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Days Uncounted: A Historical Novel
His world was split in two.And now, he must make a fateful decision.
Iraq, the 1940’s. Elias, the son of a Jewish family who lives in the city of Basra and suffers from vicious harassment, finds himself caught in between two opposite worlds.
On the one hand, his family, which has lived through a tragic, earthshattering event, expects him to marry his cousin Doris, despite the fact that he has no feelings for her.
On the other hand, there is Elias himself, who is in love with someone else—Laila, the daughter of a Jewish family whom destiny put in his path and from that moment onwards, their love knows no boundaries.
When Elias and Laila ask to consummate their love, a window of opportunity opens up for both families to leave Iraq and immigrate to Israel.
However, at the height of their love, an unexpected act of wickedness tears the young couple apart and breaks their hearts.
Is their true love strong enough to survive the many hardships and hurdles they encounter on their journey or will the new reality pull them apart forever?
Iraq, the 1940’s. Elias, the son of a Jewish family who lives in the city of Basra and suffers from vicious harassment, finds himself caught in between two opposite worlds.
On the one hand, his family, which has lived through a tragic, earthshattering event, expects him to marry his cousin Doris, despite the fact that he has no feelings for her.
On the other hand, there is Elias himself, who is in love with someone else—Laila, the daughter of a Jewish family whom destiny put in his path and from that moment onwards, their love knows no boundaries.
When Elias and Laila ask to consummate their love, a window of opportunity opens up for both families to leave Iraq and immigrate to Israel.
However, at the height of their love, an unexpected act of wickedness tears the young couple apart and breaks their hearts.
Is their true love strong enough to survive the many hardships and hurdles they encounter on their journey or will the new reality pull them apart forever?
- GenresHistorical Fiction
264 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 26, 2020
122 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 5, 2021
This could have been a cracking read but although I loved the story, I found the writing a little patchy and inconsistent, particularly the dialogue. It was written quite often in a tell rather than show way which marred it a little for me. I felt that important and significant episodes in a story full of history were far too quickly skimmed over. Great breadth of story but it needed more depth I felt to make me truly care for the characters.
I think the writer shows great promise but the story tried to cover far too much ground. I also found the conclusion to the thread of lost love/ found love - hard to believe - Doris must have been a complete saint. And Berta, clever beautiful and bright who loves women - her change of heart regarding her sexuality didnt feel authentic at all.
I really enjoyed the descriptions of life for Iraqui Jews before expulsion and the early days of settling in Israel but too much was glossed over in the rush to pack historical detail into the story I felt. So, good but patchy. An interesting read.
I think the writer shows great promise but the story tried to cover far too much ground. I also found the conclusion to the thread of lost love/ found love - hard to believe - Doris must have been a complete saint. And Berta, clever beautiful and bright who loves women - her change of heart regarding her sexuality didnt feel authentic at all.
I really enjoyed the descriptions of life for Iraqui Jews before expulsion and the early days of settling in Israel but too much was glossed over in the rush to pack historical detail into the story I felt. So, good but patchy. An interesting read.
August 17, 2020
One Hellava book
Let me be straight and simple.This is an excellent book, but also a warm and tender one.Two factors to me are most important when I read a book . 1. It is easy to understand and the text flows. 2. The story must be enjoyable which means that it bites me somewhere in my heart. Mr Hai here has written a very warm story about unrequited love, life, maturation, courage, and inner strength. His portrayal of Jewish and Arab relations in Iraq was a revelation; the fig tree, the market place, the synagogue, the family life rooted in the earth itself.He moves on to Israel and tells us within the story of Elias's life the story of a nation's birth. Yet all this has a purpose, days. unaccounted for. All capsulized on the very last page and what a page pulling the whole story together. And thanks Eli. I truly loved your book.
Let me be straight and simple.This is an excellent book, but also a warm and tender one.Two factors to me are most important when I read a book . 1. It is easy to understand and the text flows. 2. The story must be enjoyable which means that it bites me somewhere in my heart. Mr Hai here has written a very warm story about unrequited love, life, maturation, courage, and inner strength. His portrayal of Jewish and Arab relations in Iraq was a revelation; the fig tree, the market place, the synagogue, the family life rooted in the earth itself.He moves on to Israel and tells us within the story of Elias's life the story of a nation's birth. Yet all this has a purpose, days. unaccounted for. All capsulized on the very last page and what a page pulling the whole story together. And thanks Eli. I truly loved your book.
July 31, 2020
Fascinating
As someone born jewish in america, I found this book fascinating. I loved every mention of food, the holidays, family traditions. I could relate on one level. But Jews in Iran. How absurd. Of course I lived through the turbulence, but as an American teenager, I'm ashamed to say, it didnt compute in my life. But as much as I'd like to give it a 5, in some cases, the way it was written, with the event first, then a backtrack to fill in the blanks sometimes confused me.
As someone born jewish in america, I found this book fascinating. I loved every mention of food, the holidays, family traditions. I could relate on one level. But Jews in Iran. How absurd. Of course I lived through the turbulence, but as an American teenager, I'm ashamed to say, it didnt compute in my life. But as much as I'd like to give it a 5, in some cases, the way it was written, with the event first, then a backtrack to fill in the blanks sometimes confused me.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews