Batya Casper

Lovely but confusing.
This book is structured so that the three main characters (Ratiba, Orit and Elisheva) take turns narrating. I've read books where this works, but here the chapters are so short that as soon as you're really comfortable in a character's skin, you've got to change bodies. You're also jumping forward and back in time. And also - Ratiba has two distinct identities: She's Ratiba when she's pretending to be a Palestinian Muslim and she's Ruti when she's a Jew. And there are many minor characters to keep track of.
The first time I read this, I was frustrated. But then I decided to read it again, and this time I read only the chapters narrated by Ratiba. Then, only the chapters by Orit. Etc. And then I was able to appreciate the beauty of the poetic prose.
The main storyline is about the estrangement between sisters Ratiba and Orit and how the sorrow of being apart shapes them over the years. Ratiba represents the Palestinians and Orit represents the Israeli Jews.
A difficult but satisfying read.… (mer)

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"Israela" by Batya Casper is a wonderful book that would be perfect for your next book club selection. The story unravels through the eyes of three women, each with their own viewpoint and vision for the future. Centered around the conflicts of the Israeli and Arab people, this book helps us to understand the struggle and cost of peace.… (mer)

In Israel, the lives of three women interweave with the story of their country. Ratiba, an Israeli journalist, turns her back on her heritage to marry an Israeli Arab. Her sister Orit, an actor, lives alone and longs for her lost sister. Elisheva is a nurse who dedicates her life to the wounded and the dying. As their lives unfold, the three women find themselves facing choices they would never have envisioned.

This is a story of secrets and alienation, yet also of hope and heroism. It is about Arabs who save Jews from disaster and Jews who heal Arabs. It is the story of everyday people torn and desperately searching for the right path.

Here, the ancient pulsates in present time and the biblical holds prominence with the secular. Beneath this modern-day drama unfolds the story of a land and its people, revealing the historical trajectory of two peoples, victims and perpetrators of a biblical curse.… (mer)