Review by iknwuzoh -- Keys to Tetouan by Mois Benarroch

Review by iknwuzoh -- Keys to Tetouan by Mois Benarroch

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Unread post by iknwuzoh » 07 May 2018, 06:19

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4 out of 4 stars

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Keys To Tetouan by Mois Benarroch is a tale of Mois Benzimra who is the father of a Jewish tribe that settled in Tetouan from where they dispersed to other countries of the world.

The theme of the book reflects on the effects of civilisations on the Jewish identity. It emphasizes on the state of Jews in the modern day society, their wanting to go back to the Jewish ways of life, in a world that is turning into a global village. It reflects on their wish to return to Jewish traditions in this modern era. Many Jews are experiencing the effects of migration. I see this book as a book that fits into the Jewish genre. My view of this theme is that it is recommendable for the Jews of nowadays who want to understand and know what it means to be Jewish, who want to know what the Jewish lifestyle was like before this modern era. I noticed the book expanded much on the state of the Jews in many nations wanting to retain their Jewish identity. I strongly recommend this book for Jews and non-Jews. This is because the Jews have had some impact on non-Jews and mixture of races have taken place due to the Jewish expansion. I will say that non-Jews should also read this literary piece to see how they may be affected by the Jewish expansion. Many non-Jews who read this book may find out they have reasonable connections with the Jewish identity. It expresses how many Jews seek their homeland and how many non-Jews became Jewish through interracial marriages.

This book is very interesting to read as it is a book that has the capacity to unite Jews with non-Jews. I strongly recommend this book as a book that can join different tribes in conflict. The Jewish exile is well stressed in the theme including the effects of westernisation. The modern Jew finds himself in a state different from the olden times when the Jewish retained its unique identity. The theme questions the Jews with regards to whether they can ever realise their previous state before westernisation. The answers are not definitely given in this very book but is left for the reader to figure out.

This literary piece is a contemplation of the state of the Jewish tribe and not an answer to that state. This book is interesting with some interesting characters like Moshe Benzimra who poses here as the father of the tribe. His character in this book shows much about the nature of the Jewish lifestyle. He seems to be a major character in this piece.

I also observed while reading the book about a categories of keys. There was reference to a particular key that will open the house in Tetouan. Keys were mentioned many times in this book with a particular reference to the key used with a scanner in a device that opens the historical aspects of the Jewish in Tetouan. The book got its name from these categories of keys.

I like the way the book was written, how it uses the characters of the Benzimra family to explain the plight of the Jewish identity in the modern era with respect to the Jewish town of Tetouan. I will rate this book 4 out of 4 stars because of it's unique way of entertaining the reader and connecting Jews and non-Jews. In conclusion, I strongly recommend this book for Jews and non-Jews alike.

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Keys to Tetouan 
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Review by Tim Bets -- Gates to Tangier by Mois Benarroch

Review by Tim Bets -- Gates to Tangier by Mois Benarroch

Post Number:#1 by Timbets » 05 Jan 2017, 20:25

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Gates to Tangier" by Mois Benarroch.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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It can be a terrible burden and a lot to process when someone dies. When finding out about a brother that never existed until reading the will can be an overwhelming shock. Gates-to-Tangier by Mois Benarroch is a short story about the Benzimra family traveling to Morocco to find a brother they never knew. Finding their brother is the only way they will receive the money left for them.

Isaque, Israel, Fortu, Alberto, and their sister Silvia, are all Jews returning to Morocco. Morocco is a place that became exile because it is without Jews. Therefore, these siblings, have not been to Morocco in years. If it were not for the will, they would probably not have gone back at all. While forming a plan to try to find their brother Zohra, mixed emotions, confusion, and frustration combined make it hard for the siblings to want to complete the job they were given. What they didn't know is their brother Zohra is a woman. Can they complete the task to find their brother?

Zohra has been with her boyfriend for 2 years. For the longest time, Zohra was confused as to why she cannot have children even though she knows why. The reason still does not make sense to her. Zohra decides to do more research. Once she found the answer, her whole life could change. The biggest question for her is, what would become of Marcel and me?

I enjoyed the story about the siblings looking for their brother. It wasn't too short or too long. I did not find any mistakes at all. The author did a very good job relating details up to the end. The characters were also broken down to sections so that you could read about them one at a time instead of all at once. It felt like you got to know them better that way. There wasn't much I did not like about the story. I was disappointed to find out the news about Zohra, however it did make the story even more interesting. So it was a very good twist that was not expected.

I would rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I would highly recommend this to anyone, except young children. Do not let the first sentence fool you. I almost wondered at first what I got myself into. Once I got past that part I can understand why it was written that way. The only thing I would say that could maybe be different is the first sentence because not everyone likes to read a book beginning that way.

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Gates to Tangier 

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Review by Helen_Combe -- Keys to Tetouan by Mois Benarroch 4/4 stars

Review by Helen_Combe -- Keys to Tetouan by Mois Benarroch

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4 out of 4 stars

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Keys to Tetouan by Mois Benarroch is a remarkable and very individual book. It tells the story of the Benzimras, a Jewish family who settled in Tetouan in Morocco after they were expelled from Spain in the 15th century. When Israel was created in 1948, a very large proportion of the Tetouan population emigrated there, and to other parts of the world.

The story begins with Fernando Benzimra who has received a letter from his late father telling him that he (his father) was Jewish. Fernando then goes to Tetouan to seek out his family and learn his ancestry. The history is told piecemeal by other members of the family in the form of letters, conversations and memoirs. The book explores the experience of being in exile and of longing to belong while belonging nowhere, not even in Israel.

What makes this book so remarkable is how creatively it has been written. Benarroch is a poet and, as poets are wont to do, he has complete disregard for the rules of written English. Much of the book takes the form of a stream of consciousness and is difficult to follow. Often an entire paragraph will be made up of just one sentence and may stretch across several pages. There are no dialogue attributions and it can be difficult to work out who is speaking or writing.

The text is littered with grammatical errors, but as I was unsheathing my red pen, a thought struck me. Perhaps it’s meant to be like this. There is very little narrative. Most of the book is either spoken or written by the characters. One character admitted that he was 80 years old and pounding on a typewriter while his ideas flowed too fast for him to keep up with them. I then made the decision that the errors form part of the idiosyncratic nature of the book, so I put my red pen away. I was glad I did because in the prologue, which is situated towards the end, it says ‘this book has a lot of grammar mistakes because it's (sic) author is very strict with Don't Do deeds only’. I’m not entirely sure I know what that means, but I get the gist.

What I like most about this book is the way it has been written. It’s often difficult, confusing and frustrating, but despite all that, it’s beautiful. There is pleasure in watching the words as they unfold.

There is one grammatical error that I can’t just sit back and accept. In the third chapter, it says that Tetouan was rebuilt in 1942 after the Spanish expulsion. That should read as 1492.

This is not an easy book to read. I haven’t had to work this hard since I discovered John Fowles and Salman Rushdie. I would recommend it to people who like the kind of poetry that you have to wrestle with in order to extract meaning. It’s also more of a philosophical than a historical novel and will appeal to people who are interested in people.

Despite giving me a headache and making me go boss-eyed with my attempts to comprehend it, I will nevertheless award this book 4 out of 4 stars.

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Keys to Tetouan 
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4/4 stars Review by Juliet Muia -- Gates to Tangier by Mois Benarroch

Review by Juliet Muia -- Gates to Tangier by Mois Benarroch

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4 out of 4 stars

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Gates to Tangier by Mois Benarroch is a novel about the events that followed the reading of a certain Jewish man’s will. In the will, the deceased asked his children to look for their half-brother as a condition to accessing their inheritance. He had never told them about his illegitimate child when he was alive. The story begins after the lawyer reads the will to the family. Upset and determined to find their half-brother, the siblings set out on a journey to find the truth.

The author employs suspense as a literary tool to drive the reader through the pages of the novel. His choice of words is excellent. He uses humor to ease the tension created by some events in the story. He also has a strong sense of imagination. The use of thoughtful insights, pictures of the world through the minds of others and the reflections of the dead exhibit the great creativity of the author. He gives detailed accounts about how the narrator’s family is scattered in different parts of the world-Madrid, New York, Paris and Israel. The trip to Morocco in search of their half-brother reminds them of their early years in life since their parents had lived in Morocco before going to Israel.

He gives a full representation of the Jewish community. He sheds light on the issues that affect the contemporary Jewish community such as the crisis with the Palestinians and the identity crisis among the Jews. Also, he incorporates the evils that have torn the moral fabric of both the Jews and the rest of the world, which gives the novel a universal outlook. They include corruption, prostitution, adultery, ethnicity, and greed. He paints a picture of the contemporary family. The struggles within the institution of marriage take a center stage. This leads to identity crisis of the children born thereof. However, the author is also keen to note that there is still a remnant that upholds the Jewish values-those who have stood the test of time.

As expected from a Jew, the author mentions some of the aspects of the Jewish history as recorded in the Bible. For example, the story of Cain and Abel, the tower of Babel, circumcision of young males and the synagogue as a place of worship among others. Such aspects give the story authenticity. The writer is also keen to mention Nazism and Hitler since they played a pivotal role in the history of the Jews.

I give the novel 4 out of 4 stars. It is an excellent piece of Jewish literature. It covers both the historical and contemporary aspects of the Jewish community. The novel gives a view of the world through the eyes of a Jewish family. It is an epic piece of work.

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Gates to Tangier 

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Review by Eileen R -- Keys to Tetouan by Mois Benarroch 4/4 stars

Review by Eileen R -- Keys to Tetouan by Mois Benarroch

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READ to Keys to Tetouan in

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4 out of 4 stars

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Keys to Tetouan is a beautiful historical fiction novel by bestselling author Mois Benarroch . It follows the story of the Benzimra family, a Moroccan- Jewish clan in their search for their identity and roots. The book follows the journey of the Benzimra family through the Middle East, Europe and Africa, as they’re exiled and robbed of their identity and origins. First published in 1999 in Hebrew, Keys to Tetouan is one of the books in the Tetouan trilogy, the others being Lucena and Gates to Tangier.

The book is made up of narratives by the Benzimra family in which they try to make the reader understand their frustration at being exiled from everywhere they’ve ever been including; Europe, Africa and the Middle East. In his line “How can I be a Spanish exile if I wasn't even born there, if my father wasn't born there, how is it possible you're an exile, exile everywhere, exile is my home…”, the author captures the very essence of emigration and exile.

Consisting of interviews, letters, dialogues and anecdotes, Keys to Tetouan fully narrates the story of the Benzimra family in an interesting yet unusual way. It’s not every day that you see a book that is bewildering yet enlightening at the same time. I was completely impressed at how the author succeeded in doing this.

Although it was unconventional in every way, the book was surprisingly good. To be honest, at first I was hesitant to pick this book for review. I rarely read historical fiction novels. However, after reading the first few chapters, I was completely hooked. I loved how the author used narratives to pass his message across.

Understanding where you come from is essential to building your own identity. Therefore I could understand when the Benzimra family and their generations asked the question, “where is home?” It’s easy to sympathize with their dilemma especially in today’s world where there are many emigrants simply looking for a place to call home.

The author might come across as blunt at times but it’s completely called for in my opinion. This bluntness solidifies the book’s position as a must read in my eyes. I loved how he didn’t beat about the bush when it came to matters of exile and origins. He asks the hard questions that more often than not we are quick to brush off.

I admit that there were some instances where I was completely lost and I had a hard time understanding the dialogues. It was so ambiguous at times that I couldn’t comprehend what was going on. However, I believe that this was completely intentional on the author’s part which made the book all the more interesting.

Overall, I rate this book a 4 out of 4. I have to say, it’s one of the best written books I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. It’s perfectly imperfect in my opinion. It was so masterfully written that I couldn’t resist giving it a perfect score. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who’s looking for an intellectual challenge that will give you a completely different view on issues of exile and origins.

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Keys to Tetouan 

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4/4 stars Keys to Tetouan by Mois Benarroch

Review by KitabuKitamu -- Keys to Tetouan by Mois Benarroch

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4 out of 4 stars

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Tetouan is a town in Morocco where some Jews expelled from Spain in the 1400’s had settled and made their home. Mois Benarroch tells the story of the Benzimra family through its generations which sprung from the Jewish settlers of this town.

Between the chapters in this book, there are poetic/play ditties usually musing about the motherland. When are we going? Why should we go in the first place? Why don’t we feel at home even though we’ve arrived...? The chapters are a mix of stories from the perspective of different people, oral and in form of letters. From the stories, we learn of the different professions of the family members and what their association, tie or longing with Tetouan is.

The Jewish roots of most characters in this book are a great influence on the themes that dominate the text. We see their struggles in being accepted in the countries they had been exiled to, and their sense of exile while back in their own homeland. We also have a sense of the relational tensions with Christians, Europeans, Arabs, etc. For instance, it doesn’t make sense for a Jew who has lived in harmony with Arabs in Tetouan to have a problem with them in Israel. It also doesn’t make sense for the same individual to desire to be buried in Tetouan rather than in Israel, showing where his heart really is, where he has a sense of belonging.

Keys to Tetouan as a book seems to have a metaphorical reference to a key that has been passed in the Benzimra family from generation to generation. As readers, we have the benefit of having a glimpse of what it knows through a box that reads the memories of objects in the final chapter of the book.

The storytelling in the book seems real enough to make it historical. I enjoyed the way the stories were told by different members of the family almost giving them a personal touch, to the point where I couldn’t tell the book wasn’t a compilation of true narratives by real people. Or was it? The domination of reference to the Jewish way of life and thinking doesn’t make the book relatable to everyone. It does help in understanding them though, why their motherland is important to most and their expectation of the temple being rebuilt. I rate the book 4 out of 4 stars.

I would recommend this book to those who like historical fiction and good storytelling. I haven’t noted any spelling or grammatical errors in the book, which is really good if the book was translated from another language.

******
Keys to Tetouan 
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Review by afendley -- Gates to Tangier by Mois Benarroch ' En las puertas de Tánger

Review by afendley -- Gates to Tangier by Mois Benarroch

Post Number:#1 by afendley » 10 Feb 2017, 18:18

[Following is a volunteer review of "Gates to Tangier" by Mois Benarroch.]

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There is much to be said of this book. The book drops the reader into the middle of a very dramatic family affair, a family called Benzirma. Rereading the first part of the book is necessary to understand the setting. It is based on a family who are spread apart living in different parts of the globe. The chapters are set apart by family members and locations of where the individual is. At the end of every chapter is direct dialogue from that certain character.

The plot consists of the journey of each of the members of the family back to Morocco. Many locations are cited through the text. Cultural identity is one of the main themes of the text because the family used to live with each other a while ago. The plot changes multiple times based on the setting of which the individual is located. The characters trying to get to their destination which brings about trials and various situations the characters must face before getting to Morocco. The reader will also learn a lot about Tetuoan.

Being dropped in the middle of a family situation at the beginning of the book caused me great exasperation as well as confusion because of the need to have a setting established. I usually read history and biography which certainly is different than this type of genre. Overall the book was a joy to read because of the drama the author laid out before me.

One struggle of the book is to understand it clearly. I did lose interest a few times but regained it when the author went to different places. The plot turns from easy to understand from difficult to understand. The reason being that many people were concerned with various locations. The book’s view on cultural identity was confusing as well. One must keep the characters and their dialogues in order to be able to read the book and understanding it efficiently.

I would recommend this book to my family and peers because of the family aspect. The book consisted of the identity and relationship each member of the family had to their country of origin. The book also delved deeply into matters toward relationships. I have not read the first two books of the series though I ask the audience to read them because it will make this book easier to understand. Also the reader must know the history of the Jewish culture before reading this book.

I rate this book 3 out of 4.

******

Gates to Tangier 

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Review by Slingrider 10 -- The Expelled by Mois Benarroch

 

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Expelled" by Mois Benarroch.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Review by Slingrider 10

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The Expelled, a novel by Mois Benarroch, is a story within a story, within another story, presenting varying characters in each story similar to Russian nesting dolls. Minor characters are introduced by their circumstances rather than physical attributes, i.e. Ofelia, a travel neighbor; Oizona, seat number 38, considered himself their leader; Domingo, owner of the gun; Sade, a sort of Napoleon, Amijai, a good neighbor; Olvido, with cancer and dying; a woman fleeing holocaust and mutilation; Son of Bentato, the man who never knew his father; Cash, the murdered saint; or the girl from the back of the bus wishing to be ugly rather than pretty to avoid another rape.

Kudos are well deserved for translator, Pamela Doccahe, in preserving the voice of Benarroch. Although, this is a work in prose fiction, the novel beats with a cadence of verse – the author’s heartbeat, amazingly not lost in the translation. The author states in one instance that he visits the world of “prose as a tourist.” The novel is wrought with proverbial metaphors and an occasional philosophical ponder.

Benarroch chose to write this novel in the first person, creating the surface impression of an autobiography. Real or perceived – what author doesn’t put a piece of himself into a novel?

The Expelled is not a light read suitable on a commuter train with demands for awareness of a next stop or the beach with children in tow. It requires a solitary, absorbing read the first time through. I did not enjoy the read in the advance copy on page 48: “…he (he should be she) leaned back and said she couldn’t, that she was a married woman.” Such a small hiccup, a print error, a he in place of a she, however, it caused a break in concentration. Had this jolt to my concentration appeared on any other page, it may not have been disconcerting. However, it was positioned between pivotal paragraphs bearing the novelist’s explanation of Expelled in the title.

The Expelled is a compact novel in length that mesmerizes its reader, attaching a slim line connecting the central character for several stories offered in first person. Benarroch reveals struggles for a Jewish writer, the highs and lows of his chosen profession. Sex scenes between mistress and lover are written in lustful detail. The events for a 30-hour bus trip from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean are surreal, similar to sleep walking in a nightmare. Benarroch successfully cloaks his character, Dospasos, in innocence via simplistic dialog, deterring authorities accusing Dospasos of Al-Qaeda terrorism and cannibalism. Interrogation conversations from his cell are in contrast to philosophical and intellectual thoughts spent elsewhere in the novel. As the author intended, I was alarmed by the unquestioned acceptance of both proclaimed rulers and down-trodden bus riders for their lack of respect of human worth.

I believe this novel has potential for lively book club discussions based on the regular appearance of metaphors reminiscent of dream interpretation from the Old Testament. Example: “Then I saw a cow's head dropping a few inches from where I was, and another followed, and the third almost dropped on my head but I moved to the side and hit myself against a tree. They were all olive trees. And some of them were split in two because of the wall, trees in two worlds.”

I would have preferred smoother transition from one story to the next. I rate this novel 3 out of 4 stars.

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The Expelled 
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