Review by kdstrack -- Gates to Tangier by Mois Benarroch
Gates to Tangier
By Mois Benarroch
This book is classified as historical fiction.
A grieving family meets with the family lawyer after the death of their husband/father. Still mourning his death, they receive another painful blow when the reading of the will reveals that indeed there is a large inheritance waiting to be distributed among the five siblings, but in order to receive it they must search for their half-brother. This involves each of the five siblings traveling back to their natal country from which they had fled because of political upheaval. En route to this meeting, each sibling reflects on their life, their past and questions their loyalty to their Jewish heritage. Will they be willing to welcome this long lost brother into the family circle? What if the half-brother is not Jewish? Is the trouble of finding their unknown half-brother worth the money? The reflections and conclusions of each sibling are interesting and surprising.
The inner conversations of each of the characters expose the thoughts that are brought to mind when one returns to their childhood home. Each of the siblings has developed a different lifestyle and readers will be able to relate to one of them. Their inner musings urge the reader to consider their upbringing and how closely they have continued in these early beliefs or have perhaps rejected or changed them. Each reader can determine how closely they have continued in the legacy instilled by their parents or have changed and accepted new beliefs, new traditions, even a new country with its customs.
I found the frequent use of Jewish terms distracting. People who have an understanding of Jewish history and rituals will have a deeper appreciation for this story. Readers who do not have this background will be confused or frustrated with the frequent appearance of unfamiliar terms. I was unfamiliar with many of the Jewish festivals and terms used in the text. The story would have more meaning had I been more acquainted with Jewish culture.
I think this book appeals to a wide audience because it presents a situation we all think about: how would we react to the news of a large inheritance left to us by a loved one. The story also presents a complete, traditional family – a marriage that has stayed together until the death of one of the spouses and siblings that lead successful lives.
I question the classification of this book as historical fiction. There are no historical characters that play a major role in the story. The story does not revolve around a certain time, character or event in history. Some historical events are mentioned but are not developed as the central theme of the story. I would prefer to classify this book as fiction.
I rate this book a 3 out of 4 stars. It was a very easy and engrossing read. The author presents the story in an intriguing way, urging the reader to examine and question their inner beliefs and family relationships. Do our hearts have room for one more person? Are family relationships more valuable than money? How do we react to family members that are different from us?
Submitted by,
kdstrack
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Gates to Tangier
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