Review of Kalisz

[Precious_Nzeakor]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Kalisz" by Rosalind Brenner.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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In a small city named Kalisz, many Jewish families are uprooted from their homes and separated as a result of war. One of those Jewish families is the Brenner family. Moyshe Brenner is the father of five children. But when the war begins, along with the rise of certain Zionist beliefs, the family is separated. His third son, Sender Brenner, happens to disappear right before the German soldiers descend on the Jews living in Kalisz. Sender has left in pursuit of his Zionist beliefs, a belief hinged on the basis that Jews still have a place in the promised land. Will he make it to the promised land, as he believes, and most importantly, will he ever meet his family again?

Kalisz: A Journey of Return by Rosalind Brenner is historical fiction spanning different lives and viewpoints. From Sender Brenner's viewpoint to that of his mother, Raizel Brenner's viewpoint, and finally, to his daughter, Rose Brenner's viewpoint, we see the sad effects war can have on a nation and, more primarily, on families. We watch as Sender makes the transition from a young boy to a teenager to a fully grown man who marries, has a child, and squarely bears his responsibilities. We also see how a desire to know her roots leads Rose to uncover a huge secret that would have been buried forever.

I loved how the author incorporated some Yiddish words into the story, although sometimes it got confusing. I also enjoyed how we were able to see life through three generations without getting very overwhelmed. I appreciated getting to learn about some Jewish practices, such as the bar mitzvah and preparing for Shabbat. I also enjoyed the little historical data that was mentioned in the book, leaving one with some knowledge about the war and the sorts of things that occurred. Finally, I found no errors, which suggests that the book was exceptionally well edited.

However, the story had a slow beginning, which made it hard for me to get invested immediately. I didn't find much to look forward to in each following chapter, so it slowed my reading pace. There were also some scenes that I found too detailed and had little relevance to the plot of the story. For instance, the scene where Rose goes into a speech about seeing squirrels for the first time. There were also parts of the book where the transition to the next scene caused some confusion, like the scene where Sender sees off Stella at the airport, and next, we see him in an airplane with no prior information that some time has passed. Finally, the plot twist at the end didn't come as much of a surprise.

In conclusion, I rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars. I deducted a star because of its slow plot progression and lack of clarity in certain scenes, which led to confusion. For instance, some Yiddish words weren't translated, as was the scene with Stella at the airport. However, there was much to learn from this book, and thus I cannot rate it lower. If you're looking for a book to read during your leisure time, then this book might be a good fit. Enjoy!

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Kalisz
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[audric254]

I rate this book a 3.5 of 5 stars. The story is quite interesting and eye-catching, but it lacks a flow {in the case of Sender Brenner's disappearance to him being seen making a transition}. The book however is worthy the reader's time.

[Aaron Joseph Maupin]

This review provides helpful insights into "Kalisz: A Journey of Return" by Rosalind Brenner. It highlights the book's historical fiction elements, Jewish practices, and incorporation of Yiddish words. The reviewer mentions a slow beginning, lack of clarity in certain scenes, and a predictable plot twist as drawbacks. Despite this, the review rates the book positively and recommends it for leisure reading. Overall, it appears to be a sufficient review that would motivate some readers to consider adding the book to their library.

[Minaxiben Chandrakant Patel]

Thank you for your thoughtful and detailed review of "Kalisz: A Journey of Return" by Rosalind Brenner. Your analysis provides valuable insights for potential readers, balancing both the strengths and areas for improvement.