Review of The Women of the Berlin Salon

[Helen Akoth]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Women of the Berlin Salon" by Michel Zohar Ben-Dor.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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The Women of the Berlin Salon is a historical novel by Michel Zohar Ben-Dor based on a true story. First published in Hebrew, this English edition was translated by Yael Sheinfeld Abel. Beginning in 18th-century Germany and going all the way to the 19th century, it follows the lives of three Jewish women—Rahel, Henriette, and Dorothea—as they try to find their place in a society where being born a Jewish spells doom, let alone being a Jewish woman. These three close friends are not ready to take all the societal, cultural, and religious dictates at face value. They observe, question, and challenge them. It is the Age of Enlightenment, and they pioneer literary salons, which offer them opportunities for networking, self-development, and cultural refinement. Many obstacles await them, though.

I liked how inspiring this book was. The bravery of the three friends to challenge the retrogressive aspects of the culture they were born into was something to admire. I liked their resilience and how they fought to rise beyond the shackles of religious bondage, political upheaval, religious hypocrisy, and chauvinistic oppression. The unbreakable bond between them was also something to admire. As a woman, I found a connection with the trio and enjoyed their journey towards self-advancement, spiritual awakening, and economic stability, despite the odds that were against them and originating from different directions. Moreover, I liked the structure of the book. This book begins with a prologue and is divided into three parts and various chapters. Each chapter is named after the year the events took place. This makes it easy to navigate, as readers can follow the timelines easily. This further enhanced my enjoyment of it.

Apart from that, I think the translator did a great job in this work. The text flowed well, indicating it was translated by a professional. However, it still had some Hebraism, as evidenced by diction and other lexicosemantic aspects. The existing Hebraism did not affect my enjoyment, though, as it added Hebraic flavor and originality to the book. If you've read texts translated from Hebrew, for example, the Bible, you'll have an idea of how this novel reads.

My least favorite aspect of this book was the observation that some biases and conditioning were at play in this writing. There was a trend where the characters seemed to demonize Jewish traditions and exalt German culture. As they lived in Germany, this was not unusual, as minorities tend to adopt the cultures of the dominant tribes and belittle theirs to fit in. I am one person who believes that no culture, religion, or race is superior to the other. The author could have looked at some good aspects of the Jewish culture and religion, as not all of them are as retrogressive and inferior as the characters' choices implied.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I only found a few errors, indicating it was professionally edited. However, the above-mentioned observation makes me deduct a star to give it four out of five stars. If it were more liberal, I would have given it the perfect score.

I highly recommend this book to fans of historical novels featuring women empowerment and feminism. Literary personnel such as writers and translators will also appreciate it. The book quotes from various sources, including literary and religious texts like Torah and the Bible. However, none of this was proselytizing, and they were just used to support some points. I, therefore, believe it is suitable for readers of all religions, including nonreligion.

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The Women of the Berlin Salon
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