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Reviews

 

Daughter

"How I love this wonderfully engaging book, which reminds me of Gogol at his best. I love the characters, their whimsy and intensity; I love the dialogue, which is in a class of its own; I am interested in the family relationships, the complex bonding between mothers and daughters, sister and sister. It is absorbing and consistently alive. What an accomplishment. All this plus important issues under discussion, weighty matters such as death and dying, saying goodbye, making peace with the living and the dead, rekindling a spiritual center in an ancient tradition. And then the ending, the wonderful narrative twist that comes straight out of the best of Jewish story-telling. Did I say how much I love this book?"
-Kim Chernin
IN MY MOTHER'S HOUSE; EDGEWORK BOOKS

"All too often, novels with a Jewish theme seem to reflect the theory that the reader doesn't know much about Judaism or Jewish law and its intricacies. The Talmud and other rabbinic literature are usually introduced in order to make the "authentic" claim: i.e., that this particular novel is substantially based on Jewish legal tradition. DAUGHTER steers clear of simplistic Jewish views; instead, it tackles difficult mainstream issues with solid rabbinic grounding. Twists and turns abound in this account of two daughters and the death of their mother. Issues of daughter/mother, cremation, filial obligation, sibling tension, ritual (along with the usual family complexities) fill the pages. Not one to steer away from the struggle with such heavy issues, Ms. Silverstein captures the tension inherent in each of these issues by defining the stress, thereby described through a quite understandable incident and theme. The author's style is smooth and fluid, making for an easy and surprising read. Laced with Hebraisms, Yiddishisms, and New Yorkese, the read feels at home with the familiar cultural tugs. All in all, thematic exposition and accuracy for detail and purely enjoyable reading make this novel a winner. It is a joy to read. "
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Rabbi Stuart Kelman
Congregation Netivot Shalom

"The heroine of Lois Silverstein's rich and witty novel is truly a master of return. As a child, she felt herself considered 'Miss Take' by her family, but now, just past fifty, she believes in the power of change. Never losing either her sense of humor or the round metal urn containing her mother's ashes slung over her shoulder in a string bag, she negotiates with her older sister, her dead mother, the undertaker and the Rabbi, and of course, as did Abraham, with the God of Israel, and I'm sure you'll agree, she earns the right to say Kaddish at her mother's graveside."
-Ellen Spolsky, Ph.D., Director Lechter Literary Institute, Bar-Ilan University, Jerusalem
Author of SATISFYING SKEPTICISM et al

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