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Shavlan: A Woman's Journey to Independence
Shavlan – A Woman’s Journey to Independence.
A biographical novel based on a true story.
Sarah Taube cowers in the bakery cellar clutching her three children, listening to the sounds of shooting by the White Cossacks during a pogrom. In order to survive, she enters into a bargain with the ruthless Commissar, Dimitri, an orthodox Jew transformed by tragedy into a high-ranking Bolshevik. Will Dimitri be able to protect Sarah Taube and her family? Will Sarah Taube be reunited with her wanderlust husband who leaves for South Africa to seek his fortune and find himself, and will she realize her life long dream to go to America?
This family saga is based on true events in the life of the author’s maternal grandmother spanning three continents and five decades. It tells of a woman’s journey to independence, while living through World War I, deportation from her village in Lithuania, the Russian Revolution, the Civil War, a pogrom, and Lithuanian independence.
As the story unfolds, the reader is witness to the struggles of Jews in the Pale of Settlement and the strategies they use in coping with Tsarist rule and the anti-Semitic society governing them. Some acquiesce, trying to adapt, some oppose the Tsar by joining revolutionary groups, and others by emigrating. The author weaves a matrix of emotions and ideas into her characters as they move in and out of her grandmother’s life. We learn how an uneducated, naïve young girl, raised in Shavlan, a Lithuanian shtetl, becomes an independent, strong-willed and forceful woman, schooled in the ways of the world––her education obtained by being a witness and participant in world-shaking events.
Review
“Shavlan by Eunice Blecker is a beautiful historical novel that begins in a small Ukrainian village in 1871 and ends in New York City, 1923. This fascinating tale blends the author’s family history with fiction. Sarah Taub, the matriarch of the family dreams of moving to America where her brother has settled. She marries a man, who after experiencing life in The United States, vows never to go back. But, unable to find himself in their small village, he follows a friend to South Africa, hoping to find his place and fortune there. Sarah Taub remains behind with the children, waiting and waiting for communication from him. When WW1 breaks out, the Jews of Shavlan, including Sarah Taub and her children are relocated to Ekaterinoslav, Ukraine. In this village, far from her home, Sarah Taub becomes her own woman.The story is written in Mrs. Blecker’s beautiful literary voice. Her emotional connection to these characters is obvious. I was very moved by the epilogue, which gives the follow-up information about the characters beyond the end of the story. The book runs a bit long, but the characters and the setting are so engaging, it's easy to lose track of the book’s length. Through the realistic portrayal of characters, the author brings humanity to a dark period of Jewish history.” (Reviewed By Susan Sofayov, author of Jerusalem Stone, The Kiddush Ladies, and Defective)
“…Eunice Blecker has constructed a fictional saga of a woman who discovers her own inner strength as she lives through a turbulent era…”
“…The author describes traditional life in the shtetl, where Sarah Taube learns to help in her aunt and uncle’s bakery, and dreams of the places and experiences she learns of through letters…”
“…In 1915, with German troops approaching the area, all of the gubernia’s Jews are expelled and sent to Ekaterinoslav, Ukraine, where again Sarah Taube must find a place to live and a job to feed her family. The Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 upends her life again…”(Excerpts from Review by Mary-Jane Roth, Jewish Genealogy Society of Greater Washington’s publication Mishpacha, Early Summer 2018)
A biographical novel based on a true story.
Sarah Taube cowers in the bakery cellar clutching her three children, listening to the sounds of shooting by the White Cossacks during a pogrom. In order to survive, she enters into a bargain with the ruthless Commissar, Dimitri, an orthodox Jew transformed by tragedy into a high-ranking Bolshevik. Will Dimitri be able to protect Sarah Taube and her family? Will Sarah Taube be reunited with her wanderlust husband who leaves for South Africa to seek his fortune and find himself, and will she realize her life long dream to go to America?
This family saga is based on true events in the life of the author’s maternal grandmother spanning three continents and five decades. It tells of a woman’s journey to independence, while living through World War I, deportation from her village in Lithuania, the Russian Revolution, the Civil War, a pogrom, and Lithuanian independence.
As the story unfolds, the reader is witness to the struggles of Jews in the Pale of Settlement and the strategies they use in coping with Tsarist rule and the anti-Semitic society governing them. Some acquiesce, trying to adapt, some oppose the Tsar by joining revolutionary groups, and others by emigrating. The author weaves a matrix of emotions and ideas into her characters as they move in and out of her grandmother’s life. We learn how an uneducated, naïve young girl, raised in Shavlan, a Lithuanian shtetl, becomes an independent, strong-willed and forceful woman, schooled in the ways of the world––her education obtained by being a witness and participant in world-shaking events.
Review
“Shavlan by Eunice Blecker is a beautiful historical novel that begins in a small Ukrainian village in 1871 and ends in New York City, 1923. This fascinating tale blends the author’s family history with fiction. Sarah Taub, the matriarch of the family dreams of moving to America where her brother has settled. She marries a man, who after experiencing life in The United States, vows never to go back. But, unable to find himself in their small village, he follows a friend to South Africa, hoping to find his place and fortune there. Sarah Taub remains behind with the children, waiting and waiting for communication from him. When WW1 breaks out, the Jews of Shavlan, including Sarah Taub and her children are relocated to Ekaterinoslav, Ukraine. In this village, far from her home, Sarah Taub becomes her own woman.The story is written in Mrs. Blecker’s beautiful literary voice. Her emotional connection to these characters is obvious. I was very moved by the epilogue, which gives the follow-up information about the characters beyond the end of the story. The book runs a bit long, but the characters and the setting are so engaging, it's easy to lose track of the book’s length. Through the realistic portrayal of characters, the author brings humanity to a dark period of Jewish history.” (Reviewed By Susan Sofayov, author of Jerusalem Stone, The Kiddush Ladies, and Defective)
“…Eunice Blecker has constructed a fictional saga of a woman who discovers her own inner strength as she lives through a turbulent era…”
“…The author describes traditional life in the shtetl, where Sarah Taube learns to help in her aunt and uncle’s bakery, and dreams of the places and experiences she learns of through letters…”
“…In 1915, with German troops approaching the area, all of the gubernia’s Jews are expelled and sent to Ekaterinoslav, Ukraine, where again Sarah Taube must find a place to live and a job to feed her family. The Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 upends her life again…”(Excerpts from Review by Mary-Jane Roth, Jewish Genealogy Society of Greater Washington’s publication Mishpacha, Early Summer 2018)
- GenresHistorical Fiction
378 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 11, 2018
29 people are currently reading
107 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
July 21, 2019
What a wonderful story!
Had me hooked from the very first page. Handling the historical facts perfectly aligned with the lives of real people, the author tells a story of her family in a very engaging way and covers a broad variety of subjects: faith, love, loyalty, devotion, strength of family ties in the Jewish society, attachment to their land and home, perseverance, and most of all, the strength of a woman—Sarah Taube Grazutis—under unbearable circumstances of her time. Shavlan is a poignant story written in an easy to read and emotion-provoking language. An enjoyable read despite the sad events it covers—World War I and Russian Revolution and educational at that. Highly recommended.
Had me hooked from the very first page. Handling the historical facts perfectly aligned with the lives of real people, the author tells a story of her family in a very engaging way and covers a broad variety of subjects: faith, love, loyalty, devotion, strength of family ties in the Jewish society, attachment to their land and home, perseverance, and most of all, the strength of a woman—Sarah Taube Grazutis—under unbearable circumstances of her time. Shavlan is a poignant story written in an easy to read and emotion-provoking language. An enjoyable read despite the sad events it covers—World War I and Russian Revolution and educational at that. Highly recommended.
November 20, 2018
Interesting mix of a true family saga and historical novel
I have not read many books about the treatment of Jews during the years prior to World War I and during the beginning of the Russian Revolution between the czarist government and the Bolsheviks . I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it
I have not read many books about the treatment of Jews during the years prior to World War I and during the beginning of the Russian Revolution between the czarist government and the Bolsheviks . I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it
July 8, 2020
Based on true stories past down to the author by her maternal grandmother, Shavlan tells the story of Sarah Taube against the backdrop of life in early 20th century Russia. The story follows Sarah Taube’s life of love, loss, faith, and hope.
Sarah Taube’s story is an important depiction of life for Eastern European Jews in this particular time period. This was not an easy time to be alive. The story portrays Sarah Taube’s evolution from innocent young girl to strong, resilient wife and mother. Her life has it’s share of tragedy and loss yet she does what is necessary for the survival of her family
The love story between Sarah Taube and Charles is so sweetly written. Their enduring love, in spite of all the difficulties they face is truly beautiful. Sarah Taube’s independent spirit is passed down to the next generation, in her daughter Ruchel who insists on blazing her own trail in life.
This is a lovely story and an enjoyable read.
Sarah Taube’s story is an important depiction of life for Eastern European Jews in this particular time period. This was not an easy time to be alive. The story portrays Sarah Taube’s evolution from innocent young girl to strong, resilient wife and mother. Her life has it’s share of tragedy and loss yet she does what is necessary for the survival of her family
The love story between Sarah Taube and Charles is so sweetly written. Their enduring love, in spite of all the difficulties they face is truly beautiful. Sarah Taube’s independent spirit is passed down to the next generation, in her daughter Ruchel who insists on blazing her own trail in life.
This is a lovely story and an enjoyable read.
July 13, 2020
"Shavlan: A Woman's Journey to Independence" brings us a fictionalized narrative of Sarah Taube's life, a woman who survives treacherous and turbulent times during the downfall of Imperial Russia and beyond. The experiences of this family speaks volumes of the human condition, the vulnerability, the fragility, and the strength to survive. In my opinion, what occurred to the Jews of Lithuania and throughout the Russian empire is not sufficiently addressed in Jewish historical fiction. This time period is overlooked by the horrors of the Inquisition and the enormity of the Holocaust. It is crucial to understand the scope of the history, the geography and the impact of what took place throughout Eastern Europe, and to never forget the courage and the fortitude of our ancestors who lived to see a new day. Congratulations to the author for bringing this story to light and honoring her ancestors.
March 15, 2020
This is a compelling and well-researched historical novel that sheds light on the life of the Jewish diaspora in Lithuania and the Soviet Union before and after the October Revolution. I found it informative and well-written; the characters are believable, their stories - interesting. The cultural references added to my knowledge of Jewish customs and religion. It was an enjoyable read and I am glad to have chosen it.
August 5, 2022
I read Shavlan: a Woman’s Journey to Independence several years ago and am overdue for a re-read of this emotional amazing history, based on the true story of the author’s life!
Brava Eunice E. Blecker, thank you for sharing this emotional journey.
Brava Eunice E. Blecker, thank you for sharing this emotional journey.
August 24, 2023
SHAVLAN is obviously a labor of love. The author, Eunice Blecker, is sharing the life story of her beloved grandmother, Sarah Taube Grazutis, whose experiences can easily stand in for millions of Jews living in Eastern Europe in the late 1800s and early 1900s. For anyone (like me) interested in the history of European Jews or the reasons behind their mass emigration, here’s one person’s representative tale of living with constant persecution, limited opportunity, and physical threat. One warning though: you will have to deal with the fact that the book is not all that well written.
Like many of this time and place, Sarah Taube is born into a loving family struggling to survive under harsh conditions. Meeting societal and family expectations, she marries, gives birth to six children, and dedicates herself to keeping her family fed and safe. After a disappointing sojourn to the United States, her husband Charles ultimately leaves Sarah Taube and his children behind, hoping to establish a better life for the family as a tailor in South Africa and planning to send for them.
It’s a time when communication is difficult, unreliable, and letters often got lost. But despite long periods of hearing nothing, Sarah Taube continues hoping her family will one day be reunited. And she grapples with the same challenging questions facing many other Jewish parents:
• How can I financially support my children?
• Is it better to send one or more of them to live overseas with distant relatives in order to protect them, even if I might never see them again?
• Is there any way to keep my son from serving in a military known for its antisemitism?
• How far should I go when cooperating with my enemies?
Years pass as Sarah keeps the family together in the small shetl of Shavlan through war, resettlement, personal tragedies, and even as the very town she lives in shifts between Lithuanian, Polish, German and Russian control. As you can see from the full title of the book, all these hardships transform her — from a deferential wife into a competent and resourceful independent woman who knows what she wants and how to get it.
From Sarah Taube’s story, I learned what it was like to live under the often shifting restrictions placed on Jews in the Pale of Settlement and the constant threat of periodic pogroms. I also found it fascinating to read details of an émigré’s actual trip from Eastern Europe to the United States, including conditions aboard ships, how food was handled, and what it was like to pass through Ellis Island. And how important support from the wider Jewish community was to each Jew’s success. I also appreciated that the author included an epilogue where she details what happened to her various family members.
I mentioned the book is not very well written. Here’s what I mean. There are errors in syntax. Bits of information are awkwardly stuck into sentences and many transitions are either abrupt or non-existent. The dialogue is often clumsy and, in places, completely unbelievable, especially some of the words coming from the mouths of children. But since I was reading SHAVLAN more for story and background information than anything else, I overlooked the writing and just kept going. If you’re interested in the topic, you will hopefully be able to do the same.
Like many of this time and place, Sarah Taube is born into a loving family struggling to survive under harsh conditions. Meeting societal and family expectations, she marries, gives birth to six children, and dedicates herself to keeping her family fed and safe. After a disappointing sojourn to the United States, her husband Charles ultimately leaves Sarah Taube and his children behind, hoping to establish a better life for the family as a tailor in South Africa and planning to send for them.
It’s a time when communication is difficult, unreliable, and letters often got lost. But despite long periods of hearing nothing, Sarah Taube continues hoping her family will one day be reunited. And she grapples with the same challenging questions facing many other Jewish parents:
• How can I financially support my children?
• Is it better to send one or more of them to live overseas with distant relatives in order to protect them, even if I might never see them again?
• Is there any way to keep my son from serving in a military known for its antisemitism?
• How far should I go when cooperating with my enemies?
Years pass as Sarah keeps the family together in the small shetl of Shavlan through war, resettlement, personal tragedies, and even as the very town she lives in shifts between Lithuanian, Polish, German and Russian control. As you can see from the full title of the book, all these hardships transform her — from a deferential wife into a competent and resourceful independent woman who knows what she wants and how to get it.
From Sarah Taube’s story, I learned what it was like to live under the often shifting restrictions placed on Jews in the Pale of Settlement and the constant threat of periodic pogroms. I also found it fascinating to read details of an émigré’s actual trip from Eastern Europe to the United States, including conditions aboard ships, how food was handled, and what it was like to pass through Ellis Island. And how important support from the wider Jewish community was to each Jew’s success. I also appreciated that the author included an epilogue where she details what happened to her various family members.
I mentioned the book is not very well written. Here’s what I mean. There are errors in syntax. Bits of information are awkwardly stuck into sentences and many transitions are either abrupt or non-existent. The dialogue is often clumsy and, in places, completely unbelievable, especially some of the words coming from the mouths of children. But since I was reading SHAVLAN more for story and background information than anything else, I overlooked the writing and just kept going. If you’re interested in the topic, you will hopefully be able to do the same.
July 9, 2023
The Novel Shavlan by Eunice E. Blecker is the most emotionally touching book I've ever read - A literary historical treasure.
While reading this book, I felt the author had put her whole heart into it. No book till now gave me such strong emotions. The novel, based on true events, is so engaging that you feel like you've lived with the characters in the book.
The book is about the life of a real Lithuanian Jewish family during the 19th-20th century: including Tsarist Russia, World War I, deportation, pogroms, etc. I learned many facts about the Lithuanian Jews. I was fascinated by the personality of the main character Sarah Taube (the author's grandmother), her immeasurable strength, and her ability to not break and never stop dreaming.
My family members live in Shavlan (Siaulenai, Lithuania), and I grew up there. I retold the story to my mother and grandmother about each chapter in the book (they could not read it in English). Now the life of the author's ancestors has become a frequent topic of conversation in my family. During my childhood, I often visited the old Jewish cemetery in Shavlan and wondered about the unknown Jewish history of this small town (there were no Jews left after World War II). The author opened the treasure chest of this missing history. I highly recommend this novel to everyone and will remember it for all of my life.
While reading this book, I felt the author had put her whole heart into it. No book till now gave me such strong emotions. The novel, based on true events, is so engaging that you feel like you've lived with the characters in the book.
The book is about the life of a real Lithuanian Jewish family during the 19th-20th century: including Tsarist Russia, World War I, deportation, pogroms, etc. I learned many facts about the Lithuanian Jews. I was fascinated by the personality of the main character Sarah Taube (the author's grandmother), her immeasurable strength, and her ability to not break and never stop dreaming.
My family members live in Shavlan (Siaulenai, Lithuania), and I grew up there. I retold the story to my mother and grandmother about each chapter in the book (they could not read it in English). Now the life of the author's ancestors has become a frequent topic of conversation in my family. During my childhood, I often visited the old Jewish cemetery in Shavlan and wondered about the unknown Jewish history of this small town (there were no Jews left after World War II). The author opened the treasure chest of this missing history. I highly recommend this novel to everyone and will remember it for all of my life.
October 25, 2020
This is the first book I read from this autor and let me tell you that I loved it! Such a good book with great characters that keeps you obsessed with every page since the first one. The ending of this book.. come on! I just didn´t expect it! Can´t wait for read other book from this great writer! Amazing job! definitely a must read!. 5/5 A fantastic story that has it all! very interesting and well researched story of life in the shtetl in Lithuania pre and during WW1. Great story of Jewish life. I highly recommend it I appreciated the historical facts in the back of the book to aide me in comprehending the characters, their motivation and places they traveled. She gives us enough history; which can be very confusing, to help the reader understand the cruelties of this time period. The love story is between Sarah Taube {Sarala} and Charles, how the war effects family, friends and their close Lithuanian community. Sarala, in particular, has endured so much pain and loss, yet her bravery carried her throughout each challenge. This book inspired me, I really recommend it and I hope to read more Eunice books
September 25, 2021
This novel is based on a real Jewish community (the author's family) and their journey through life from 1871 till 1923.
Shavlan, by Eunice E. Blecker.
For me, this was a fascinating story which I could not let rest till I finished the whole book! The biographical novel starts in Shavlan, Lithuania. The tight Jewish community enjoys a life which becomes more and more complicated because of the negative attitude towards Jewish people, whether on a political or a human level. Many want to emigrate, mostly to the USA, but also to South Africa. Families are separated: either the husband leaves first to try and build up a better somewhere else; others send one child to America to relatives; others still will be conscripted in WWI. Others will be deported to Russia... This means for many of them that the women will have to take charge....
I learned a lot about being Jewish, in Lithuania and in America... I learned a lot about Lithuania's history. This is indeed a story well worth telling and which will not leave you unmoved.
Shavlan, by Eunice E. Blecker.
For me, this was a fascinating story which I could not let rest till I finished the whole book! The biographical novel starts in Shavlan, Lithuania. The tight Jewish community enjoys a life which becomes more and more complicated because of the negative attitude towards Jewish people, whether on a political or a human level. Many want to emigrate, mostly to the USA, but also to South Africa. Families are separated: either the husband leaves first to try and build up a better somewhere else; others send one child to America to relatives; others still will be conscripted in WWI. Others will be deported to Russia... This means for many of them that the women will have to take charge....
I learned a lot about being Jewish, in Lithuania and in America... I learned a lot about Lithuania's history. This is indeed a story well worth telling and which will not leave you unmoved.
August 27, 2025
Shavlan is a novelization of Sarah Taube (the author's grandmother's) life and recollections. A Jew born in the late 1800s in Lithuania, her world is anything but stable. Pograms, war, conscription, disease and death, loss of family and friends as they leave to get away from all the threats. Some of the stories of where people fled and why, and what happened when they were elsewhere, were more interesting than others of course. But overall the individual lives were interesting particularly when interwoven with the history of the time.
I gave Shavlan four stars somewhat reluctantly. It was self-published by someone who was fictionalizing memories important to her and her family; it wasn't written by a writer. Unhappily it also wasn't copy edited so there are many grammatical, and especially punctuation, oopses that jostled me from the story. The four stars, therefore, reflect the history she tells and not the specific way she tells it.
I gave Shavlan four stars somewhat reluctantly. It was self-published by someone who was fictionalizing memories important to her and her family; it wasn't written by a writer. Unhappily it also wasn't copy edited so there are many grammatical, and especially punctuation, oopses that jostled me from the story. The four stars, therefore, reflect the history she tells and not the specific way she tells it.
March 10, 2023
Read this novel—a story of a Jewish family’s survival and triumph, despite adversity.
Through the eyes of one Jewish community in a Lithuanian shtetl Shavlan, Eunice Blecker’s historical novel covers a period from the late 1800s through the Holocaust, vividly depicting the anti-Semitism and oppression experienced daily by the Jews across Europe. We follow the Grazutis family as they strive to survive the injustices forced on them, first, by Tzarist Russia, later the Soviet regime, and WWI, but also by Lithuania herself. For decades, Sarah Taube Grazutis, the main character--and author’s grandmother--battles every adversity to save her family by bringing them to America. Her triumph resonates with each immigrant who has come to the US seeking freedom.
Through the eyes of one Jewish community in a Lithuanian shtetl Shavlan, Eunice Blecker’s historical novel covers a period from the late 1800s through the Holocaust, vividly depicting the anti-Semitism and oppression experienced daily by the Jews across Europe. We follow the Grazutis family as they strive to survive the injustices forced on them, first, by Tzarist Russia, later the Soviet regime, and WWI, but also by Lithuania herself. For decades, Sarah Taube Grazutis, the main character--and author’s grandmother--battles every adversity to save her family by bringing them to America. Her triumph resonates with each immigrant who has come to the US seeking freedom.
July 20, 2025
The Strength of Women
I'm glad to have read all the way through to the Epilogue to find out what happened to the real life characters. The author is the daughter who wrote in detail about her Jewish family. The strength her mother showed throughout the trying times of early 1900, revolutions as well as WWI, is shocking and admirable. The research done for this story is all-inclusive, helping the reader understand generations of history as well as day-to-day family tragedies and triumphs.
I'm glad to have read all the way through to the Epilogue to find out what happened to the real life characters. The author is the daughter who wrote in detail about her Jewish family. The strength her mother showed throughout the trying times of early 1900, revolutions as well as WWI, is shocking and admirable. The research done for this story is all-inclusive, helping the reader understand generations of history as well as day-to-day family tragedies and triumphs.
January 16, 2024
Interesting historical period. But the book—self-published?—needs a great deal of editing. The dialogue is flat, lifeless, almost as if written in a second language. I finished reading it, but it took some effort.
November 17, 2024
This book was so informative! I knew almost nothing about Lithuanian history before reading this. I learned a ton! In addition, the main character is very inspiring. I loved this book and will be recommending it to others!
March 15, 2020
Great story
Eunice writes a very interesting and well researched story of life in the shtetl in Lithuania pre and during WW1. Great story of Jewish life. I highly recommend it
Eunice writes a very interesting and well researched story of life in the shtetl in Lithuania pre and during WW1. Great story of Jewish life. I highly recommend it
December 2, 2024
Well deserved praise. Relatable characters, well researched as well. Five stars...hopefully, author shall choose to pen another novel. Plan to recommend this gem to other avid readers.
February 14, 2025
Nicely written historical fiction with strong female characters. Loved that this was based on true family experiences.
July 2, 2018
Shavlan by Eunice Blecker is a beautiful historical novel that begins in a small Ukrainian village in 1871 and ends in New York City, 1923. This fascinating tale blends the author’s family history with fiction. Sarah Taub, the matriarch of the family dreams of moving to America where her brother has settled. She marries a man, who after experiencing life in The United States, vows never to go back. But, unable to find himself in their small village, he follows a friend to South Africa, hoping to find his place and fortune there. Sarah Taub remains behind with the children, waiting and waiting for communication from him. When WW1 breaks out, the Jews of Shavlan, including Sarah Taub and her children are relocated to Ekaterinoslav, Ukraine. In this village, far from her home, Sarah Taub becomes her own woman.
The story is written in Mrs. Blecker’s beautiful literary voice. Her emotional connection to these characters is obvious. I was very moved by the epilogue, which gives the follow-up information about the characters beyond the end of the story. The book runs a bit long, but the characters and the setting are so engaging, it's easy to lose track of the book’s length. Through the realistic portrayal of characters, the author brings humanity to a dark period of Jewish history.
The story is written in Mrs. Blecker’s beautiful literary voice. Her emotional connection to these characters is obvious. I was very moved by the epilogue, which gives the follow-up information about the characters beyond the end of the story. The book runs a bit long, but the characters and the setting are so engaging, it's easy to lose track of the book’s length. Through the realistic portrayal of characters, the author brings humanity to a dark period of Jewish history.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews