Review by Denese A Rodgers -- Keys to Tetouan
-
Denese A Rodgers
- Posts: 1
- Joined: 14 May 2017, 14:55
- Bookshelf Size: 3
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-denese-a-rodgers.html
- Latest Review: "Keys to Tetouan" by Mois Benarroch
- Reading Device: B00JG8GOWU
Review by Denese A Rodgers -- Keys to Tetouan
[Following is a volunteer review of "Keys to Tetouan" by Mois Benarroch.]
2 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Keys to Tetouan, by Mois Benarroch, Publisher: Babelcube Inc. (May 21, 2017)
I rate the book 2 out of 4 stars. The book is a tapestry tale of the people of Tetouan. It chronicles their journeys and struggles as the characters cope with the travails of their lives in foreign lands, and their longing for their homeland. The characters range from children to seniors, each giving a glimpse into their lives as they relate to their family and heritage. The version that I read was translated into English by Orna Taub.
I liked the narrative format. The emotions were sometimes raw, sometimes wistful. The most powerful voices were the very young, and very old. I could almost see through the eyes of the child - and I could feel the urgency of the elderly. I was particularly touched when the characters struggled with the need to practice a syncretic faith in order to adapt to where they had been forced to flee. I appreciated the humanity, and inhumanity that was woven into their lives. I was particularly drawn to the numbered chapters written in the child’s voice.
I struggled to understand the context. I am not of Jewish heritage, so I struggled with to understand how/why some of the characters appeared. I could not understand the lineage of who was speaking until I was in the final chapters. As I stated earlier, the book was translated into English and the flow from one storyline to the next was lost. The chapters shift to and fro, sometimes titled numerically, sometimes with dates, sometimes with Tetouan and dates, then with a village. I downloaded the book to a pdf format, and many words came through concatenated (page 9 grandsonwhocarries, page 42 passingfor, ghettoreality, page 70 fetusantibodies).
In the chapter Tetouan 1996 a ‘pogram’ is referenced. I had to stop reading and go find the history of that word to understand its context in the narrative. Chapter 22 was completely baffling…”a dog wanting to eat my genitals?” Was this chapter a bizarre dream? I didn’t see how this was a part of any of the story lines.
I could not comprehend the meaning of the keys. It shifted from one meaning, to something altogether different. The chapter titled, “The key” spoke of something called a historical Scanner. The explanation did not make sense. The key was referred to frequently, but it no longer meant a door key and had something to do with the Scanner. It was never clear how the Scanner operated. It was as though the book took a turn at Chapter 22 and abandoned the book’s original intent.
******
Keys to Tetouan
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Like Denese A Rodgers's review? Post a comment saying so!
2 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Keys to Tetouan, by Mois Benarroch, Publisher: Babelcube Inc. (May 21, 2017)
I rate the book 2 out of 4 stars. The book is a tapestry tale of the people of Tetouan. It chronicles their journeys and struggles as the characters cope with the travails of their lives in foreign lands, and their longing for their homeland. The characters range from children to seniors, each giving a glimpse into their lives as they relate to their family and heritage. The version that I read was translated into English by Orna Taub.
I liked the narrative format. The emotions were sometimes raw, sometimes wistful. The most powerful voices were the very young, and very old. I could almost see through the eyes of the child - and I could feel the urgency of the elderly. I was particularly touched when the characters struggled with the need to practice a syncretic faith in order to adapt to where they had been forced to flee. I appreciated the humanity, and inhumanity that was woven into their lives. I was particularly drawn to the numbered chapters written in the child’s voice.
I struggled to understand the context. I am not of Jewish heritage, so I struggled with to understand how/why some of the characters appeared. I could not understand the lineage of who was speaking until I was in the final chapters. As I stated earlier, the book was translated into English and the flow from one storyline to the next was lost. The chapters shift to and fro, sometimes titled numerically, sometimes with dates, sometimes with Tetouan and dates, then with a village. I downloaded the book to a pdf format, and many words came through concatenated (page 9 grandsonwhocarries, page 42 passingfor, ghettoreality, page 70 fetusantibodies).
In the chapter Tetouan 1996 a ‘pogram’ is referenced. I had to stop reading and go find the history of that word to understand its context in the narrative. Chapter 22 was completely baffling…”a dog wanting to eat my genitals?” Was this chapter a bizarre dream? I didn’t see how this was a part of any of the story lines.
I could not comprehend the meaning of the keys. It shifted from one meaning, to something altogether different. The chapter titled, “The key” spoke of something called a historical Scanner. The explanation did not make sense. The key was referred to frequently, but it no longer meant a door key and had something to do with the Scanner. It was never clear how the Scanner operated. It was as though the book took a turn at Chapter 22 and abandoned the book’s original intent.
******
Keys to Tetouan
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Like Denese A Rodgers's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: "Keys to Tetouan" by Mois Benarroch
