearing at our library in September!!
November 27, 2020
I didn't love this book. I did not think the characters were fleshed out well, nor did I get too involved in anyone's particular plight. I did feel that the heroine being Jewish really was almost irrelevant to the plot. So there was a little anti-semitism there, it didn't really fuel much to me. This could just as easily been about class differences, and "out of crowd" differences, as it was about fear of the unknown. It kind of meant nothing to the story in my opinion. I could have skipped this one honestly.
June 30, 2021
This book shed light on the antisemitism during postWW time in New York. But I felt the writing is too lengthy I couldn’t enjoy the plot either. One time read.
July 19, 2018
My Review of “Not Our Kind” by Kitty Zeldis Harper Collins Publishers September 4, 2018
Kitty Zeldis, Author of “Not Our Kind” had me captivated and mesmerized by her vivid and thought-provoking images and descriptions of the characters and landscape. The Genres for this Novel are Fiction, Women’s Fiction and Historical Fiction. The time period of this novel is set two years after World War Two, in both New York City and Conneticut.
The author describes her colorful cast of characters as complex and complicated possibly due to the circumstances in this story. Eleanor Moskowitz,a young Jewish teacher is headed in a taxi in New York City for a job interview. Eleanor is a Vassar graduate, and has left her other teaching job for personal reasons. It is raining, and traffic is exceptionally slow. Suddenly another cab, hits the taxi that Eleanor is in. Eleanor’s lip is bleeding, and now it looks like Eleanor has missed her interview. It seems like fate when a kind stranger steps in. Little does Eleanor realize how this encounter will change her life forever. Patricia Bellamy invites Eleanor to her home which is close by.
Patricia Bellamy is a wealthy, attractive and stylish woman. She lives in a dignified, elegant, older deluxe apartment house on Park Avenue. Patricia is a WASP, and hasn’t had Jewish people come to her apartment. Margaux Bellamy, her young daughter has recently recovered from Polio, and is left with a disfigured leg and limp. Margaux’s last tutor has resigned, and now a new one is needed. Margaux likes Eleanor immediately and requests that her mother hire her as a tutor.
Eleanor feels uncomfortable in Patricia’s home. Eleanor’s mother is a gifted hat-maker, and they live in smaller crowded dwellings. Eleanor somehow feels an attachment to Margaux and takes the job. Eleanor now finds that she is using the last name Moss instead of Moskowitz, when she enters the building. Another problem is that Patricia’s husband is anti-semitic.
Kitty Zeldis has written a novel that makes one think. I appreciate that the author writes about significant problems of the historical period, the aftermath of the war, the epidemic of Polio , differences in class, and religion, and discrimination. Is it possible for people from different backgrounds to be friends? The author also discusses family, traditions, friendship, love and hope. I loved everything about this book and highly recommend this to readers who enjoy the historical time period after World War Two, and the set of challenges it presents. I received an Advanced Reading Edition from the Publisher for my honest review.
Kitty Zeldis, Author of “Not Our Kind” had me captivated and mesmerized by her vivid and thought-provoking images and descriptions of the characters and landscape. The Genres for this Novel are Fiction, Women’s Fiction and Historical Fiction. The time period of this novel is set two years after World War Two, in both New York City and Conneticut.
The author describes her colorful cast of characters as complex and complicated possibly due to the circumstances in this story. Eleanor Moskowitz,a young Jewish teacher is headed in a taxi in New York City for a job interview. Eleanor is a Vassar graduate, and has left her other teaching job for personal reasons. It is raining, and traffic is exceptionally slow. Suddenly another cab, hits the taxi that Eleanor is in. Eleanor’s lip is bleeding, and now it looks like Eleanor has missed her interview. It seems like fate when a kind stranger steps in. Little does Eleanor realize how this encounter will change her life forever. Patricia Bellamy invites Eleanor to her home which is close by.
Patricia Bellamy is a wealthy, attractive and stylish woman. She lives in a dignified, elegant, older deluxe apartment house on Park Avenue. Patricia is a WASP, and hasn’t had Jewish people come to her apartment. Margaux Bellamy, her young daughter has recently recovered from Polio, and is left with a disfigured leg and limp. Margaux’s last tutor has resigned, and now a new one is needed. Margaux likes Eleanor immediately and requests that her mother hire her as a tutor.
Eleanor feels uncomfortable in Patricia’s home. Eleanor’s mother is a gifted hat-maker, and they live in smaller crowded dwellings. Eleanor somehow feels an attachment to Margaux and takes the job. Eleanor now finds that she is using the last name Moss instead of Moskowitz, when she enters the building. Another problem is that Patricia’s husband is anti-semitic.
Kitty Zeldis has written a novel that makes one think. I appreciate that the author writes about significant problems of the historical period, the aftermath of the war, the epidemic of Polio , differences in class, and religion, and discrimination. Is it possible for people from different backgrounds to be friends? The author also discusses family, traditions, friendship, love and hope. I loved everything about this book and highly recommend this to readers who enjoy the historical time period after World War Two, and the set of challenges it presents. I received an Advanced Reading Edition from the Publisher for my honest review.
September 25, 2018
I absolutely loved every word of this book, until the last paragraph! There is nothing that irritates me more, in fiction, than being left wondering what happens to the main characters I have grown to love. Will she or won't she? What happens now? Those are questions I am left asking, and have no idea which way the author wanted her main characters, especially Eleanor Moskowitz and Patricia Bellamy, to go. The story takes place during the years after WWII, when women were beginning to come into their own, and to want more for themselves than marriage and motherhood. Jews in America were still thought of as "not our kind" especially by the upper echelon wasps who vacationed in New England. Eleanor Moscowitz was Vasser educated, but scorned by her non-Jewish classmates, and when looking for employment, it was suggested she use the last name Moss, not Moscowitz. Country Clubs did not want Jews dining or golfing in their midst. If anyone thinks that is far fetched, I can tell you that in the 1970's, a boyfriend took me to his family's country club, one known to be "restricted," with his daddy's account at his disposal. We had a lovely dinner, but when I got home, my mother was shocked and asked me whether or not I knew our people were not welcome there! I hadn't known (at 17) and my maiden name is an all American name which never led people to identify me as a Jew. In "Not Our Kind," the women meet by accident (literally) and one becomes the employee of the other. Eleanor joins the Bellamy "staff" as a companion to, and tutor for, Patricia's young daughter, Margaux, who nearly died of polio (a very real threat in those days, even in my early childhood). Margaux survived, but was left with a severely damaged leg. She doesn't want to attend regular school, and no one has been able to help her, emotionally, until she meets Eleanor. Eleanor becomes enmeshed in the family's life, both in NYC and in their summer home in coastal Connecticut. Patricia's charming brother, Tom, enters the picture and captures Eleanor's heart, but how can they hope for a happy ending when they come from such different worlds? Patricia's husband, Wynn, is a total louse who causes pain and anguish to everyone around him and has a profound effect on the life choices of both women. This book was hard to put down. I read it very quickly, but didn't want it to end. I am just so sad there was no epilogue! I highly recommend the novel, anyway. It's so well written and the characters are very well drawn.
June 13, 2018
In terms of things I like to read about this book covered so many bases: Judaism, teachers, the 1940's a New York City setting, disease, five checks!
Not Our Kind tells the tale of two women from vastly different circumstances. Eleanor Mokowitz, the daughter of a widowed milliner and Patricia Bellamy, the wealthy privileged mother of a teenage daughter. Like two dogs sniffing each other out, circling, both curious and apprehensive. Together they share a common interest, Margaux, Patricia's daughter. Margaux has survived polio but, as it has left her crippled, she is reluctant to return to school. Hired by the Bellamy's as her private tutor, Eleanor is the only person who has been able to bring Margaux out of her depression. But the rules of polite society and the subtle snubs of a anti-Semitic elitism permeate their interactions.
This novel manages to skillfully capture the unwritten taboos of society and the result of attempting to initiate change. The characters are richly crafted, the story is engaging, and the subject matter thought-provoking.
Not Our Kind tells the tale of two women from vastly different circumstances. Eleanor Mokowitz, the daughter of a widowed milliner and Patricia Bellamy, the wealthy privileged mother of a teenage daughter. Like two dogs sniffing each other out, circling, both curious and apprehensive. Together they share a common interest, Margaux, Patricia's daughter. Margaux has survived polio but, as it has left her crippled, she is reluctant to return to school. Hired by the Bellamy's as her private tutor, Eleanor is the only person who has been able to bring Margaux out of her depression. But the rules of polite society and the subtle snubs of a anti-Semitic elitism permeate their interactions.
This novel manages to skillfully capture the unwritten taboos of society and the result of attempting to initiate change. The characters are richly crafted, the story is engaging, and the subject matter thought-provoking.
July 16, 2019
I was honored when Kitty Zeldis — a most stylish woman who never leaves the house without red lipstick — invited me to review NOT OUR KIND. I’m so glad I agreed, because her newest novel is as elegant and contemporary as she.
One moment can change a life ... or two ... as is the case in this richly imagined and beautifully written novel set in late 1940s New York City. A traffic accident on a rainy day brings together two women whose lives may never have crossed: Eleanor Moskowitz, new teaching grad from Vassar who needs employment, and uber-wealthy Patricia Bellamy, whose polio-stricken teenage daughter needs tutoring.
Questions of class and religious differences inform this utterly engaging period piece, as do the struggles of women to create full authentic lives. As fresh and relevant today as the historic era it covers. 5/5
Grateful to the author for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
One moment can change a life ... or two ... as is the case in this richly imagined and beautifully written novel set in late 1940s New York City. A traffic accident on a rainy day brings together two women whose lives may never have crossed: Eleanor Moskowitz, new teaching grad from Vassar who needs employment, and uber-wealthy Patricia Bellamy, whose polio-stricken teenage daughter needs tutoring.
Questions of class and religious differences inform this utterly engaging period piece, as do the struggles of women to create full authentic lives. As fresh and relevant today as the historic era it covers. 5/5
Grateful to the author for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
January 15, 2019
This book held the promise of exploration of antisemitism in the US following WWII. A friendship between a gentile woman and her daughter and a Jewish woman looking for comfortable employment. While the book started well it quickly devolved into a story of the serial philandering husband and the wife who blames all but him for his behaviors. I was 85% into the book before I realized I didn't want to finish. I soldiered on, but it ended predictably. Eleanor Moskowitz deserved better.
September 18, 2019
Set in NYC in the late 1940's this book is about two women who forge an unlikely friendship. Despite their differing backgrounds they are able to find common ground.
January 12, 2019
This novel takes place two years after WWII in Brooklyn New York and what it is like being Jewish - Most of the historical novels I read are during the war, not after. This was another way of telling their story after the war was over. A great read for sure !!
December 8, 2018
Not Our Kind takes place in post-WWII New York. I really like the historical setting, because it's rare to get fiction with Jewish main characters that isn't set in World War II. Well, it was anyway, but that's beginning to change.
Eleanor Moskowitz ends up leaving her teaching job because she's not willing to ignore the fact that a student cheated, but the school's not willing to punish her because her family has money. She signs up with an agency to try to find a job but ends up getting one through happenstance before that happens. On the way to an interview, her cab is hit by another cab, and the woman inside, Patricia Bellamy, invites her back to deal with the shock. Patricia's shocked when she realizes Eleanor is Jewish, but by then Eleanor's made such a strong impression on Patricia's daughter Margaux that she ends up offering her a job as Margauz's tutor.
More than anything, Not Our Kind, as the title implies, highlights the microaggressions Eleanor faces for being Jewish. To increase her chances of finding employment that pays well, she has to go by Eleanor Moss, for example. Told in the alternating third person perspectives of Eleanor and Patricia, the impact of that racism is clear.
There are things I really liked about this book, like the portrayal of the microaggressions and the way they wear Eleanor down every day; fiction tends to focus more on the bigger things, and added up the smaller things get really fucking big. Margaux survived polio and was left with a shriveled leg; she walks only with a cane. The book's secondary plot is about her trying to come to terms with her new identity, something made more difficult by her father's dismissal of her as a "cripple."
However, I have mixed feelings about this book because of the ending.
Not Our Kind has me thinking for sure, so it might make a great book club book.
Eleanor Moskowitz ends up leaving her teaching job because she's not willing to ignore the fact that a student cheated, but the school's not willing to punish her because her family has money. She signs up with an agency to try to find a job but ends up getting one through happenstance before that happens. On the way to an interview, her cab is hit by another cab, and the woman inside, Patricia Bellamy, invites her back to deal with the shock. Patricia's shocked when she realizes Eleanor is Jewish, but by then Eleanor's made such a strong impression on Patricia's daughter Margaux that she ends up offering her a job as Margauz's tutor.
More than anything, Not Our Kind, as the title implies, highlights the microaggressions Eleanor faces for being Jewish. To increase her chances of finding employment that pays well, she has to go by Eleanor Moss, for example. Told in the alternating third person perspectives of Eleanor and Patricia, the impact of that racism is clear.
There are things I really liked about this book, like the portrayal of the microaggressions and the way they wear Eleanor down every day; fiction tends to focus more on the bigger things, and added up the smaller things get really fucking big. Margaux survived polio and was left with a shriveled leg; she walks only with a cane. The book's secondary plot is about her trying to come to terms with her new identity, something made more difficult by her father's dismissal of her as a "cripple."
However, I have mixed feelings about this book because of the ending.
Not Our Kind has me thinking for sure, so it might make a great book club book.
November 15, 2018
Kitty Zeldis has given us a well written and engaging novel about two women from two different worlds who are bound by their mutual love of one young girl. One rainy morning in 1947 in New York City, Eleanor Moskowitz is running late for a job interview, while Patricia Bellamy is on her way to Bergdorf Goodman to pick up something for her daughter Margaux. Their paths literally collide when Patricia’s taxi runs into the taxi Eleanor is in. As Eleanor stands in the rain, softly crying because she has missed her interview, Patricia compassionately invites her to her home to dry off and make a call.
Eleanor is Vassar educated, a teacher and Jewish while Patricia comes from an affluent life, lives on Park Avenue, and leads the life of a socialite. Normally they would never have connected, but fate has brought them together and an unlikely friendship begins. At Patricia’s home Eleanor meets 13-year-old Margaux who survived a bout of polio that left her with an atrophied leg. Margaux is too self-conscious to attend public school so has a home tutor – whom she dislikes greatly. But Eleanor and Margaux seem to have an immediate connection that Patricia cannot ignore. Hoping Eleanor can help Margaux, Patricia offers her a job. While both Patricia and Margaux are enchanted with Eleanor, that is not the case with Patricia’s husband Wynn. He makes it very clear that he does not like Eleanor because she is Jewish.
When Eleanor meets Patricia’s brother Tom there is again that moment of instant attraction. While Patricia really likes Eleanor she is not eager for her brother to be involved with a Jew. With a husband that despises Eleanor and a brother that is attracted to her, the bond between the two women is now tested. And then one night one of them cross the line and all their lives will be changed.
Written in alternating perspectives of Eleanor and Patricia, Zeldis writes of two women so different, yet so alike. Both women knew “their place” in society, a place subservient to men and clear class divisions. Under Zeldis’ masterful writing both women look inside themselves and discover who they are and what their priorities are. It was also a really insightful glimpse into the life of everyday American people shortly after the end of the war. I can hardly wait until my book club discusses it. I am sure there will be lively discussion.
Thank you to Harper Books for the complimentary copy of the book. All opinions are my own.
If you like my reviews, please check out my Facebook page “Reading is My Passion” at www.facebook.com/groups/ReadingisMy Passion
Eleanor is Vassar educated, a teacher and Jewish while Patricia comes from an affluent life, lives on Park Avenue, and leads the life of a socialite. Normally they would never have connected, but fate has brought them together and an unlikely friendship begins. At Patricia’s home Eleanor meets 13-year-old Margaux who survived a bout of polio that left her with an atrophied leg. Margaux is too self-conscious to attend public school so has a home tutor – whom she dislikes greatly. But Eleanor and Margaux seem to have an immediate connection that Patricia cannot ignore. Hoping Eleanor can help Margaux, Patricia offers her a job. While both Patricia and Margaux are enchanted with Eleanor, that is not the case with Patricia’s husband Wynn. He makes it very clear that he does not like Eleanor because she is Jewish.
When Eleanor meets Patricia’s brother Tom there is again that moment of instant attraction. While Patricia really likes Eleanor she is not eager for her brother to be involved with a Jew. With a husband that despises Eleanor and a brother that is attracted to her, the bond between the two women is now tested. And then one night one of them cross the line and all their lives will be changed.
Written in alternating perspectives of Eleanor and Patricia, Zeldis writes of two women so different, yet so alike. Both women knew “their place” in society, a place subservient to men and clear class divisions. Under Zeldis’ masterful writing both women look inside themselves and discover who they are and what their priorities are. It was also a really insightful glimpse into the life of everyday American people shortly after the end of the war. I can hardly wait until my book club discusses it. I am sure there will be lively discussion.
Thank you to Harper Books for the complimentary copy of the book. All opinions are my own.
If you like my reviews, please check out my Facebook page “Reading is My Passion” at www.facebook.com/groups/ReadingisMy Passion
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