Jerusalem Maiden: A Novel, by Talia Carner.

I received an advance copy of Jerusalem Maiden: A Novel, by Talia Carner.

The story is about a young ultra-orthodox Jewish woman, Esther, at the beginning of the 20th century and I was unsure if I would like the book.

Esther is born into poverty and turmoil in Jerusalem. She struggles with her religion and her family responsibilities as a female in this era. I struggled with the beliveability of some the events in the book. For example: in spite of the traditional customs within the family, Esther is permitted to run around the city unsupervised quite a lot. The fact that she was given a more advanced education than most Jewish girl also doesn’t sit well. I have read many books about Orthodox Judaism and the culture surrounding the faith so it seemed a little far fetched to me.

However with that said I thought it was an attractive read, and while I doubt it is a correct manifestation of the life of your average Jewish girl, it did make me think.

3 Stars