Flying Lessons

by Nava Semel

Hadara’s small Israeli village has one of one grocer, one nurse, and one junk dealer. Hadara’s only distinction is that she’s the only child without a mother. She decides that it’s time to make a name for herself and escape her loneliness. Monsieur Maurice, the village shoemaker, sparks Hadara’s imagination by telling her about Jews in his homeland who could fly. Hadara cajoles him into giving her flying lessons. But as her lessons go on, Hadara learns that she can’t escape from the loneliness of not having a mother. Flying Lessons is a poignant coming-of-age story that explores the importance of dreams and reality, and the delicate balance between them. “Semel weaves dream-like images and innocent profundity into a coming-of-age tale of great power… Sensitive translation preserves the lyricism of Semel’s deeply moving work.”Publishers Weekly “A novel that connects the suffering, the longing and willpower of childhood with magic… It is a delicate, sweet, haunting story.”Washington Post

Genres: Fiction, Israel

55 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1990

Reviews

[Han · Rating 4 out of 5]

Works of fiction told from the perspective of an adolescent are most compelling when they bridge the gap between simplicity of language and profundity with ease. The author of Flying Lessons does that wonderfully, in this thought-provoking albeit quick read.

[VAle · Rating 4 out of 5]

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