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Thorns for Raisel
Semi-Finalist - 2020 CIBA Goethe Book Awards for post 1750 Historical Fiction.Four gunshots, a dead woman, and a frantic crowd. Veronica Simon watched the chaos unfold around her, unable to grasp how this nightmare started...It was supposed to be a glorious day. The grand event Veronica had diligently planned over the last year was finally here. Dame Salva, the legendary nonagenarian, the champion of women's rights, was set to deliver her last public address before a hall filled to capacity. But the excitement turned to panic when Raisel Wisnik - an old hat maker, gunned down the famed activist. The police tried in vain to get her to talk, but Raisel would only speak to one person-- Veronica Simon.As Raisel tells Veronica her story, she is swept back seventy years to a shtetl in 1922, Poland. It is there that Veronica discovers Raisel, at only fourteen years of age, was sold as sex slave to the notorious Jewish Polish mafia, the Zwi Migdal, and shipped to South America. The details of Raisel's tragic journey cross paths with the Dame's, making it hard for Veronica to distinguish fact from delusion or one woman from the other. Now, with conflicting facts in her hands, Veronica is left with the choice of either walking away from it all and labeling Raisel a deranged old woman or giving a voice to a macabre story that lay buried for over seven decades.
329 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 2, 2019
4 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
About the author
Sandra Perez Gluschankoff
7 books47 followersSandra was born and raised in Argentina and immigrated to the United States after meeting the love of her life. While her academic background is in psychology, Judaic studies, and Hebrew language, she is best known for her accomplishments in Spanglish as a best-selling, award-winning historical novelist and award-winning screenwriter.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 15, 2021
Some scenes are brutal ... some are exquisitely emotional ... the story unfolds in surprising and (for me) largely unpredictable ways ... when I was about 50% through it occurred to me that the author had set a huge challenge for herself ... would she be able to link all the threads she had unleashed into a believable and satisfying conclusion? ... she did ... and for a romantic like me, it was a wonderful read
March 4, 2020
I was glad to see a second historical novel from this author appear on Amazon. (Gluschankoff, S.P. (2019), Thorns for Raisel. USA: Solstice Publishing.) She is known for her scene descriptions, producing a strong and clear impression on the senses, and this story verifies that observation. Her characters are so vivid they appear real, as do their reactions to totally chaotic situations.
Ms. Gluschankoff is not afraid to deal with the devastating practice of sex slavery, a dark element of our “civilization” we don’t want to think about, let alone admit its existence. Yes, Sandra, you did the collective Raisel justice.
Ms. Gluschankoff is not afraid to deal with the devastating practice of sex slavery, a dark element of our “civilization” we don’t want to think about, let alone admit its existence. Yes, Sandra, you did the collective Raisel justice.
December 10, 2019
Such a beautifully crafted, thought-provoking read! So many twists and turns throughout that I couldn’t put it down until I finished the entire book. Love this author!!!
January 4, 2020
Gluschankoff Does It Again!
Thorns for Raisel was a long anticipated read for me ever since I had an opportunity to read the prequel short story. What I love about Sandra's writing is that she creates such a rich fully developed world that you can easily get sucked into. TFR is a page turner that hooks you right from page one. I found myself slowing my reading pace towards the end because I wasnt ready to say goodbye. I 100% recommend this read!
Thorns for Raisel was a long anticipated read for me ever since I had an opportunity to read the prequel short story. What I love about Sandra's writing is that she creates such a rich fully developed world that you can easily get sucked into. TFR is a page turner that hooks you right from page one. I found myself slowing my reading pace towards the end because I wasnt ready to say goodbye. I 100% recommend this read!
April 20, 2020
This is an interesting story in present day and early 20th century.
I enjoyed the book and recommend it to readers who love historical fiction.
I enjoyed the book and recommend it to readers who love historical fiction.
December 15, 2019
Five Star Review, Readers' Favorite by Ruffina Oserio
-- Thorns for Raisel is a gripping novel from Sandra Perez Gluschankoff and a superb meld of historical fiction and crime that starts in the heart of a crisis. It's been a well-anticipated day for Veronica Simon, one for which she's put in so much energy. The renowned activist Dame Salva, who championed women's rights, is ready for her last address in a hall filled to capacity. But the famous activist is shot by an old hat-maker called Raisel Wisnik! Raisel refuses to speak to the police. She will only open up to one woman: Veronica. Her story starts in 1922 and involves slavery, a painful path that led her to where she was. But what is most mind-boggling is how she crossed paths with the legendary activist.
This is a story that will arouse emotions in readers and one in which the reader is torn between loving the criminal and having sympathy for the victim. The twists are powerful and at every moment, the reader has to pause and rethink how the story unfolds. The plot is complex and the characters multidimensional. Nothing is what it seems and the author deftly handles the themes of human rights, slavery, and freedom. What appears to be a random, senseless killing turns out to have strong foundations in a woman's past. Thorns for Raisel is highly descriptive and the prose has a music of its own. The story starts with a bang that awakens interest in the reader, but the grip keeps them turning the pages, curious to discover why people are the way they are. It is a satisfying story for fans of historical crime. --
-- Thorns for Raisel is a gripping novel from Sandra Perez Gluschankoff and a superb meld of historical fiction and crime that starts in the heart of a crisis. It's been a well-anticipated day for Veronica Simon, one for which she's put in so much energy. The renowned activist Dame Salva, who championed women's rights, is ready for her last address in a hall filled to capacity. But the famous activist is shot by an old hat-maker called Raisel Wisnik! Raisel refuses to speak to the police. She will only open up to one woman: Veronica. Her story starts in 1922 and involves slavery, a painful path that led her to where she was. But what is most mind-boggling is how she crossed paths with the legendary activist.
This is a story that will arouse emotions in readers and one in which the reader is torn between loving the criminal and having sympathy for the victim. The twists are powerful and at every moment, the reader has to pause and rethink how the story unfolds. The plot is complex and the characters multidimensional. Nothing is what it seems and the author deftly handles the themes of human rights, slavery, and freedom. What appears to be a random, senseless killing turns out to have strong foundations in a woman's past. Thorns for Raisel is highly descriptive and the prose has a music of its own. The story starts with a bang that awakens interest in the reader, but the grip keeps them turning the pages, curious to discover why people are the way they are. It is a satisfying story for fans of historical crime. --
December 20, 2021
Wonderful story but very confusing at times.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews