Thursday, September 28, 2017
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Review -- The Immigrant's Lament
Review by uzeziq -- The Immigrant's Lament
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Immigrant's Lament" by Mois benarroch.]
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The Immigrant’s Lament is an English translation of a collection of poems written by Mois Benarroch and published by Moben Publishing in 2016. The poems were originally written in Hebrew and published in 1994. There are a total of 53 poems in the book which contains 91 pages.
The book received its’ title from the first poem that appeared in the collection ‘The Immigrant’s lament’. It is not only the first poem but also the longest in the book. The poem introduces us to the plight of the poet, how he became an unhappy immigrant when his family relocated from Morocco, his birth place to Israel. It also highlights the dilemma and challenges he faced in settling down and accepting his new environment – if he ever did. This introduction is necessary as it creates the bedrock the reader needs to understand and decipher the geographical setting of the poems in the book as Israel, where the poet writes, as an immigrant. The poet is also able to make the reader understand better why he judges almost everything from the perspective he does, as an immigrant, from the culture to politics and religion. Although this poem takes a narrative form, it subtly moves the reader to feel pity for the poet and thus, take sides with him which becomes an important factor in making the reader accept his views and emotions in the poems that come after.
The poems in the book convey the themes of love, politics, religion, war, fear and uncertainty. The poet made use of a combination of rich poetic elements that made the content both engaging and interesting. He also introduced humor which helped ease the tense mood that some of the poems created and everything seemed to balance out fine. Throughout the book, the poet does not aim to force or convince the reader to accept his views, rather, he presents the poems as a dialogue he is having with himself. Nonetheless, he succeeds in keeping the reader’s attention with the use of imagery and rhetorical questions and thereby, sustaining the reader’s interest in his dialogue.
In the PDF version, there are some noticeable editing errors ranging from wrong spelling and omitted letters to improper spacing; some of which include ‘the outsiderwhen’ on page 3, ‘I sing you a love son.’ on page 45, ‘for Peace Now peoplethey’ on page 85, ‘I’m here to prouve you wrong’ on page 68, among others. Also, the “Table of Contents” is found at the last two pages of the book which made it really tiring and difficult for me to navigate to certain poems or areas of interest as I have to scroll through the entire book to look for the page number of a particular poem. It would have been better if the “Table of Contents” was placed before the poems for easy navigation.
In my opinion, The Immigrant's Lament will be well suited to all lovers of poetry. However, it contains a few non-English words and phrases such as “awadel yahoud”, “ze kaparateja”, and others. Some of them are Hebrew while others are Arabic. There are two poems in the book with French titles, ‘Les Entrailles Du Poete’ and ‘Les Poetes Maudits’. All of these words were foreign to me and I had to do a research to understand the meaning of the words before I could fully grab the context of what was said by the poet. Some readers might consider this a tedious process. Nonetheless, if effort is made to get the meaning of the words, it would become hard not to find the book interesting.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars because what it lacked in editing, was properly made up for in its’ interesting content.
******
The Immigrant's Lament
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon |
Share This Review
The book received its’ title from the first poem that appeared in the collection ‘The Immigrant’s lament’. It is not only the first poem but also the longest in the book. The poem introduces us to the plight of the poet, how he became an unhappy immigrant when his family relocated from Morocco, his birth place to Israel. It also highlights the dilemma and challenges he faced in settling down and accepting his new environment – if he ever did. This introduction is necessary as it creates the bedrock the reader needs to understand and decipher the geographical setting of the poems in the book as Israel, where the poet writes, as an immigrant. The poet is also able to make the reader understand better why he judges almost everything from the perspective he does, as an immigrant, from the culture to politics and religion. Although this poem takes a narrative form, it subtly moves the reader to feel pity for the poet and thus, take sides with him which becomes an important factor in making the reader accept his views and emotions in the poems that come after.
The poems in the book convey the themes of love, politics, religion, war, fear and uncertainty. The poet made use of a combination of rich poetic elements that made the content both engaging and interesting. He also introduced humor which helped ease the tense mood that some of the poems created and everything seemed to balance out fine. Throughout the book, the poet does not aim to force or convince the reader to accept his views, rather, he presents the poems as a dialogue he is having with himself. Nonetheless, he succeeds in keeping the reader’s attention with the use of imagery and rhetorical questions and thereby, sustaining the reader’s interest in his dialogue.
In the PDF version, there are some noticeable editing errors ranging from wrong spelling and omitted letters to improper spacing; some of which include ‘the outsiderwhen’ on page 3, ‘I sing you a love son.’ on page 45, ‘for Peace Now peoplethey’ on page 85, ‘I’m here to prouve you wrong’ on page 68, among others. Also, the “Table of Contents” is found at the last two pages of the book which made it really tiring and difficult for me to navigate to certain poems or areas of interest as I have to scroll through the entire book to look for the page number of a particular poem. It would have been better if the “Table of Contents” was placed before the poems for easy navigation.
In my opinion, The Immigrant's Lament will be well suited to all lovers of poetry. However, it contains a few non-English words and phrases such as “awadel yahoud”, “ze kaparateja”, and others. Some of them are Hebrew while others are Arabic. There are two poems in the book with French titles, ‘Les Entrailles Du Poete’ and ‘Les Poetes Maudits’. All of these words were foreign to me and I had to do a research to understand the meaning of the words before I could fully grab the context of what was said by the poet. Some readers might consider this a tedious process. Nonetheless, if effort is made to get the meaning of the words, it would become hard not to find the book interesting.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars because what it lacked in editing, was properly made up for in its’ interesting content.
******
The Immigrant's Lament
Read The immigrant's Lament in
Francais https://www.amazon.fr/dp/1507144415
Portugues https://www.amazon.com/dp/1507118074
Italiano https://www.amazon.it/dp/1507130104
English https://www.amazon.com/dp/1519012616
Bilingual edition Hebrew/English http://www.lulu.com/shop/mois-benarroch/paperback/product-21661852.html
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon |
Review of -- "The Immigrant's Lament" by Mois benarroch
Review by Kate H -- The Immigrant's Lament
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While reading The Immigrants Lament, has it allowed me to question much in my life. It is a good book, written by Mois Benarroch, with ebb and flow of downright feeling as to what it is an immigrant does feel – when journeying to a foreign land. What I enjoyed most about this piece of poetry is the way it is told, how the author, Mois allowed such feelings of confusion, self-doubt, and love to jump off the pages and intervene into one's mind. How he put into words that he doubted his work, how he thought that by the time he should be buried – would he find fame as a published anything. With such emotion and attention, did it have me wanting to go back for more.
Of course, as there are likes, there are dislikes. Moreover, what I found myself disliking were the sporadic ways, Mois led off into another piece of poetry rather than continuing to tell the Immigrants story until another passage later. It gave off a feeling of confusion, leaving me to wonder, did the piece about war – have anything to do with the way he loved his wife? Or did he simply want to add that passage on war before continuing with the rest of his poems on the immigrant?
In the enjoyment of Mois Benarroch's poems, I gave it a rating of 3 out of 4 stars. The intimate details on family, and marriage, as well as what the immigrant thought, did make me love the story, yes. As to why it is not a complete 4 out of 4 stars, are the moments of confusion, the moments that cause me to scratch my head and ask, what did he mean? Those that are avid poetry readers will find these short and long poems entertaining and enriching. Such as those who read, Jose Marti, Edgar Allen Poe or Maya Angelou will enjoy Mois Benarroch's poems and the honest way he writes of life.
Mois Benarroch while he questioned whether he wanted to continue writing or give up, or if he should leave his wife, has he left me in want to discover what more he has written. He has also caused me to question much about my life that I did not question before – which is both a good and bad thing. I am hoping to discover more about this man and his thoughts on life.
******
The Immigrant's Lament
Read The immigrant's Lament in
Francais https://www.amazon.fr/dp/1507144415
Portugues https://www.amazon.com/dp/1507118074
Italiano https://www.amazon.it/dp/1507130104
English https://www.amazon.com/dp/1519012616
Bilingual edition Hebrew/English http://www.lulu.com/shop/mois-benarroch/paperback/product-21661852.html
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Review by Job Njoroge -- Keys to Tetouan by Mois Benarroch
[Following is a volunteer review of "Keys to Tetouan" by Mois Benarroch.]
Written by Mois Benarrach, Keys to Tetouan is a historical fiction and poet novel set in Europe, Africa and Asia from 1868 to 2000. This is the time when the first and second world wars happened, the Moroccan war of independence and the Israeli wars. It gives a graphic story of the Benzimra family which started in the 1860s. The book explains how the Jews formed part of the Royal family in Spain before being sent away and rules set forbidding them to come back unless they met some qualifications and rules put in place forbidding them from coming back.
The book explains how the Benzimra family started in Tetouan and how they spread out into all parts of the world. It shows how some of the Jews tried to show that they are different from the other people but soon realized that they were not. Fernando Benzimra sets out on a journey to find his roots after the death of his father who tells him in a letter that he is Jewish. He first meets Moshe Benzimra who tells him that he is trying to connect loose ends. This is true since many members of the Benzimra family left Tetouan without much trail of them being left about where they went. We see that they moved to different places for many reasons i.e. poverty, oppression, unemployment, discrimination and lack of basic human needs. Many go in search of greener pastures in other parts of the world. Some of them leave the place permanently while others come back periodically or at their old age . Here we see that one does not completely forget about his or her place of birth or origin and just move on. This is very evident in the story as many members come back to reconnect with their past although for some they no longer feel as if they belong here.
Mois Benarrach exposes and discusses critical issues that still plague today's societies i.e. discrimination and oppression in the example of Israel oppressing the Palestinians whom they found in Israel and forcefully evicted them from their lands like what had happened to Jews in Germany and Poland during the second world war. This the author says will have negative repercussions on them later on. Fernando Benzimra follows the history of his people and family and those who left and came back and those who stayed and didn't leave. He understands that some did not leave believing that they would go back to Spain but the Spanish came and oppressed them in Tetouan. Others believed that going to Jerusalem was the key to their problems and that there they would be welcomed and would be at home since it was their promised land. They would later learn that this is not true by how they are treated and discriminated because of their names by the Israelis know as Ashkenazim.
Mois Benarrach shows the history of to kids Moshe and David and then shows history as the kids watch it on a computer that they had been using till they get tired and go out to play. This is after the children watch a disturbing episode where they see a son who is sick and is on the verge of death
My best part is how Mois Benarrach has grown the characters in the book and brought up issues in the novel that affect our societies up to now. These problems will continue to affect our societies until we change our attitude towards other human beings. He shows content in the story and themes that are evident in the whole story to the very end. The book is also professionally edited and has very few errors that can be ignored
What I liked least about the book is how the author moves to different time periods instead of flowing in a systematic way as the time goes from when the Benzimra family started until now. The method used makes it difficult to follow the story and also understand it in some parts.
I rate the book3 out of 4 stars because it has great content and it is also professionally edited. The book brings out issues that affect our societies until now and will continue to affect our societies for much longer
******
Keys to Tetouan
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Written by Mois Benarrach, Keys to Tetouan is a historical fiction and poet novel set in Europe, Africa and Asia from 1868 to 2000. This is the time when the first and second world wars happened, the Moroccan war of independence and the Israeli wars. It gives a graphic story of the Benzimra family which started in the 1860s. The book explains how the Jews formed part of the Royal family in Spain before being sent away and rules set forbidding them to come back unless they met some qualifications and rules put in place forbidding them from coming back.
The book explains how the Benzimra family started in Tetouan and how they spread out into all parts of the world. It shows how some of the Jews tried to show that they are different from the other people but soon realized that they were not. Fernando Benzimra sets out on a journey to find his roots after the death of his father who tells him in a letter that he is Jewish. He first meets Moshe Benzimra who tells him that he is trying to connect loose ends. This is true since many members of the Benzimra family left Tetouan without much trail of them being left about where they went. We see that they moved to different places for many reasons i.e. poverty, oppression, unemployment, discrimination and lack of basic human needs. Many go in search of greener pastures in other parts of the world. Some of them leave the place permanently while others come back periodically or at their old age . Here we see that one does not completely forget about his or her place of birth or origin and just move on. This is very evident in the story as many members come back to reconnect with their past although for some they no longer feel as if they belong here.
Mois Benarrach exposes and discusses critical issues that still plague today's societies i.e. discrimination and oppression in the example of Israel oppressing the Palestinians whom they found in Israel and forcefully evicted them from their lands like what had happened to Jews in Germany and Poland during the second world war. This the author says will have negative repercussions on them later on. Fernando Benzimra follows the history of his people and family and those who left and came back and those who stayed and didn't leave. He understands that some did not leave believing that they would go back to Spain but the Spanish came and oppressed them in Tetouan. Others believed that going to Jerusalem was the key to their problems and that there they would be welcomed and would be at home since it was their promised land. They would later learn that this is not true by how they are treated and discriminated because of their names by the Israelis know as Ashkenazim.
Mois Benarrach shows the history of to kids Moshe and David and then shows history as the kids watch it on a computer that they had been using till they get tired and go out to play. This is after the children watch a disturbing episode where they see a son who is sick and is on the verge of death
My best part is how Mois Benarrach has grown the characters in the book and brought up issues in the novel that affect our societies up to now. These problems will continue to affect our societies until we change our attitude towards other human beings. He shows content in the story and themes that are evident in the whole story to the very end. The book is also professionally edited and has very few errors that can be ignored
What I liked least about the book is how the author moves to different time periods instead of flowing in a systematic way as the time goes from when the Benzimra family started until now. The method used makes it difficult to follow the story and also understand it in some parts.
I rate the book3 out of 4 stars because it has great content and it is also professionally edited. The book brings out issues that affect our societies until now and will continue to affect our societies for much longer
******
Keys to Tetouan
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Review The Immigrant's Lament by Mois Benarroch
Review by thewoostercode -- The Immigrant's Lament
4 out of 4 stars
The book features fifty-three poems that grapple with themes as diverse as war, injustice, religion, politics, romantic love, belonging, family and identity. Benarroch has an easy conversational style to his poetry that it is incredibly vivid, painfully self-aware and delightfully humorous. Yet he quickly moves from image to image, and leaves behind a prevailing sense of restlessness which is echoed in his poems that never focus on any one idea or path, but explore multiples ones. And though, at first, that may seem odd or off-putting, it makes senses when considered in the context of the two poems that bookend the collection.
The first poem, ‘The Immigrant’s Lament’, and the last poem, ‘Self-portrait of the Poet in the Family Mirror', are the longest in the book, and draw upon his life experiences and the literatures of the countries he has lived in. They give us an opening and a closing shot that layers over all of the collection’s themes with two central ones that form the burden of the immigrant’s lament: that of being a stranger who looks for something better but consistently finds loss. Benarroch’s immigrant has an additional lament which is that of the artistic creator who is conflicted, seeking to write poetry that is either flawed and authentic or that is masterful and critically acclaimed. It is these poems that I enjoyed the most because I am a person who is simultaneously a part of several cultures and yet foreign to them all.
Benarroch crosses borders whether they be religious, geographical, literary or emotional and takes us into the space in between things in a ceaseless exploration for a certainty that can only be rejected. This is aptly encapsulated in the line, ‘looks for freedom, scared of limitations’; freedom here can refer to achieving creative genius, love, fame, fortune and so on. However, regardless of where these explorations may take us, the feeling out of place and yearning to leave always remain whatever else changes.
There is an undercurrent of quiet optimism that is evident throughout the collection, one that asserts a belief that better days will come. This optimism is driven by the poetry itself. It is by writing poems that the immigrant can anchor himself in a world without solid borders, and it is writing poetry that remains the only constant throughout the physical and temporal transitions. And so, it is in poetry that the stranger in The Immigrant’s Lament can wait for and hope to find a sense of belonging as a recognised poet, and a loved human.
The Immigrant’s Lament is an honest and intense expression of the loss of those who have failed to connect with people and places, and have struggled to find lasting purpose, because their nature forces them to live life in transition.
I give this book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. It was an easy decision to arrive at. This particular translation is clear and free of errors. I would recommend this book to poetry readers and anyone from a multicultural background who has had trouble reconciling the worlds to which they belong.
******
The Immigrant's Lament
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Read The immigrant's Lament in
Francais https://www.amazon.fr/dp/1507144415
Portugues https://www.amazon.com/dp/1507118074
Italiano https://www.amazon.it/dp/1507130104
English https://www.amazon.com/dp/1519012616
Bilingual edition Hebrew/English http://www.lulu.com/shop/mois-benarroch/paperback/product-21661852.html
Thursday, September 21, 2017
Review -- Keys to Tetouan by Mois Benarroch - Llaves de Tetuán
Review by Dh_ -- Keys to Tetouan by Mois Benarroch
[Following is a review of "Keys to Tetouan" by Mois Benarroch.]
3 out of 4 stars
The book Keys to Tetouan by Mois Benarroch is quite an interesting book and the first of its type that I have ever read. The book is in an unusual format, but I found that this format left you asking more questions and wanting to keep reading until you found the answers. The characters in the book are each described very well, so it feels like you personally know them. As for the writing, I was impressed by the writing in several parts because it was almost poetic. Overall, I give the book 3 out of 4 stars.
The book focuses on the story of the Benzimra family: a Jewish family that has been around for several generations. The family has an incredible number of relatives, most of which are described or describe themselves, and they each have their own story. The family is spread out around the world and has been for centuries; some living in South America and others in Europe. The book is told as if it were a compilation of stories all revolving around one main idea: their Jewish roots, their home (Tetouan), and finding their family history. Even though the author is Mois Benarroch, it feels like there are countless authors because many of the characters share pieces of their life story and personal experiences. Each character has their own way of expressing themselves and their opinions that makes them stand out among the rest, a trait not found in many books.
I rated this book 3 out of 4 stars because it was good, but it wasn’t amazing. I will admit that it was beautifully written and that you can feel the writer’s emotions through their words, which is probably what I liked the most about it. Whenever each character speaks, it feels like they are talking directly to you. I also really liked how vividly each moment is described. I liked the way that the author connected the characters and how each character’s part of the story contributed to the big picture.
As I mentioned above, it wasn’t amazing. There were a few grammatical errors here and there. Also, I felt like the plot was lacking a little more excitement or suspense. There were very few plot twists and that is what I personally love to find in a book. The story itself flowed very nicely, but it didn’t have the element of surprise. I didn’t find the book exciting, but rather educational. The author includes many historical events and explains the religious situation at the time, so some parts reminded me of reading a history textbook instead of a story.
Since the book gives a lot of importance to the Jewish religion and their customs, as well as their history, I would recommend it to readers that have an interest in that sort of thing. By that I mean readers that enjoy historical books or are interested in the Jewish religion. I think that even people that don’t care for these things can enjoy the book as well, because those things don’t appeal to me, yet I liked it. Nevertheless, I would recommend it to anyone that likes to read about history or wants to know more about Judaism.
******
Keys to Tetouan
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
3 out of 4 stars
The book focuses on the story of the Benzimra family: a Jewish family that has been around for several generations. The family has an incredible number of relatives, most of which are described or describe themselves, and they each have their own story. The family is spread out around the world and has been for centuries; some living in South America and others in Europe. The book is told as if it were a compilation of stories all revolving around one main idea: their Jewish roots, their home (Tetouan), and finding their family history. Even though the author is Mois Benarroch, it feels like there are countless authors because many of the characters share pieces of their life story and personal experiences. Each character has their own way of expressing themselves and their opinions that makes them stand out among the rest, a trait not found in many books.
I rated this book 3 out of 4 stars because it was good, but it wasn’t amazing. I will admit that it was beautifully written and that you can feel the writer’s emotions through their words, which is probably what I liked the most about it. Whenever each character speaks, it feels like they are talking directly to you. I also really liked how vividly each moment is described. I liked the way that the author connected the characters and how each character’s part of the story contributed to the big picture.
As I mentioned above, it wasn’t amazing. There were a few grammatical errors here and there. Also, I felt like the plot was lacking a little more excitement or suspense. There were very few plot twists and that is what I personally love to find in a book. The story itself flowed very nicely, but it didn’t have the element of surprise. I didn’t find the book exciting, but rather educational. The author includes many historical events and explains the religious situation at the time, so some parts reminded me of reading a history textbook instead of a story.
Since the book gives a lot of importance to the Jewish religion and their customs, as well as their history, I would recommend it to readers that have an interest in that sort of thing. By that I mean readers that enjoy historical books or are interested in the Jewish religion. I think that even people that don’t care for these things can enjoy the book as well, because those things don’t appeal to me, yet I liked it. Nevertheless, I would recommend it to anyone that likes to read about history or wants to know more about Judaism.
******
Keys to Tetouan
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Review of Keys to Tetouan
Review by Emunah An -- Keys to Tetouan by Mois Benarroch
[Following is a volunteer review of "Keys to Tetouan" by Mois Benarroch.]
3 out of 4 stars
Review by EmunahAn
Fernando Benzimra is a man of Jewish ancestry who is eager to trace his roots back to Tetouan. The story starts with a conversation between him and his cousin Moshe Benzimra. Fernando has recently found out that he is of Jewish ancestry which has sparked his curiosity in learning about his family and homeland. As the story progresses, more characters of the Benzimra family are introduced by the writer. These characters narrate their different experiences throughout key events of Jewish history.
The story mostly features Tetouan, a town in Morocco where Jews moved to after expulsion in Spain. The main family featured in the book, the Benzimra family, is from Tetouan but its members are spread out all over the world in places such as Paris, Greece, New York, Madrid and Jerusalem. The book also features the Jewish return to Israel from around the world. Within the book are short conversations held between Jewish family members that give the reader first-hand experience of families moving from the current cities they reside in to Tetouan looking for answers and a place that they can really call home.
The book is mainly built around Jewish culture and the events that have shaped its history. It has a unique style of narration. The author builds characters through their own narration of parts of their lives from a first person position. The author does not expound much on the characters and only gives the reader a glimpse of their lives, leaving details to the reader’s imagination. This type of writing ensured that I remained alert to understand the story and connected me more closely to the characters.
Keys to Tetouan by Mois Benarroch is a work of historical fiction majorly based on Jewish heritage. The writer, Mois Benarroch, carefully presents different feelings of members of the Benzimra family which gives the reader first-hand experience of what the Jews have been through, throughout different centuries. He expounds on their feeling of homelessness and their survival through incredible adversity.
The book was an informative read. I got to learn about different important events and culture of the Jewish people and the ways these two aspects have shaped their attitudes and way of life as told by Mois Benarroch. The book is best suited for anyone who wants to learn about Jewish history. It, however, lacks the ability to captivate the reader through suspense and dramatization. In addition to this, too many characters are introduced too randomly. I, therefore, rate the book 3 out of 4 stars.
3 out of 4 stars
Review by EmunahAn
The story mostly features Tetouan, a town in Morocco where Jews moved to after expulsion in Spain. The main family featured in the book, the Benzimra family, is from Tetouan but its members are spread out all over the world in places such as Paris, Greece, New York, Madrid and Jerusalem. The book also features the Jewish return to Israel from around the world. Within the book are short conversations held between Jewish family members that give the reader first-hand experience of families moving from the current cities they reside in to Tetouan looking for answers and a place that they can really call home.
The book is mainly built around Jewish culture and the events that have shaped its history. It has a unique style of narration. The author builds characters through their own narration of parts of their lives from a first person position. The author does not expound much on the characters and only gives the reader a glimpse of their lives, leaving details to the reader’s imagination. This type of writing ensured that I remained alert to understand the story and connected me more closely to the characters.
Keys to Tetouan by Mois Benarroch is a work of historical fiction majorly based on Jewish heritage. The writer, Mois Benarroch, carefully presents different feelings of members of the Benzimra family which gives the reader first-hand experience of what the Jews have been through, throughout different centuries. He expounds on their feeling of homelessness and their survival through incredible adversity.
The book was an informative read. I got to learn about different important events and culture of the Jewish people and the ways these two aspects have shaped their attitudes and way of life as told by Mois Benarroch. The book is best suited for anyone who wants to learn about Jewish history. It, however, lacks the ability to captivate the reader through suspense and dramatization. In addition to this, too many characters are introduced too randomly. I, therefore, rate the book 3 out of 4 stars.
Review -- Raquel Says (Something Entirely Unexpected )
Review by Chrys Brobbey -- Raquel Says (Something Entirely Unexpected )
[Following is a review of "Raquel Says (Something Entirely Unexpected)" by Mois benarroch.]
4 out of 4 stars
Review by Chrys Brobbey
One day while going about his business as a writer the unexpected happens. The author returns from a short break only to discover that an invisible hand has left him a message. It is not an incoming email, as you may think, but one typed onto the document he is working on. And to add to the mystery the message reads: “Today, and only today, you may create a person.” Create a person? How surreal! The attached condition is that the person to be created must have been born in the same year as the author, and in the same city. Could it get any more bizarre than that? So instead of writing a novel with fictional characters the author creates a person. Yes, an actual person. She is the one his female character is always based on – a woman whom he had felt close to for a long time. She lives a parallel life to him, and she is called Raquel. If you are intrigued enough you can get to know more about Raquel in the flesh, as she engages in lively flirtation with the author throughout the pages of the book “Raquel Says (Something Entirely Unexpected)”.
The book is the brainwork of Mois Benarroch. It is the version translated from Spanish into English by Sally Seward in 2015. The author in 2009 was awarded the Prime Minister’s Prize in Israel, and in 2012 he won the Yehuda Amichai Prize for Poetry. Born in (Spanish) Morocco in 1959, he has since been living in Israel where his parents relocated when he was thirteen years old.
In the book Mois Benarroch takes the reader with him on a ride as he tries to re-discover and identify with his Moroccan roots. He talks about his loneliness, his feeling of being in exile in Israel and his conflicted personality. He sees his family’s move to Israel as “leaving my house alone, without my footsteps, and without my shadow.” I empathize with him about his feeling of alienation in his adopted land. The recreation of himself as a female serves as a means of escapism for him. In the guise of Raquel he lives a parallel life in Madrid and writes in his mother tongue Spanish, as if he never left his roots. His make-believe living in two worlds, two cultures thus mitigates his ambivalence.
I recommend the book as good material to gain some knowledge about the politics and society in Israel as a whole. The European (Ashkenazi) Jews have since the founding of Israel in 1948 constituted the elite class. Mois Benarroch’s parents migrated from Morocco to Israel because they are Sephardic Jews. The author alleges discrimination against his class of Jews. To quote him: “They see us as a challenge, a threat to Israeli society for not being Western enough.” This brings to mind the demonstration by the resettled Ethiopian Jews in Tel Aviv in 2015 against the perceived racism against them.
While I sympathize with the author, I get the impression that he carries his fight against the system too far. By writing “I talked non-stop to everyone about it” his insistence may be nauseating to the point of chilling the response of the powers that be. He seems to play his activist role of ‘voice for the voiceless’ overtime. No wonder that he says he is assaulted with letters and phone calls about being crazy. He becomes the problem then, instead of the solution to the wrongs that he alludes to. However, his cry is heartfelt when he laments that “They ask me to get rid of my past to be one of them. Not that I don’t want to, but that I can’t.” I will leave it up to readers to get a first-hand feel of his dilemma as they browse the pages of the book.
The style of writing is in the first person. In tone the author uses a monologue addressed to his other self. This makes the reading somewhat monotonous due to the multiple use of ‘I’ and ‘my’ and the lack of varied sentence structures. However, this is compensated for by the passion and the flow of the narrative. I find it not a book to read for pleasure or relaxation, but one that fuels thinking about cultural differences, prejudices, racism and assimilation. Sections of the book are in poetic form, and have to be read over and over slowly to absorb the meaning.
I picked the book expecting to review a novel, as identified on the cover. But I find it to be other than a novel. Perhaps the tag of a ‘Metaphysical Memoir’ may be more apt. The author admits, however, that: “Anything called a novel sells better, than those called something else.” That makes me laugh at his marketing gimmick.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. Immigrants trapped in other cultures will identify with the book. It is also a good source of educative information to all about Israel. I liked living in its mystical fantasy that operates in the present, past and future simultaneously. Its combination of prose and poetry makes it unique. It is rich in imagery, as when the author writes that he and Raquel live in books just as words live among pages. I leave the rest up to your imagination, until you uncover the one-in-a-pair in the pages of “Raquel Says (Something Entirely Unexpected)”. Like a twist on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
******
Raquel Says (Something Entirely Unexpected)
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4 out of 4 stars
Review by Chrys Brobbey
The book is the brainwork of Mois Benarroch. It is the version translated from Spanish into English by Sally Seward in 2015. The author in 2009 was awarded the Prime Minister’s Prize in Israel, and in 2012 he won the Yehuda Amichai Prize for Poetry. Born in (Spanish) Morocco in 1959, he has since been living in Israel where his parents relocated when he was thirteen years old.
In the book Mois Benarroch takes the reader with him on a ride as he tries to re-discover and identify with his Moroccan roots. He talks about his loneliness, his feeling of being in exile in Israel and his conflicted personality. He sees his family’s move to Israel as “leaving my house alone, without my footsteps, and without my shadow.” I empathize with him about his feeling of alienation in his adopted land. The recreation of himself as a female serves as a means of escapism for him. In the guise of Raquel he lives a parallel life in Madrid and writes in his mother tongue Spanish, as if he never left his roots. His make-believe living in two worlds, two cultures thus mitigates his ambivalence.
I recommend the book as good material to gain some knowledge about the politics and society in Israel as a whole. The European (Ashkenazi) Jews have since the founding of Israel in 1948 constituted the elite class. Mois Benarroch’s parents migrated from Morocco to Israel because they are Sephardic Jews. The author alleges discrimination against his class of Jews. To quote him: “They see us as a challenge, a threat to Israeli society for not being Western enough.” This brings to mind the demonstration by the resettled Ethiopian Jews in Tel Aviv in 2015 against the perceived racism against them.
While I sympathize with the author, I get the impression that he carries his fight against the system too far. By writing “I talked non-stop to everyone about it” his insistence may be nauseating to the point of chilling the response of the powers that be. He seems to play his activist role of ‘voice for the voiceless’ overtime. No wonder that he says he is assaulted with letters and phone calls about being crazy. He becomes the problem then, instead of the solution to the wrongs that he alludes to. However, his cry is heartfelt when he laments that “They ask me to get rid of my past to be one of them. Not that I don’t want to, but that I can’t.” I will leave it up to readers to get a first-hand feel of his dilemma as they browse the pages of the book.
The style of writing is in the first person. In tone the author uses a monologue addressed to his other self. This makes the reading somewhat monotonous due to the multiple use of ‘I’ and ‘my’ and the lack of varied sentence structures. However, this is compensated for by the passion and the flow of the narrative. I find it not a book to read for pleasure or relaxation, but one that fuels thinking about cultural differences, prejudices, racism and assimilation. Sections of the book are in poetic form, and have to be read over and over slowly to absorb the meaning.
I picked the book expecting to review a novel, as identified on the cover. But I find it to be other than a novel. Perhaps the tag of a ‘Metaphysical Memoir’ may be more apt. The author admits, however, that: “Anything called a novel sells better, than those called something else.” That makes me laugh at his marketing gimmick.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. Immigrants trapped in other cultures will identify with the book. It is also a good source of educative information to all about Israel. I liked living in its mystical fantasy that operates in the present, past and future simultaneously. Its combination of prose and poetry makes it unique. It is rich in imagery, as when the author writes that he and Raquel live in books just as words live among pages. I leave the rest up to your imagination, until you uncover the one-in-a-pair in the pages of “Raquel Says (Something Entirely Unexpected)”. Like a twist on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
******
Raquel Says (Something Entirely Unexpected)
Read Raquel Says (Something Entirely Unexpected) in
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Review by Emily flint -- Keys to Tetouan by Mois Benarroch
Review by Emily flint -- Keys to Tetouan by Mois Benarroch
[Following is a volunteer review of "Keys to Tetouan" by Mois Benarroch.]
Keys to Tetouan, by Mois Benarroch can be described as a book about the Bezimra family, a Jewish family, and their longing for their home in Tetouan. The Bezimra's were part of the Jews that were exiled from Spain and waited until they could go back. Unfortunately, like in many situations similar, going back to how things were, was not to happen. About the older generation that cannot seem to come to terms with not being there but yet do not really want to go back. How they are trying to fit in but it just doesn't work. About the younger generation that really know next to nothing about their heritage and are not very interested for the most part. Yet there is still a sense of pride and duty to tell their stories.
The book starts off and almost immediately, it grabs your attention. You can almost taste the grief and sadness of some of these people. This author did an amazing job of making you feel the homesickness and almost despair. Almost as if you can relate to it yourself. You can almost taste the regret of one character who just wanted, needed, his religion. It was a part of himself that he never realized he needed until it was almost too late. Although, it is written more in the format of short stories and can be a little confusing as to whom they are referring to. Some of it can be read similar to poetry as well, which makes it more interesting.
To me, this book was more like reading from a persons daily diary, little excitement, but you get to peek into their lives. It feels like you are privy to their secret thoughts that can not be spoken. Their longing to be whole again, to be family again. But you feel as if it is too little too late for some.
I would suggest this book to anyone who is interested in reading about how some Jews still felt the effects of the Spanish exile and the deterioration of religion in this family.
I give this book a 3 out of 4 stars because of the confusing format and the simple grammatical and spelling errors. Also, I felt as if some of the writing was disjointed and incomplete. Even with that, it was a good book to read. Something I could see having to read for a class in school.
******
Keys to Tetouan
View: on Bookshelves
Keys to Tetouan, by Mois Benarroch can be described as a book about the Bezimra family, a Jewish family, and their longing for their home in Tetouan. The Bezimra's were part of the Jews that were exiled from Spain and waited until they could go back. Unfortunately, like in many situations similar, going back to how things were, was not to happen. About the older generation that cannot seem to come to terms with not being there but yet do not really want to go back. How they are trying to fit in but it just doesn't work. About the younger generation that really know next to nothing about their heritage and are not very interested for the most part. Yet there is still a sense of pride and duty to tell their stories.
The book starts off and almost immediately, it grabs your attention. You can almost taste the grief and sadness of some of these people. This author did an amazing job of making you feel the homesickness and almost despair. Almost as if you can relate to it yourself. You can almost taste the regret of one character who just wanted, needed, his religion. It was a part of himself that he never realized he needed until it was almost too late. Although, it is written more in the format of short stories and can be a little confusing as to whom they are referring to. Some of it can be read similar to poetry as well, which makes it more interesting.
To me, this book was more like reading from a persons daily diary, little excitement, but you get to peek into their lives. It feels like you are privy to their secret thoughts that can not be spoken. Their longing to be whole again, to be family again. But you feel as if it is too little too late for some.
I would suggest this book to anyone who is interested in reading about how some Jews still felt the effects of the Spanish exile and the deterioration of religion in this family.
I give this book a 3 out of 4 stars because of the confusing format and the simple grammatical and spelling errors. Also, I felt as if some of the writing was disjointed and incomplete. Even with that, it was a good book to read. Something I could see having to read for a class in school.
******
Keys to Tetouan
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