Introduction
This is completely unlike any book I've reviewed before on Bitty Book Nook! Ashes by author Sharon Gloger Friedman is abundant in culture, hardship, and beauty--an inspiring tale of perseverance for a Jewish family in the early 20th century. The author was kind enough to give me a .mobi file of the novel for free in exchange for an honest review, so, without further ado, let's get to that rating!
My Rating: ★★★★★
Synopsis: "Easter Sunday, 1903 ushered in three days of government-sanctioned brutality on the Jews of Kishinev, Russia. In the aftermath of slaughter, rape, and destruction, Meyer and Sadie Raisky escape to New York City with their thirteen-year-old daughter, Miriam. Their home and business gone, reeling from devastating personal tragedy, the Raiskys cling to the promise of a better life in America. But upon arriving in New York City, Miriam and her parents quickly learn that promises are easily broken in the tenements of the Lower East Side. When circumstances force Miriam to abandon the schooling she loves to help support her family, she goes to work at the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, joining other immigrant girls who work long hours for low wages in shocking conditions. Against the backdrop of emerging workers' rights and women's rights, Miriam's social conscience and young womanhood both blossom when she falls in love with a union organizer. Bringing early 20th-century New York to life, Ashes is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, and a haunting elegy to the young women whose suffering inspired changes to working conditions in the garment industry." (via Goodreads)
Thoughts and Comments
Pros
- The novel is very well-researched--it's clear that the author knew both historically and contextually what she was talking about throughout the book.
- There is excellent detail in the surroundings and actions in every scene.
- The characters are all very developed and demand the reader's care for them almost instantaneously in the first chapter.
- The book was incredibly well-written with very little grammatical errors--I was extremely impressed!
- The chapters are the perfect length--not short enough to seem interruptive, but not so long as to leave the reader feeling mentally winded either.
- The note of the date at the beginning of each chapter was an excellent touch on the author's part because it easily allows the reader to recognize how much time is passing in between significant events.
Cons
- The internal thoughts of the characters aren't given any sort of differentiation from the narrative text and it can become confusing for the reader at times.
- This comment doesn't affect the novel's rating at all, nor is it a strike towards the author by any means, but I felt that it fit better in the cons section rather than anywhere else: in the novel, there are quite a few instances of violence, graphic descriptions, attempted rape, slurs, or otherwise disturbing content, so if you're sensitive to such things, it might be a good idea to do a bit more research before deciding to read.
Conclusion
Ashes blew me away, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in American historical fiction or Jewish culture! The book provides a harrowing glimpse at the lethal consequences of anti-Semitism and what life was like for Jewish people and immigrants alike in 1900s Russia and America, and how the strength of the human spirit can conquer the tribulations that life throws at people. Ms. Friedman, thank you so much for the opportunity to review your work! I look forward to seeing more from you in the future!
Amazon Link: See here
Goodreads Link: See here
Riffle Link: See here
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