The Bone Weaver: A Novel

by Victoria Zackheim

Following the death of her lifelong friend, professor Mimi Zilber sets off on a journey to discover how she came to this lonely place in her life, and why she is running from the opportunity to love. The Bone Weaver is a blend of history and fiction created around three generations of women - beginning with Mimi's great-grandmother Malka - and their struggles to survive pogroms, illness, and the violence of shtetl life in 19th Century Eastern Europe. By taking apart the family tapestry thread by thread, and then studying these women and their daily lives of uncertainty, tragedy, and joy, Mimi learns important lessons about courage and the will to survive. And in her discovery of what makes these women remarkable, she also discovers herself.

264 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Victoria Zackheim is the author of the novel, The Bone Weaver, and editor of six anthologies, the most recent being FAITH: Essays From Believers, Agnostics, and Atheists. Her screenplay, Maidstone, a feature film, is in development, as are her theater plays The Other Woman and Entangled. Victoria also writes documentary films and teaches creative nonfiction (Personal Essay) in the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program. She is a 2010 San Francisco Library Laureate.

Reviews

[Sarah]

So so, liked the history but kept wanting to shake her.

[Kimberly Westrope]

While I loved the historical parts of this novel (with such wonderful, memorable characters), I soon grew tired of Mimi and her self-absorption. I just wanted to shake her really good and say "Get over yourself, pull on your big girl pants, it's time to move on. And for goodness sake, grab on to that man who loves you so much." Seriously, how many times did she have to wonder out on to her patio, trying to make sense of her life and figure things out? She was an intelligent woman, for goodness sake.

While this one left a little lacking, I did like the author's writing and would probably read more of her work.

[Tiffany Manning]

It is a haunting story of grief, missed loved, and the nature of healing.

[John Devlin]

A book that while affecting at times, skips over far too much to be considered good.

[Marti]

LOLA had an author phone chat with Victoria Zackheim.

[Bess Wadler]

This is the story of a journey to understanding extreme loss and the scars left behind on the survivors.

[Pam Dunn]

Wonderful read visiting several generations of women. A story of personal growth and overcoming the weight of family history.