The Singing Fire

by Lilian Nattel

From the acclaimed author of The River Midnight comes the story two emigrant women who change each other’s lives and, despite following separate paths, are united in their love of a child.

In 1875, Nehama arrives at St. Katharine’s Dock, having fled the expectations of her family in Poland. Planning to create a new life for herself and then send for her family to join her, she isn’t prepared for the reality of London’s East End, where only a block can separate the lively street markets from the dens of iniquity. Her dreams of independence falter when she is tricked into becoming a prostitute by a man called the Squire, who poses as a member of the Newcomers’ Assistance Committee. Brutalized and trapped, Nehama soon begins to lose hope, but when she becomes pregnant she realizes she must get away to save her child. With only the whispers of her late grandmother to guide her, she escapes and is taken in by a kind couple, who help her to re-create herself in the respectable immigrant community of the East End. There, despite a miscarriage, she begins to find a niche for herself as a seamstress and marries a tailor named Nathan. Sadly, however, she is unable to escape the pain of losing her baby and is haunted by the conviction that her sordid life in Dorset Street is to blame for her childlessness.

Emilia arrives in London in 1886, having fled from a life in Minsk that would have been considered privileged if it weren’t for her domineering and unpredictable father. Her dreams of living in an Italian villa with the mother she left behind have not prepared her for the rough life that faces Jewish immigrants in London. She is also pregnant, and it’s only Nehama’s intervention that saves her from the clutches of the Squire. But the struggles of life in the working-class Jewish neighborhood are not what she imagined for herself, and, leaving her baby with Nehama, she escapes to the wealthier streets of the city’s West End. There, she re-creates herself as a gentile and marries into a wealthy family, but cannot escape the memory of everything she has left behind.

Years pass as Nehama and Emilia follow their separate paths, each trying to ensure herself a successful future — Nehama dreams of opening a store of her own, Emilia plans to have another child. Yet each realizes that it is impossible to do so without coming to terms with the past. This is asking a lot of two women who have seen such sorrow of their own, and who also remember that of their mothers and grandmothers. But as they discover, the tests of the past, when seen from the present, are also proof of strength and faith. It is this reserve that both women draw on to make peace with their new lives, and in doing so, they arrive in places that hold some common ground.

With vivid prose and rich detail, Lilian Nattel weaves the lives of these two women not only together but into the tapestry of nineteenth-century London. Taking us into the streets and alleys of the East End, Nattel honours the spirit of the Jewish immigrant community and most of all the women who lived at its heart.


From the Trade Paperback edition.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Canada, Jewish, Historical, 19th Century, British Literature

336 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2003

About the author

Lilian Nattel's 5th novel is Only Sisters, the story of a good woman whose life unravels with a single lie: posing as her rebel sister on social media to give her elderly mother peace of mind. Lilian's other novels are: Girl at the Edge of Sky, about a WW2 female fighter pilot; Web of Angels, which deals with D.I.D., The River Midnight, about life in a shtetl with angels in the 19th century; and The Singing Fire, where ghosts and immigrant mothers mingle. Lilian was born in Montreal and decided to be a writer at the age of 10 when she realized that not all writers were dead. Later, she lived in a Toronto garret and temporarily became an accountant to pay for the accommodation. Ever since the publication of The River Midnight, which was published in 8 languages, she's written full time.

For more about Lilian, visit her website .

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love when a book is better than I expect. The language was beautiful, the characters were surprising, and the fantastical elements were well done.

[Hara · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this work of historical fiction, Nattel traces the lives of two different Jewish women who both run away by themselves to London in the late 19th century when they are still in their teens. Once there, they build lives for themselves despite the limitations of their circumstances and the hardships they have to face. This book is haunted by friendly ghosts and terrible villians, but Nattel weaves the story into a strong whole that does not give way to sentimentality or easy solutions. Her descriptions of London's seamy underside are rich and spicy, and the characters are complex and realistic. (She just should have done better homework on the use of Hebrew and Yiddish phrases, but that's a minor point).

[Marleen Meuleman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Zeer verwarrend geschreven en daardoor vond ik dit boek minder mooi.

[Peggy Walt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A novel that I didn't want to put down. Vivid descriptions of Jewish life in London (and also in the "Old Country) at the turn of the century. The book centres on two women and the child who unites them. My only criticism is that all the female characters share a similar way of escaping their harsh realities (and one is particularly brutal) through a dream-like state of denial - that became somewhat repetitive. However, a fascinating use of a female ghost who can only be seen by some of the characters was also dream-like, so perhaps this was fitting.

[Ruth Jalfon · Rating 4 out of 5]

set in late-nineteenth century east-end jewish London. Great descriptions although can get rather repetitive as you go through the book. Characters nicely drawn and believable. Interesting to read about environment of my great-grandparents' time. Being from London I recognise the places and there are some true events thrown in to make it more interesting historically.

[Feriel Temmar · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have loved an extra chapter, one where the two women would see each other across the fire. One where we find out Jacob's reaction...

Can't say more without giving something away...

Very powerful book, found out so much about London at that time and so much about jewish immigrants in London at the turn of the century.

[Jane Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the somewhat choppy style reflects well the choppiness of the two women's lives depicted. The beginning was very raw as a young Jewish woman coming into London is immediately lured into prostitution. Cruel and poignant, she eventually escapes and helps another young woman who is on the verge of the same fate. Their lives continue to intertwine in this interesting novel.

[Narfy · Rating 2 out of 5]

More like 2.5. The book started off fairly strong and then crashed and burned around the tutor seduction part. A non-ending end, which is my biggest pet peeve in a novel.

[Janine Rubens · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don’t waste your time.

[Diana Petty-stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good book with lots of emotions and the struggle of Jews in London.

[Jenise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lost the book, almost done!

Lyrical at times, liked the use of ghosts.

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I needed a Jewish tour guide when reading this book.
It's the story of two separate teenage girls in Russia in 1875 who both find their family situations untenable so they run away to London, only to discover that unaccompanied teenage girls in London are fair game. They start to pull themselves up from the gutter, meet each other and live together in London for a short while, then one runs away again in hopes of bettering their lives, only to find things can go south again.

It seemed that every single character in this book was Jewish and that permeates the story. But what was confusing was that both of these girls "see" and talk with with dead grandmothers on a regular basis. Is that some sort of Jewish tradition? A literary device to allow the author to dispense motherly information / guilt? An indication that the girls were going insane from their fear and loneliness and guilt?

Also, I nearly quit reading the book during the first and second chapters, but I finally realized that, in chapter 3, the two girls' lives would intertwine and it might get more interesting. Then I hung in there for the big clash that I anticipated but which never came.

My favorite character was the Jewish grandfather, Zaydeh, who acted senile but was observant and wise.

[Cindy Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I almost quit reading this book about 1/4 of the way through because of some sexual references that were a little too graphic for me. Thankfully they weren't in the latter chapters. I enjoyed the story. It was written in a style that was completely different from anything I've ever read before. I can't say I would recommend it because of the sexual references.

[Lynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't as good as her first novel, but enjoyable. Her decision to jump between two main characters was working well at first but wound up a little burdensome later on. Overall, you're life won't be lessened if you fail to read this one.

[Galen Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely read. So many wonderful quotes as you follow two lives of immigrant women through fin de siecle London. Heavy in Jewish culture and tradition. "Holidays exist ...so that mortifications, insult, and loneliness may have their moment."

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical fiction at its finest! Jewish immigrants from Poland making a new life in the ghettos of England after escaping the the fear of revolution and the possible rule of Russia's czar.
I enjoyed every page losing sleep to read this novel. My kind of book!

[Kellyann]

http://www.43things.com/entries/view/...

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://adventuresindailyliving.blogsp...

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story of two Jewish immigrant women who settle in London in the 1880's.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interested look at women and Jews in England in the 1880s.

[Tori]

2008- This book started off promising, and I liked the amount of detail used throughout. My main grip was the plot sorta meandered....also did not like the ending.

[Farrah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really fascinating first half, then it kind of lost steam for me.

[Rosie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed it though there was a theme throughout the book that I never did understand how it fit in...but it was a good book.

Recommend

[Juli · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Ronnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

London Jewish immigrants.

[Claudia Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read well written, but could have been a bit more descriptive. The story line was quite good and I enjoyed it.

[JenniferB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Main characters go through some hard times but ending is spine tingling. Set in East and West End (mentions Berwick Street)

[Krishnendra Sanyal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Splendid piece of literature. Writing style is just awesome, albeit a bit over-descriptive. Reminded me of the Indian novel Her Resurrection.

[B.j. Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Her first book "The River Midnight" was far superior.

[Nancy Blades · Rating 1 out of 5]

too philosophical