Review by Peta2017 -- The Expelled by Mois Benarroch
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The Expelled does not tell one story. There are several stories which are intertwined with the common themes of exclusion, rejection and non-acceptance. Readers will be taken on a journey of the superior versus the inferior, the majority versus the minority, and the oppressor versus the oppressed. I give this book a rating of 3 out of 4 stars.
Readers who enjoy historical detail as well as a sociological context will be fascinated by The Expelled. From a historical perspective, Mr. Benarroch skillfully gives a detailed account of the discrimination faced by the Sephardic Jews and the struggles that this particular ethnic group has faced over time. On a another level, The Expelled, is almost autobiographical at some points, as readers will get several glimpses into the author’s personal life, where he showcases quite a few instances of discrimination and ostracism, whether in his career or throughout his relationships with various women and his family.
I loved the powerful and accurate use of symbolism in this book. For example, the use of the wall can be seen as a dividing force, similar perhaps in nature to the Berlin Wall, which is also represents a symbol of division among people. Additionally, Benarroch played upon the concept of the ‘front’ and the ‘back’, to again illustrate the concept of separation. Whilst reading The Expelled, I had flashbacks to George Orwell’s Animal Farm. In particular, the quote which forcefully came to mind was ‘all animals are created equal but some animals are more equal than others’, which was very influential in helping the pigs to rationalize their control and abuse of the other animals in that novel.
Benarroch also heavily relied upon irony in such a way, that readers will be left shaking their heads at the many illogical situations that exists even in our own modern societies. Overall, readers are left with the realization that history is repeating itself in many different societies in numerous ways on a daily basis, even though we may be unaware.
The only major drawback of this book for me, is that of grammar. Some of the sentences are much too long and winding. Consequently, the author ‘lost’ me at several points, during which I found myself re-reading entire paragraphs, just so I could understand the essence of what was being said.
On a whole, I found The Expelled to be a thought-provoking and enlightening read. Whilst not your typical sci-fi novel, Benarroch manages to cleverly blend the absurd with gritty reality. If you enjoy novels that tell more than a story, you should give The Expelled a read.
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The Expelled
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